Pre-game Convo With Parent

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by psujaye

Asked that he take it off.

One of many things that I've learned on this Forum, is that officials should never ask players to remove equipment, jewelry, etc., just tell them that they can't play with it on, and let them, or their coach, decide to take it off. What if the player removed the brace, etc., and reinjured himself, or herself? Then the player, coach, school, and parents, claim that the official told the player to take off the brace, etc., which is why the reinjury occurred. I'm not a lawyer, but I know that anyone can sue anyone else for any reason, and in this case, even though I don't believe that you were negligent, you, or your association, hopefully insured, would probably have to hire a lawyer, go to court, etc.

Just tell them that they can't play, and let someone else decide to remove the illegal item.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by psujaye

He's played 18 games with it on, are you saying the other 36 officials were wrong? I don't know what the other 36 officials did. I know he can't play this game tonight with the brace on.

I hate it when this happens. It makes me look overly officious. I wish that the officials who worked previous to me would go by the rules, and not make exceptions, or their own rules.

A few seasons ago, I had a girl, a star, a Division I bound player, warming up in a mid-January game, with a multicolored headband on. I told her that she couldn't play with a multicolored headband. A minute later, the head coach is approaching me at my pregame position on the opposite side of the table, telling me that this is the first time she has been asked about the headband all season, at this point probably eight, to ten, games into the season.

Last season, in a conference tournament game, I had a girl wearing a purple headband, her school color, at a home game, wearing white uniforms. When I told her that she couldn't wear a purple headband with a white jersey, she told me that she had worn it all season, at this point, she had probably played ten home games.

Last week, I had a game in which all, I mean all, of the visiting players, were wearing medium sleeve white T-shirts under their red jerseys. This was probably their sixth, or seventh, road game. My partner, the referee, allowed them to play with the white T-shirts, because the girls hadn't shaved their armpits, and didn't want to play without their T-shirts.

In all cases, I felt that it was me, not the previous officials, or my partner, who was wrong for being too officious. If all officials would enforce the rules on equipment, and uniforms, early in the season, things like this wouldn't happen. I don't like being the fashion police, but it's in the rules, and these rules, unlike some others, are easy to understand. Wearing the correct color T-shirt, or headband, is an easy rule to understand, not like calling a bang-bang block/charge, or a travel after a "weird" jump stop.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I hate it when this happens. It makes me look overly officious.

Do you really believe those clowns when they tell you that you're the first official to ever call that on them? You should know better than that, Billy. That's the oldest con in the book.

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

My partner, the referee, allowed them to play with the white T-shirts, because the girls hadn't shaved their armpits, and didn't want to play without their T-shirts.

A likely story if I ever heard one. Ladies, go get either a razor or a red t-shirt, but you can't play like that.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I hate it when this happens. It makes me look overly officious. I wish that the officials who worked previous to me would go by the rules, and not make exceptions, or their own rules.

A few seasons ago, I had a girl, a star, a Division I bound player, warming up in a mid-January game, with a multicolored headband on. I told her that she couldn't play with a multicolored headband. A minute later, the head coach is approaching me at my pregame position on the opposite side of the table, telling me that this is the first time she has been asked about the headband all season, at this point probably eight, to ten, games into the season.

Last season, in a conference tournament game, I had a girl wearing a purple headband, her school color, at a home game, wearing white uniforms. When I told her that she couldn't wear a purple headband with a white jersey, she told me that she had worn it all season, at this point, she had probably played ten home games.

Last week, I had a game in which all, I mean all, of the visiting players, were wearing medium sleeve white T-shirts under their red jerseys. This was probably their sixth, or seventh, road game. My partner, the referee, allowed them to play with the white T-shirts, because the girls hadn't shaved their armpits, and didn't want to play without their T-shirts.

In all cases, I felt that it was me, not the previous officials, or my partner, who was wrong for being too officious. If all officials would enforce the rules on equipment, and uniforms, early in the season, things like this wouldn't happen. I don't like being the fashion police, but it's in the rules, and these rules, unlike some others, are easy to understand. Wearing the correct color T-shirt, or headband, is an easy rule to understand, not like calling a bang-bang block/charge, or a travel after a "weird" jump stop.

Billy:

I had a similar situation a number of years ago in a girls' H.S. varsity game. This was the 19th game of a 20 game regular season. Athe the Captains' meeting, I notice that the Home Captain has finger nails that about 3/4" long, and they were the fancy nails with rhinestones on them and everything. I tell her that she can't play because of her finger nails. Of course the HC-H tells me that she has been playing with her nails like that all season long and that her parents have informed him that her nails costs $10 per nail. She didn't start but she found a nail clipper and was ready to play before the end of the first quarter.

MTD, Sr.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by psujaye

During warm-ups of my BV game last night, the R & I noticed a player wearing a protective brace on one of his hands. we called him over, looked at it, deemed it to be too hard (it had 2 separate metal rods for support in it) and restrictive and asked that he take it off and have his hand taped (if he wanted). he had no issue with it and neither did the coach.
Apparently his father was in the stands and he politely comes down and asks me about the brace. Here is a brief synopsis of the discussion (it appears long but it was literally 30-45 seconds):

Father: what's wrong with my son's brace?
Me: its too restrictive
Father: did they change the rule? I had (insert high level observer as a name drop) and (insert assignor's name as a name drop) look at it and they said it was fine.
Me: We'll my partner and I feel its too hard and restrictive.
Father: do you want me to go get the rule book?
Me: no, but i appreciate the offer. We need to worry about the other 9 players on the court also, not just your son.
Father: well i'm worried about his hand. he's played 18 games with it on, are you saying the other 36 officials were wrong?
Me: I don't know what the other 36 officials did. I know he can't play this game tonight with the brace on.
Father: what's your name?
Me: (silence)
father: you can't tell me your name?
Me: if you have an issue, you should call (insert previously name dropped assignor's name here) and tell him the officials on this game wouldn't let your son play with the hand brace on.
Father: (walks away)

Has this type of thing happened to anyone else during warm-ups? I initially wanted to ignore him completely, but he was polite (for the most part). You never know who is watching (from an observer/assignor standpoint) and i don't want to come off wrong by having a conversation with a parent. I honestly have no idea if i did the right or wrong thing by entertaining this guy. Part of me feels like i shoudve ignored him completely.
I'm open for suggestions.

PSU:

You and your partner were correct in your evaluation that the brace was illegal because NFHS R3-S5-A2a states: "A guard, cast or brace made of hard and unyielding leather, plaster, pliable (soft) plastic, metal or any other hard substance may not be worn on the elbow, hand, finger, wrist or forearm; even though covered with soft padding." The word "restrictive" has no bearing as to whether the brace was legal or illegal.

Once you and your partner have determined that the brace is illegal, do not tell the player that he has to take it off. Inform him that his brace is illegal and that he cannot play while wearing. It is his decision as to whether he wants to play or not. If the players Head Coach comes to you for an explanation, tell him why the brace is illegal and that you are not requiring the player to remove it, just that the player cannot play while wearing it.

How to the handle the parent? I am a parent of two sons. My sons played basketball through the 8th grade and have been swimming and playing baseball since they were 7 years old. That means I take an interest in my sons’ safety on the playing field. Every parent is entitled to an explanation as to why his child’s equipment is not legal. But, not when you are performing your pre-game duties. When the player’s father approached you, you should have told him that you had discussed the situation with his son’s Head Coach and the Head Coach was satisfied with your explanation and that he, the player’s father, needs to leave the court and return to his seat. If the player’s father will not follow your instructions to leave the court, it is time to have game administration escort him to his seat.

MTD, Sr.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

My sons ... have been swimming and playing baseball since they were 7 years old.

At the same time? Maybe you should suggest water polo.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

At the same time? Maybe you should suggest water polo.

They can swim the freestyle from home to first faster than they can run from home to first.

MTD, Sr.

[psujaye]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

PSU:

You and your partner were correct in your evaluation that the brace was illegal because NFHS R3-S5-A2a states: "A guard, cast or brace made of hard and unyielding leather, plaster, pliable (soft) plastic, metal or any other hard substance may not be worn on the elbow, hand, finger, wrist or forearm; even though covered with soft padding." The word "restrictive" has no bearing as to whether the brace was legal or illegal.

Once you and your partner have determined that the brace is illegal, do not tell the player that he has to take it off. Inform him that his brace is illegal and that he cannot play while wearing. It is his decision as to whether he wants to play or not. If the players Head Coach comes to you for an explanation, tell him why the brace is illegal and that you are not requiring the player to remove it, just that the player cannot play while wearing it.

How to the handle the parent? I am a parent of two sons. My sons played basketball through the 8th grade and have been swimming and playing baseball since they were 7 years old. That means I take an interest in my sons’ safety on the playing field. Every parent is entitled to an explanation as to why his child’s equipment is not legal. But, not when you are performing your pre-game duties. When the player’s father approached you, you should have told him that you had discussed the situation with his son’s Head Coach and the Head Coach was satisfied with your explanation and that he, the player’s father, needs to leave the court and return to his seat. If the player’s father will not follow your instructions to leave the court, it is time to have game administration escort him to his seat.

MTD, Sr.

Thank you for the advice about handling the parent.