No. The TD has a right to do as she wishes, but she won't have me officiating her games if she waives safety rules. Again, I'm not interested in stopping the game to clean blood up off the floor. Liability is a minor concern for me; the actual safety of the players is a bigger deal to me.

College coach should know better, and I guarantee you princess will take her earrings out if she thinks a college scholarship may be riding on whether she plays in the tournament or not.

We worry too much about what other officials do. I do not care what someone did before or even after me. I only can be responsible for what I do and what I am dealing with in that particular game.

Peace

I have had a tournament director tell me the same thing. However, when I asked who he was going to get to officiate the game he just looked at me with an odd look and said "What do you mean?" I replied, "If she plays with earrings I will not be officiating."

Girl didn't play. :D

Coming Soon
 

In the upcoming November issue of "High School Today" there is a legal column written by Lee Green (Baker University Professor of Law) that covers this issue.

There is no such thing as a waiver of liability concerning high school rules. In any sport, at any level, if NFHS Rules are used there can be no waiver. It is not legal to do so.

The attempt at a waiver places the official in the position of responsibility.

Do not accept this practice.

Regards,

I would have told the tournament director that she could find someone else to work the game. I would not have allowed her to player with the earrings.

None of that matters if someone gets hurt. Even with a waiver, they can prove you're negligent because you knew the rules but still allowed her to play.

Thank you, Tim. This is exactly what an attorney told our group.

She may change timing rules or such things, but in no way would I ever tolerate her changing a safety rule. I believe you were in error.

Of course they can. But that does not mean everyone knows how to deal with when confronted with the situation. It is not all about what the rules says it is also about how you can deal with the pressure and knowing your place in all the excitement.

Peace

It makes total sense. It's becoming established legal doctrine that a person cannot truly sign away their liability, it seems.

Furthermore, even if Mom and Dad and all living Grandparents attempt to sign a waiver, you'd need to get one from every parent of every child playing in that game. And that's assuming the waivers would actually protect the official from liability; a dubious proposition at best.

Pushing for a waiver could be viewed as an acknowledgment of the dangers, leaving you wide open for a lawsuit.

Screw the tournament director! Do you think they are going to admit they told you the kids could play with earrings once the lawsuits start flying? Plain and simple, the guy or girl takes the earrings out or they don't play. If the tournament director wants to avoid the rules, then why do they need the officials? I walk out of the gym at that point. Which is probably why I hate summer ball.

That's one horny TD! :D

I actually had this exact conversation with an official, at a High School Varsity level summer jamboree. It actually went like this:

Y2Koach: Isn't that a travel
Official: haha, yes it is
Y2Koach: He did it again, haha
Official: I saw that
Y2Koach: Call it then, he's getting past our guy every time!
Official: I know, but it's just summer ball. If I called every travel, he'd have like 10 and this game would take forever
Y2Koach: Do you have somewhere to go???
Official: That's enough, coach
Y2Koach: So what happens when that kid goes into next season and gets called for a travel every time he gets the ball?? How does he get better??
Official: That's not my job, coach.
Y2Koach: Then what IS your job?
Official: *TWEET*, technical foul...
Opposing coach: What did you do?
Y2Koach: He said he saw #21 travel several times, but didn't call it cuz he has somewhere to go...
Opposing coach to #21: See! i TOLD YOU THAT MOVES A TRAVEL!!
#21: No it's not, they didn't call it
Opposing coach: Wait, isn't it running time?
Y2Koach: He said it, not me...
Opposing coach to Y2Koach: We've been trying to get #21 to break that habit of dragging his back foot on that move...
Official: That's enough coach
Opposing coach to Y2Koach: I'm not even talking to him!
Official: *TWEET* technical foul...

hilarious...

Fixed it.

I wish I didn't believe you; but I do.
Answer: "No, if you called everyone, he'd stop after 2 or 3."

Did he offset the Ts? :)