Today
 

Varsity B/G double header, started at noon (a great thing given that the school is 2 hours from my home). Some odd things happened.

Each game started with a jump ball violation. Girls game, both players tipped it once, then white jumper grabbed it before it it the floor. (A first in a game I've done) I'm R, U1 grabs it. Boys game, visitor's jumper steals the tip. I'm U1 and grab it. (My second ever.)

Girls game is a blowout. White only has 5 players on the roster, finishes with 4 (a first for me). Could have been worse, as one of the four who finished actually had 4 fouls by half time.

Middle of the 4th quarter, white takes the ball out for a spot throwin on the endline in their backcourt, and set up their offense as if they're shooting at that basket. My partner notices and expects they'll shoot at the wrong basket. They do. They hadn't shot well all game, but poor girl made this one. (A first for me in a game I've officiated. Had two teammates do it when I played in school, though.) After the ball goes through, partner hits his whistle; informs the table the points need to go to black, and resets the kids, making sure white gets the ball for the endline throwin.

Black, who won by about 458 points, ran their press all game, only pulling back occasionally for a possession or so. A first for me in a blowout. Most coaches are kind enough to pull back, at least in the 4th quarter.

Early fourth quarter, black starts clearing his bench during some freethrow. Suddenly a girl shows up in a red jersey. (another first for me) Partner walks over to the coach and tells him she can't play. Coach says he was told to bring as many girls as he could (I think they anticipated a blowout). Partner walks over to the home coach to see if he's okay with it; he is (very classy, IMO). Although he does ask, in jest, for some extra free throws out of the deal. ;)

After the game, and on the drive home, we discussed the situation and couldn't reach a resolution. I thought coach could buy her in with a technical foul, both of my partners thought she just simply couldn't play. I think it falls under the illegal jersey rule (just like non-white for home, or illegal styles, etc.) Partners disagreed, but not sure why. Thoughts?

Can't play!!! Uniforms have to match in color, Rule 3-4-6. The jersey isn't illegal. Its just the wrong color. :)

By this logic, home can't play unless they're wearing white, though, since it also falls under 3-4-6. The NFHS clearly disagrees with that, however, as we've all been instructed to charge them with technical fouls rather than declare a forfeit.

Sounds like some interesting games with a bunch of firsts!

Yesterday, I had my first jump ball where one of the jumpers caught the ball.

If they don't match in color, it is an illegal jersey. The penalty for an illegal jersey is a technical foul.

See case book play 3.4.6SitA for the ruling on wearing a wrong colored jersey.

Two more things I ran into yesterday.
Boys game, I'm T hustling down in transition on a break. A1 spots up for a three point shot, and as I'm about to mark the attempt, I look up an see my partner stopping at the C position, right in front of me, and mark the attempt. He was about 15 feet in front of me. I look across the court, and the other partner is at C, laughing.
I yell "Larry" just as the shot goes in. He turns around and I see the "Oh Sh!t" look on his face as he realizes what happened; and we didn't have an L. We were all over that three point shot, though.

I joked later that just for fun, I should have ran right past him and taken the L position. Maybe tapped him on the shoulder as I went by.

Also, in the girls game, we had a white player go down with injury in the third quarter. It was just a really awkward play, no contact. She knew she didn't have a sub, so she kept telling me she was ok. After about 15 seconds (I gave her some extra time to gather herself), she got up saying she could play, even though she was limping hard on her ankle.

I turn around, and the coach is right behind me. As I'm debating what to do next, coach makes my decision very easy by asking for a timeout. Lucky me. This leads me to a question. Since the coach came out, he was beckoned. In this case, if he didn't have a timeout, would we have had to force him to play with 4 until the next sub opportunity?

By rule, yes. Game management might dictate otherwise.

Liability ???
 

Remember, this involves a possible injury, and safety. What if there were no more timouts, and you decided to let the player continue to play, without the expense of a technical foul for the extra timeout, and the players aggravates the injury? Negligence? Liability? Let the coach decide whether to take her out and let her sit a tick, or take the technical foul for then extra time out. In either case you're letting the coach decide the condtions under which the player continues, not you, the official.

Agreed, on both counts. In the few seconds I had to think about it, I was leaning towards letting her play. Not that it really matters, but we were right in front of white's bench, so the coach hadn't really come far (maybe three or four steps) onto the court.

Here in Indiana the IHSAA has instructed us to not give "T's" if the home team doesn't have white jersey's. They want us instead to report the offending school to them and let them take care of it. IHSAA doesn't want to start the game with 5 "T's".

JR...Good case play reference! Still doesn't negate the fact that the uniforms of all team members have to match in color to play. In this case they all are the wrong color so they would be penalized accordingly, all of the colors still matched.

If all of the players have white jersey's and one player wants to come in with a red jersey theres no way to allow it. What if the other team has red jersey's? Technical foul can't be given to buy this player in.

If the player comes in with a white jersey that has something illegal about the jersey then that player could play after the "T."

That case play is in reference to the home team not having the required white jersey's not jersey's that don't match in color.

What reasoning do you have for allowing a technical foul to buy a player in for a violation of rule 3-4-6b, but not for 3-4-6a? There's nothing in the rule book that allows you do do that.

Connecticut Home Whites
 

Call the technical if home team does not wear white uniforms. Player/team technical is called for each starter and any substitute who enters the game. Applies only to VARSITY team. Situation – Home Team A has non-white uniforms. Team B receives 10 technical free throws to start the game plus the ball. Team A is assess 5 team fouls and each player is assessed a technical which counts toward their allows of 5 fouls before disqualification.
Exceptions are:
1. CIAC grants a waiver to team and notifies Assignment Commissioner who will notify officials
2. visiting team agrees to wear white and home team can wear non-white
3. allowance is made for home team which may host a tournament and need to wear non-white uniform on 2nd day of tournament
Notify Commissioner after game if such situation occurs in your game.

Say for example you notice that the player coming in with the WHITE jersey has a visible logo on it. That player can't play unless you give a "T." Colors match but the LOGO is illegal. Case BK 3-4A

I wasn't saying that its ok to buy a player in for the wrong color jersey, I said the opposite. In RULE 3-4-6b our State IHSAA has said to not give 5 "T's" if the home team doesn't have white jerseys.

I'd let the kid play, under the case where a jersey is changed to a different color because the original has blood on it.

Yes, I know it's differetn -- but it points out that there are times when the jerseys don't have to match, and having more kids than jerseys just might be one of those times.

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.

See case book play 3.3.6SitA(b). Another one of your arguments goes down the ol' dumper.

That case play is if there is blood on the jersey, which reads as if that is an exception.

I can see your point here. I'm just to damn hardheaded at times and want to be sure by rule that we could do this. Besides the by product of these debates is improved rule knowledge.

We had a discussion like this few years ago around my way. A player can wear pants for religious reasons does that players pants have to be the same color or could they play with a different color under penalty?

JR I'm inclined to say that this argument of mine is on its way down the "ol' dumper." I haven't given it up yet. I sent a email to our State authority to get their input. I understand what Rainmaker is saying in regards to intent if the player was bleeding and didn't have any other jersey to put on.

If the player or team just by mis management brings one wrong colored uniform it seems thats on them.

BTW...JR if this one goes down the "ol' dumper" This would just be one argument. If anything our last debate is undecided!!!!

There is no rule extant that says that <b>ANY</b> player's pants have to match in color. There also <b>never</b> has been a rule in place that I know of that has stated that player's shorts/pants must match in color. Every player on a team can legally wear different colored game pants, if they choose to do so.

There is <b>NO</b> penalty for wearing different colored game pants for the simple reason that wearing different-colored game pants is legal and always has been legal.

Well JR this one is down the "ol dumper." Got the following reply back from the IHSAA.

The player with the red jersey is wearing an illegal uniform and must be assessed with a technical if and when she enters the game.

The player should only be allowed to wear the jersey if it does not present a confusing situation. If it could cause lots of confusion then the ruling would be to deny the player the opportunity to enter because the uniform is illegal and causes a conflict with the jerseys of the opponents.

I stand corrected!!! :)