In the OP's case if the opposing coach said it was OK I'm inclined to agree with you. I was answering his question in regards to if the player could play or if a T could buy the player in.

Different story though if you have a bleeding situation. The rules do allow for an exception to the jersey not matching color, as long as it isn't confusing. However this would be the only case where you could play a player with a uniform that doesn't match his team in color. :D

Case Book 3.3.6 A

Please cite a rule or case play that states that this is the only case.

The case play is in reference to players wearing the wrong-colored jersey, by rule. The ruling is that they are <b>illegal</b> jerseys but can be worn after being penalized with a technical foul.

NFHS rule 3-4 tells you how and why shirts can be illegal. See if you can find a penalty anywhere that states that you can't allow a player to wear that illegal shirt. All I can find is references to players being allowed to wear the shirts after being penalized with a technical foul.

You're trying to claim that a player can't be allowed to play wearing a different-colored shirt even if they are assessed with a "T" for wearing an illegal jersey. If you can find a rules citation that will back up your claim, please provide it.

Its the only exception given in the case book that I can find. Unless there's another then its the only exception. Case Book 3-3-6A

The prescribed penalty for wearing an illegal jerseycan be found in rule 10-2. Illegal jerseys are defined in rule 3-4-6. The NFHS has made it clear that violating 3-4-6b is penalized according to 10-2. Why do you propose that we should exclude 3-4-6a from this?

Case play 3-4-6 References Rule 3-4-6b specifically..."RULING: The referee shall direct the home team to wear the REQUIRED WHITE JERSEY's...." The technical is for not having the REQUIRED white jersey's not for all jersey's not matching.

Case Book 3.3.6 Lets us know that normally the shirts and shorts have to be the same color except for this exception.

This conforms to Rule 3-4-6a. Since there isn't any approved ruling/case play in the case book that says a player can wear a different color jersey from their teammates then we have to revert back to Rule 3- 4-6a.

Every case play in relation to illegal uniforms involves the entire team except for one, undershirts with sleeves. That stands to reason that all players colors match.

Everything that you stated above does not address the point. You are saying that a player can <b>NOT</b> participate</b> wearing a shirt of a different color than his teammates. I'm saying that they can, under penalty of a technical foul for wearing an illegal jersey. Everything that you cited above reinforces my point imo.

Again, if you can find something that will back up your contention that a player can't play while wearing a different colored shirt than his teammates, please post it.

The purpose and the intent of the illegal shirt rules is to allow players to participate after being penalized <b>once</b> for wearing an illegal shirt. The philosophy of not allowing players to participate is confined to illegal equipment or apparel that is dangerous, not appropriate or confusing to other players. As long as player's shirt color is different than his opponent, there is no reason to not allow that player to participate after penalizing them with the technical foul.

IMO I think what I stated was pretty clear. Your reference covered all team members not having on the required white jersey's. It doesn't say anything about one having a different color form the others. (In our State we aren't even giving T's for teams not having the required whites.)

This case play can be used as an approved ruling if a team doesn't have the required White jersey's. The point I'm trying (not very good I expect) to make is that the other case plays only cover something illegal on the entire teams jersey. (I.E. They are all the same color but maybe have a logo on them .)

So if there isn't a case play that says we can allow a single player to play with a different color then his teammates then we have to enforce 3-4-6a as it is written.

We don't let players play with the wrong colored undershirts, sweatband or headbands.

Rule Book 2006-2007 Didn't have a 3-4-6 a&b. Case Book of the same year didn't have a "T" if the home team didn't have the required white jersey. There wasn't any case play last year that would allow any player to play with the wrong color.

The only reason that case play is in this year is for those teams that didn't purchase the REQUIRED white uniforms and in those states that want you to penalize with a 'T".

This year they add 3-4-6 a & b and add case play 3-4-6 Only for the Required white jersey rule. If you could buy a player in with a T then we should've been able to do it last year. The addition of Case play 3-4-6 would be a approved ruling for Rule 3-4-6b but there still isn't one for 3-4-6a.

Dashes for rules, dots for cases, please. See the foreword in the case book.

Are you serious?

You couldn't buy a player in with a "T" last year because there was <b>NO</b> rule last year requiring the home team to wear white jerseys. There was also no case play in last year's book for the same reason... that there was no rule last year making it mandatory for the home team to wear white jerseys.

To repeat, there was <b>NO</b> rule in effect last year making it mandatory for the home team to wear white jerseys. That rule was instituted <b>THIS</b> year. Don't you own this year's rulebook? If you do, take a look at the EDITORIAL CHANGES in the front and POE #1 in the back.

Illegal shirts are penalized with a technical foul. After being charged with a technical foul, a player can wear that illegal shirt in the game(as long as it contrasts with their opponent's jerseys). If you think otherwise, or still would like to insist that a player can't participate wearing an illegal jersey, post a rules citation of some kind that will back up your theory.


Btw, case book play 3.4SitB also talks about players wearing illegal shirts. Note that the players in that case play can participate with those illegal shirts after being penalized with a technical foul. Also note that case book play 3.4SitB was in last year's book. And the year before...and the year before....and... Iow, a team could buy a player with an illegal shirt into the game with a "T" last year.

Lah me......

I was only referring to this color debate we are having!! Of course I know that rule wasn't in place last year. You brought up case play 3.4.6 to substantiate your claim that if the jersey is the wrong color then it would be illegal therefore a "T" would buy them in. I read this to say that the uniforms are only illegal if the team doesn't have the required whites.

I only brought up 06-07 Rule/Case books to illustrate that there wasn't a case play that covered wrong color jerseys.

They can wear a different color jersey as long as it contrasts is listed where? I'm not convinced the wrong color by one player is considered illegal. If all the team members have legal manufactured uniforms that are white and away uniforms that are completely legal that are red then nothing about the uniform is illegal.

If for some reason a single player brought the wrong uniform to a home game (His away uniform, red) your saying for him to play you would consider his Red uniform illegal and let him play with a "T" , if the other team was blue. A better illustration would be to take Case play 3.4.6 and say that this team only has gold home jersey's ( Hasn't purchased whites yet or they have a waiver from State) and black away jerseys. During a away game they have their blacks on except one player accidently brought gold. Can that player play with a "T"?

My reasoning is that the uniform isn't illegal unless the entire team doesn't have the required WHITES for the home game, (rule 3-4-6b). That one uniform is just the wrong color. Would you let a player with the wrong color undershirt play with it on ,after a "T?"


If the uniforms are illegal this applies. Is one player with a colored jersey that doesn't match his teammates illegal? IF all of the players had visible logo's on the jersey's, thats illegal. They could only play after a "T"

3-4-6-a: The torso of the team jersey shall be the same single solid color for all team members..........

I agree! When looking @ the NFHS slides and power-point presentation on uniforms I think this is to keep teams from having more then one color on torso of the jersey. They all have to be the same single color. If there were two colors then the uniforms would be illegal.

So if they have home & away jersey that are completely legal can one member wear a away uniform on a home game or vice versa with a "T"?

As long as it's not the same color as the visiting team's jerseys.

Gimlet, I think you're misinterpreting. What Jurassic said is correct that the point of the rule is to allow the player to play but there's a penalty. The only time a player is simply not allowed to play at all is when it's an easily fixable problem (such as a sweatband or tshirt that can be simply removed) or when it's a safety issue, such as jewelry or a cast. In the case of a jersey that's the wrong color, well it's not a safety issue, but it's not fixable, but sheez, let the kid play by buying him in with a T. That's the rationale for the interp JR is applying and it makes more sense than what you're saying, imo.