Uniform rule--IHSA Clarification

[JRutledge]

Did anyone get any information about the new uniform rule (meaning the color of the jersey) was going to be under review?

Our state left all officials this message.

11/7 Uniform Rule Clarification

NOTE: This message has also been posted in the Case Situation area of the IHSA Schools' and Officials' Center.

Since the advent of the basketball pre-season rule interpretation meetings, the IHSA Office has received a number of inquiries from member schools concerning the application of rule 3-4 (Uniforms) this year in Illinois. At the rule interpretation meetings, schools and officials were notified that schools who either failed to wear white uniforms as the home team in a varsity boys’ or girls’ basketball game or wore illegal uniforms should be penalized in accordance with rule 10-3-2. Schools were also told at these pre-season rules meetings that they could write to the IHSA Office for a waiver of the uniform requirement if necessary. As member schools were reminded, they were given four years to plan for this year’s emphasis on wearing proper and legal uniforms.

However, with girls’ basketball games scheduled to begin next week, the IHSA has clarified its position with respect to the uniform rule in Illinois for the regular season. It has been determined that, while the onus of responsibility for ensuring their teams are wearing legal uniforms resides with each member school and that school administrators must work, in some cases, more closely with their basketball coaches when ordering uniforms, the current penalty for wearing illegal uniforms as established by the NFHS is scheduled to be reviewed at an up-coming meeting of state association directors, and, as a result, the penalty is not to be enforced by officials. Officials are, though, required to complete a Special Report with the IHSA Office if they officiate a boys’ or girls’ varsity basketball contest in which either team is wearing what they suspect to be an illegal uniform, including an incidence of a varsity home team failing to wear white uniforms.

As a final reminder, the restrictions on home teams wearing white uniforms applies only to the varsity level.

Schools or officials with additional questions can contact Kurt Gibson or Beth Sauser at the IHSA Office.

Peace

[jdw3018]

Haven't gotten that message, but here in South Carolina we've been told at our Rules meetings that we are not to assess technical fouls for illegal uniforms, but rather to report it to the state. So, SC is already using that interpretation.

[Nevadaref]

Thanks for passing along the info, Rut. If the state directors get together and change the penalty, I would hope that they would adopt the NCAA penalty for this.

Illegal uniforms by the whole team results in a single team technical foul.

[tjones1]

Interesting...thanks, Jeff.

[M&M Guy]

Jeff, thanks for the update. I just checked the website this morning and hadn't seen this, so this must've just come out.

I'm glad to see the IHSA change their stance a little. Kurt was the rules interpreter for our meeting just last Thursday, and even then he was still taking the stance that the schools have had 4 years to comply with all the uniform rule changes, and it is still the schools' own fault if they purchased illegal uniforms from a supplier. I can see the logic, but that seems to penalize the kids a great deal (5 T's at the minimum) for something they have no control over. Of course, I still heard the usual grumbling afterwards, "There's no way I'm handing out all those T's to start a game", etc., and that puts the officials who want to call it correctly on the spot. This way, the IHSA can deal directly with the schools on this subject, and we can deal with the game of basketball.

[tjones1]

While I agree, I would also agree with Kurt in saying that if they are only going to get one T, then they'll just do whatever they want. In regards to not having legal uniforms.

I don't have a problem handing out 5+ T's. I'll just designate them to M&M like I will with the jump ball.

[gordon30307]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

Jeff, thanks for the update. I just checked the website this morning and hadn't seen this, so this must've just come out.

I'm glad to see the IHSA change their stance a little. Kurt was the rules interpreter for our meeting just last Thursday, and even then he was still taking the stance that the schools have had 4 years to comply with all the uniform rule changes, and it is still the schools' own fault if they purchased illegal uniforms from a supplier. I can see the logic, but that seems to penalize the kids a great deal (5 T's at the minimum) for something they have no control over. Of course, I still heard the usual grumbling afterwards, "There's no way I'm handing out all those T's to start a game", etc., and that puts the officials who want to call it correctly on the spot. This way, the IHSA can deal directly with the schools on this subject, and we can deal with the game of basketball.

They have had four years to comply. Seems enough time to me to make the transgression. BTW I wouldn't be happy if I had the team the following night show up in illeagle uniforms and I applied the penalty we are instructed to apply And I got the the famous excuse. We wore these last night and we didn't start with 5 Tees. Don't do that to the crew that follows you. The Rules Interp. that I was at spent a lot of time going over uniforms. Obviously it's something the powers that be want enforced. If the penalty is 5 Tees you got to do it.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by gordon30307

They have had four years to comply. Seems enough time to me to make the transgression. BTW I wouldn't be happy if I had the team the following night show up in illeagle uniforms and I applied the penalty we are instructed to apply And I got the the famous excuse. We wore these last night and we didn't start with 5 Tees. Don't do that to the crew that follows you. The Rules Interp. that I was at spent a lot of time going over uniforms. Obviously it's something the powers that be want enforced. If the penalty is 5 Tees you got to do it.

As long as everyone does it the same in their area/state, it shouldn't be a problem. If your state doesn't want you calling 5 Ts, don't call 5 Ts.

If Illinois decides to work it from the top down, it's not going to affect me in Colorado.

Bottom line, get direction from your assigners or state interpreters to make sure everyone is doing it the same.

[jdw3018]

Originally Posted by gordon30307

Obviously it's something the powers that be want enforced. If the penalty is 5 Tees you got to do it.

If that's what your association wants, sure. Ours doesn't.

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by gordon30307

They have had four years to comply. Seems enough time to me to make the transgression. BTW I wouldn't be happy if I had the team the following night show up in illeagle uniforms and I applied the penalty we are instructed to apply And I got the the famous excuse. We wore these last night and we didn't start with 5 Tees. Don't do that to the crew that follows you. The Rules Interp. that I was at spent a lot of time going over uniforms. Obviously it's something the powers that be want enforced. If the penalty is 5 Tees you got to do it.

And, up until this clarification, we were going to do it this way as well. At the meeting, there was more time spent on uniform issues than any other POE.

There was one point brought up during the meeting that may be a part of the problem, and that is the suppliers of these uniforms. He brought up, as an example, one of the Ohio State uniforms (sorry Mark, not meaning to pick on OSU again, just relaying what I was told) where the side panel color kind of "flows" up into the front. Suppliers show schools these types of uniforms in the catalog, tell them they can get the same thing in their school colors, and AD's say, "Sure!" without checking if they are actually legal. So many schools have spent the money to upgrade, only to find out they spent money on illegal uniforms. Is it the schools' fault for not making sure? Of course they should bear some of the responsibility. But they don't necessarily have the funds available to just go out and buy the correct uniforms right now, especially after just making a major purchase in the last year or two. But shouldn't the suppliers bear some of the responsibility? Why are the suppliers pushing illegal uniforms?

[Adam]

Because people are buying them.

[gordon30307]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

And, up until this clarification, we were going to do it this way as well. At the meeting, there was more time spent on uniform issues than any other POE.

There was one point brought up during the meeting that may be a part of the problem, and that is the suppliers of these uniforms. He brought up, as an example, one of the Ohio State uniforms (sorry Mark, not meaning to pick on OSU again, just relaying what I was told) where the side panel color kind of "flows" up into the front. Suppliers show schools these types of uniforms in the catalog, tell them they can get the same thing in their school colors, and AD's say, "Sure!" without checking if they are actually legal. So many schools have spent the money to upgrade, only to find out they spent money on illegal uniforms. Is it the schools' fault for not making sure? Of course they should bear some of the responsibility. But they don't necessarily have the funds available to just go out and buy the correct uniforms right now, especially after just making a major purchase in the last year or two. But shouldn't the suppliers bear some of the responsibility? Why are the suppliers pushing illegal uniforms?

Suppliers sell uniforms to park districts, travel teams etc. They bear no responsibility. The schools have had four years to conform. These are educated people they all have college degrees (I assume) if the uniforms are illeagle go out and buy a white and a dark mesh practice jersey iron on some numbers (of the proper size) and you're legal. Own up to the mistake and take care of it latter or next season.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

And, up until this clarification, we were going to do it this way as well. At the meeting, there was more time spent on uniform issues than any other POE.

There was one point brought up during the meeting that may be a part of the problem, and that is the suppliers of these uniforms. He brought up, as an example, one of the Ohio State uniforms (sorry Mark, not meaning to pick on OSU again, just relaying what I was told) where the side panel color kind of "flows" up into the front. Suppliers show schools these types of uniforms in the catalog, tell them they can get the same thing in their school colors, and AD's say, "Sure!" without checking if they are actually legal. So many schools have spent the money to upgrade, only to find out they spent money on illegal uniforms. Is it the schools' fault for not making sure? Of course they should bear some of the responsibility. But they don't necessarily have the funds available to just go out and buy the correct uniforms right now, especially after just making a major purchase in the last year or two. But shouldn't the suppliers bear some of the responsibility? Why are the suppliers pushing illegal uniforms?

Isn't the only part of the rule that's more restrictive this year the requirement to wear white? Aren't the other parts of the rule the same or less restrictive as before?

So, imo, you could grant a waiver if a school could show that it doesn't have white uniforms, and normally replaces it's uniforms on a cycle greater than 4 years (that should be about 2 schools in the state).

The teams should not, imo, be granted a waiver for the other uniforms. They should follow the procedures to get the rules changed (if that's what they want). The easiest way for that to happen is to enforce the rule of one T per player.

At our Master Clinic this past Sunday we were instructed to stick each & every starter & sub (upon entry) for the uniform infraction as they have had ample time to prepare for this.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Ch1town

At our Master Clinic this past Sunday we were instructed to stick each & every starter & sub (upon entry) for the uniform infraction as they have had ample time to prepare for this.

Our Master Clinic isn't until the 18th, but this is good to know.