Glasses

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Mark:

How do you apply NFHS R3-S5-A1 to this situation? It has nothing to do with eye glasses.

MTD, Sr.

I would consider glasses that are not affixed to the head and that fall off during play as "dangerous equipment". A player could easily step on them and fall.

[rainmaker]

I worked a MS girls game a few weeks ago, at one point a girl was holding the ball. As she was swinging her arms around trying to keep the ball from getting stolen, she knocked her glasses off. Everyone stopped. She handed theball to the opponent who held it politely until she had bent over, picked them up and put them back on. THen the opponent handed the ball back and play went on!! The clock never stopped. My partner and I were dying of laughter.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by jmaellis

Agreed. It would be improper to adopt a rule that prohibited a player from wearing glasses; it's an issue that I can personally appreciate because I couldn't wear contacts.

However, I think that NFHS could, and should, adopt a rule that minimizes the possibility that glasses will come off the face of the player during the game. My personal opinion is that the player should be required to wear rec specs (or similar brand of sport safety glasses); but even if they don't want to go that far, they should at least require a strap or wrap around temples.

While we seem to agree about the big points, I can tell you that the NFHS has no such rules which require any straps or protectors for glasses. Until they decide to put in such a rule, you are just going to have to allow the players to participate with their glasses and deal with it.

The advice that I was given years ago, I can't recall if it was actually from some written source or just verbal, was to stop the game ASAP when a player's glasses get knocked off and are on the floor so that they don't get stepped on and broken.

[jmaellis]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

While we seem to agree about the big points, I can tell you that the NFHS has no such rules which require any straps or protectors for glasses. Until they decide to put in such a rule, you are just going to have to allow the players to participate with their glasses and deal with it.

FCOL, I'm no sooo new that I don't know that there isn't a rule addressing this, what I've said is that I think there should be a rule.

The advice that I was given years ago, I can't recall if it was actually from some written source or just verbal, was to stop the game ASAP when a player's glasses get knocked off and are on the floor so that they don't get stepped on and broken.

That's good advice. Maybe a way for NFHS to address the issue would be to make glasses on the floor one of the delay of game situations. That would encourage the use of a restraining device and would at least keep the glasses off of the floor.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by jmaellis

Maybe a way for NFHS to address the issue would be to make glasses on the floor one of the delay of game situations. That would encourage the use of a restraining device and would at least keep the glasses off of the floor.

Not trying to knock your enthusiastic suggestion, but I seriously doubt that change will be made given how long it took the FED just to make water on the floor the fourth warning.

[jmaellis]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Not trying to knock your enthusiastic suggestion, but I seriously doubt that change will be made given how long it took the FED just to make water on the floor the fourth warning.

Get back to the thred you just started, I'm posting there now.

[jkjenning]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

No, the reasoning when it comes to metal hair clips is that someone's hand is likely to get sliced upon it when swinging to block a shot or grab a rebound.

projectile which is a hazard to the eyes and slip hazard once they fall to the floor, imo

[Adam]

When I played with glasses, I always wore a strap. My parents figured a $3 strap was far cheaper than buying a new pair of glasses. Had I been concerned about fashion, I wouldn't have been playing ball anyway.

[dave30]

If glasses hit the floor, I blow the whistle immediately. They are too expensive to take chances on getting them broken.