NEW 3-5-2d

[Coltdoggs]

Along these lines...I had a parent of a rec league kid question my decision about his kid's newly pierced ear. When I told him that earrings/jewelry were not allowed he wanted to know why...I told him safety of the player and the only exceptions in the rule book for any such item were for medical or religious medals. He tells me they are for religious reasons and they were taped...

I told him that I would not allow his son to participate with earrings in, he immediately asked me if I was questioning his religious belief and if I was, this was a road I didn't want to travel....

Being on the board, I did not want to stir the pot and the following week a revision on the rule was sent to all coaches to hand down...Kid didn't have his earring in the next week or the rest of the season...

[Adam]

My understanding is that earrings do not have a religious exemption, and all religious jewelry still needs to not be a safety hazard.

Safety trumps religion, IMO.

Also, I wouldn't even mention the religious thing when arguing with an ignorant parent about their kids' earrings. I'm always amazed at two things:
1. parents who allow their kids to get their ears pierced mid-season.
2. parents who honestly think an hour without the earring is going to close the damm hole.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Coltdoggs

Along these lines...I had a parent of a rec league kid question my decision about his kid's newly pierced ear. When I told him that earrings/jewelry were not allowed he wanted to know why...I told him safety of the player and the only exceptions in the rule book for any such item were for medical or religious medals. He tells me they are for religious reasons and they were taped...

I told him that I would not allow his son to participate with earrings in, he immediately asked me if I was questioning his religious belief and if I was, this was a road I didn't want to travel....

Being on the board, I did not want to stir the pot and the following week a revision on the rule was sent to all coaches to hand down...Kid didn't have his earring in the next week or the rest of the season...

If the earrings were "religious", he could have worn them taped to his body under his uniform. Other than that - uh uh.

[Coltdoggs]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

If the earrings were "religious", he could have worn them taped to his body under his uniform. Other than that - uh uh.

Yeah...at the time if I had the rule verbaitum in my mind I would have utilized that...I just saw a guy looking to make a HUGE ordeal and as the ref and board member for the league...I just chose to let this one ride...

You can bet your butt it won't go down like that again!

[Nevadaref]

Are you saying that you allowed the kid to play in that game with the earrings in and taped?