jewlery question
 

High school JV game. Substitute comes in the game and Has a string with a small knot( the knot has the appearance of a very small diamond) in each ear. he has recently had his ear pierced. I tell the player he can't play with this as it is jewlery. Coach says it was approved in a previous game by the officials.

Since it was a string, I decided to allow him to play..... right or wrong????

Wrong. You were right in your statement, it is jewelry they need to come out.

Wrong. No jewelry allowed. Shame on the previous officials for allowing it and putting you in this position.

I had a 6th grade girls wreck ball game a few years ago. Girl had tape over her earrings. I told the coach sorry no tape and no jewelry. Parents were right behind the bench saying that she just got her ears pierced the night before and had to leave them in or else the piercings would close. I told them I hate to be the bad guy here, but there's no jewelry allowed. The girl started crying as she pulled them out so she could play, and I felt really bad, but thems is the rules.

His statement was correct, but not what you said: the jewelry can stay in if the player wishes, but he cannot play with it in.

Actually, when I said wrong, I was referring to the fact that they let them play, which was his question. I never stated the part in red

JVB game last Fri. 47 secs left in the game. A down by 12 and coach clears his bench for two B free-throws. A replaces all five players. Partner is administering shots and I am T (2-man). As I'm observing players in lane I notice something that appears gold and shiny under A1's uniform around his neck.

Clank, first free-throw rims out.

I approach A1 and notice he’s wearing a gold chain. TWEET! “Coach, I need another player this one’s not ready to play.” A1 goes toward his bench and is trying to take the necklace off. Coach sits him down and replaces him. That was it. No argument. He's done. More importantly, the coach did not try to put him in later after another stoppage. Good lesson - learned the hard way.

Crying!!
 

CRYING!!!! There's no crying in basketball!! :D

MTD, Sr.

Nice story you big meenie. :D . You made her cry, that just tickles me funny. :) Part of me likes being the bad guy out there. :cool: I never tell them I hate being the bad guy I just relish in it.

Fooled by the Glimmer
 

Helped out by doing a pair of 5/6 grade games last night. Checked over all the players from the turret of the midcourt sideline area prior to the game. No jewelry that I could detect.
Then, midway through the first quarter, I halt play to instruct a player to remove her rings. That's right, rings. Silver. On all four fingers of one hand.
She showed me her hands. They weren't rings. She was wearing glossy SILVER nail polish!
SILVER nail polish! Glimmering under the bright gym lights, they sure looked like rings to me.
Since it was a small gym, everyone was able to hear my reaction and got a good-natured laugh out of the whole brief episode. :)

ma_ref...

I had the same sitch last weekend in a 6th grade girls game. Girl comes out for tap with band-aids on her ears. I told her I couldn't let her play with jewerly on and the band-aids didn't change anything.

She gave me the whole story about just getting them pierced etc....I told her that she didn't have to take them out but I couldn't let her play with them in.

She goes back to the bench crying and her coach is giving me this "are you serious?!" look and we played on. I noticed she stopped crying about 4 minutes into the game :)

btw ma_ref...I've probably asked you this before, but my memory is terrible (probably why I think I've never blown a call), what board are you in?

Regarding newly pierced ears. If the holes close up in 90 minutes, a refund from the practicioner is due.

Allegedly.

I hope nobody here is managing 6th grade games that takes 90 minutes :eek:

We know that it does not occur in Oregon. :D

You're right. I have someone in the stands blow an airhorn at the 60 minute mark. :D

You must not have daughters. I have two. My girls never had the issue of sports...they got their pierced in the offseason. But, yes, the hole can begin to close up very quickly...not completely...but the outer part of the hole. It is painful to reinsert the earring even after a short time. Each daughter was quite different in how fast their piercings would close over too.

I'm not so sure on this one. Is it really jewelry? If they had a band-aid over the piercing (no earring under)....is that jewelry? No. There can be things on the ear that are not jewelry. Given the nature, intent, and purpose of the jewelry rule, I'm not sure a soft piece of soft string not meant for adornment but meant for preserving the piercing would be jewelry if it is merely knotted at the surface. It couldn't get caught, it couldn't punture, it couldn't scrape, etc. I think that it might be a very clever way to acomplish the preservation of a new piercing without violating the jewelry rule.

I agree, I would have them throw a piece of tape over the thread just to make sure nobody could hook a hang nail on it and let him/her play..I don't think this meets the definition of "jewelry"....I sure wish my wife thought so though!:)

There's been an interp, but it might just be in IL, that this "string" is considered jewelry for the purposes of this rule.

Haven't heard that Bob, I'd be interested to see it...

What if the player has "stitches" on the lower ear from some medical treatment? That is basically string meant to hold the tissue in place. Is that jewelry or not? Of course, it is not. Same material, same basic purpose...must be the same thing.

I suppose the argument could be made that the purpose is the crux of the issue- ie if you are wearing an arm sleeve that is for medical purposes that is acceptable, but if not for medical purposes unnacceptable...same item, different result..

Similar To Color Of Jersey ???
 

Was her jersey silver? Did all of her teammates with nail polish have silver nail polish on?

Knots have been known to come loose. How many times have we delayed during a dead ball to have kids tie their shoes? Tape falls off. How many times have we seen a piece of it (or a band-aid) on the floor and kicked it off to the side of the court?

Famous last words...It can't do any of those things until the one time it actually does happen.

All I know is I'm not making myself any more liable than necessary, and the jewelry/string/tape is coming out or they're not playing...

There are often things that are allowed for medical reasons that are not allowed for other reasons.

I do. But with AAU it seems like there is never an off-season.:D

So, I what is the answer to this.

Player shows up with a string and a small knot in the end. he has a doctors note saying that the string must be left in "for medical reasons". what are you going to do. Does he get to play based on the doctor slip????

we all know that most coaches know a doctor that can give them a medical excuse if they ask.

A doctors note does not trump the rules. The doctors note is in case of injury, most noticably when the head is involved. This is protection for all parties involved and to place liability on the doctor and not the officials.

I think you are mashing a few different issues together. An actual doctor's note is only required if a kid has been determined to be unconcious. If someone is wearing an otherwise illegal piece of equipment such as an arm sleeve, they don't need a Dr.'s note, all they need to do is "attest" that it is for medical reasons (at least that is how it is handled around here). However, if they are wearing a knee brace with exposed metal hinges or a cast on their arm, they could have a note from whatever Dr. they want, they aren't playing with it....I think you just need to determine if it is disallowed by rule (maybe, maybe not with the thread in the ear depending on interpretation), if it is not disallowed, is it dangerous or confusing? The whole Dr.'s note is irrelevant unless you are dealing with an unconcious player...

Ok,

so the kid comes in and says that the string must stay in "for medical reasons", as his doctor says the pierced hole would close up if he didn't leave it in.

i know this sounds stupid, but it is part of the same ole SH## that we hear day in and out.

I know i would tell him he can't play

If you judge it to be jewelry the fact that he says it is for medical reasons is irrelevant unless it is a medical alert bracelet...no provision for "medical reasons" for jewelry other than m.a.b...if you do not judge it to be jewelry (and if there is no local interp saying that it is), then just judge if it is dangerous or confusing....

Who You Gonna Call? Mythbusters ...
 

Players may not participate while wearing jewelry. Religious medals or medical alert medals are not considered jewelry. A religious medal must be taped and worn under the uniform. A medical alert medal must be taped and may be visible. State associations may, on an individual basis, allow a player to participate while wearing a head covering, if it is worn for medical or religious reasons, provided that the covering is not abrasive, hard, or dangerous, and is attached in such a way that it is highly unlikely to come off during play. Written documentation should be available.

"On this next number I want you all to join in. Would those in the cheap seats clap their hands? The rest of you can rattle your jewelry." (John Lennon)

I doubt previous officials overlooked this...
 

If I had a quarter for everytime I heard that one, I could probably buy a large pizza.