Beads in Hair

[cropduster]

Monday night, jr high, we had a boy that had beads woven into his hair in the back kind of like a pony tail. I first noticed him warming up with some of the other boys during half time of the girls game. He was pretty good but he had on street clothes and all of the other kids had their uniforms on. I started to ask one of the kids why he wasn't playing but just let it go. My partner had obviously called this team before because everyone in the gym new his name.

When the girls finished, the boys came out on both ends and began to warm up; and, there was the kid with the beads. I went to my partner and asked him about the beads and he said he always let that go in jr high.


What about you guys? Would you let it go in jr high? Varsity?

barryb

[Jurassic Referee]

Let a safety issue go? Never! He can't play until he removes them- no matter what the level.

Never, ever mess around with safety items.

[rainmaker]

beads in the hair can be a tough issue. Having them put in costs a lot in both time and money. When officials don't enforce the rule, kids don't think it matters and they get them in. It's like girls' pierced ears. "But I just had it done last week!!" Why?? Why have them done the day before the season starts?? Wait until March.

Why did that kid have the beads put in right before the season? Why not braid up his hair without them? It's because no one has enforced the rule in the past. If you do it now, he'll remember, and there won't be a problem down the road. If you don't, it'll keep being a problem year after year after year.

Enforce the rule. Be firm but gentle. Don't yell, don't yield. If your partner starts negotiating, or even actively speaks against what you're doing, call your assignor and pass the buck there. Or just walk out. We need to have judgment and discretion, and sometimes the judgment needs to be that a rule is non-negotiable.

[All_Heart]

Originally Posted by rainmaker

Or just walk out.

I wouldn't suggest this action. This will only come back to haunt you.

[rainmaker]

Originally Posted by All_Heart

I wouldn't suggest this action. This will only come back to haunt you.

Yea, you're right. But if you think there might be a problem, it might be smart to check with your liability insurer to see how they want you to handle it.

[Nevadaref]

I don't know of anything from the NFHS explicitly stating that beads in the hair must be considered unsafe and thus is illegal. Therefore, I believe that this item must fall under the following rule and it is up to referee's discretion. If the referee doesn't believe that the hair style constitutes a safety concern then the team member may play.

RULE 3, SECTION 7 SAFETY CONCERNS
The referee shall not permit any team member to participate if in his/her judgment, items such as a player's fingernails or hair style may constitute a safety concern.

I'm not saying that I don't believe that this is a safety issue or that I would allow the kid to play. What I would do doesn't matter. All I am saying is that JR, rainmaker, or myself can't make the determination that beads in the hair are always illegal. Only the NFHS or a state rules interpreter can do that. Otherwise the decision rests with the referee of that particular game.

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by rainmaker

beads in the hair can be a tough issue. Having them put in costs a lot in both time and money. When officials don't enforce the rule, kids don't think it matters and they get them in. It's like girls' pierced ears. "But I just had it done last week!!" Why?? Why have them done the day before the season starts?? Wait until March.

Why did that kid have the beads put in right before the season? Why not braid up his hair without them? It's because no one has enforced the rule in the past. If you do it now, he'll remember, and there won't be a problem down the road. If you don't, it'll keep being a problem year after year after year.

Enforce the rule. Be firm but gentle. Don't yell, don't yield. If your partner starts negotiating, or even actively speaks against what you're doing, call your assignor and pass the buck there. Or just walk out. We need to have judgment and discretion, and sometimes the judgment needs to be that a rule is non-negotiable.

Had this in a scrimmage this week. My take is this: If by removing the earrings for 90 minutes causes the newly pierced holes to close up, then the kid should get her money back from the ear pierce shop. I always point out to the coach that it is an insurance issue, too, and somehow, the player always chooses playing over keeping the ear rings in.