Pre-wrap and green, err, black

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Personally, I'd rather ignore it, but I just can't.

Originally Posted by jdmara

The headband rule is not liked by many. Honestly, I'm just as much to blame as the official that doesn't enforce it at all.

Originally Posted by mj

Many coaches will make the claim that you're the first to enforce it. I highly doubt that is the case though.

Originally Posted by mbyron

Our association covered this in some detail, and strongly encouraged everyone to enforce it.

Originally Posted by Spence

"Strongly encouraged" or "required?"

Originally Posted by Spence

The problem is when you enforce it and then you watch other games where its not enforced. I'm watching the championship game of a big tournament right now and the green jersey team is wearing yellow headbands. Now I know why I get the rolling of the eyes when I enforce it.

I was asked to fill in for a prep school freshman game yesterday. In the middle of the third period, I spotted a young man playing with a white jersey wearing a white undershirt with about a quarter-inch of light blue piping on the end of the short sleeves. I took him over to his head coach and told him that when I officiated his team the next time he better not have this illegal undershirt on or he wouldn't be allowed to play. Why did I allow him to continue playing with the illegal undershirt? Didn't spot it in warmups, they wanted to play as soon as we walked onto the court, and he didn't play in the first half, so it was too late, for me, at least, in the game. Freshman level game. Didn't want to appear overly officious. A few years ago I would have definitely not allowed him to play before he removed the undershirt at the bench, but now he would have to make the trek all the way to the locker room, maybe by himself, due to the recent removing jersey technical foul rule. I came up with lots of excuses not to penalize him.

As I was driving home I replayed the game in my head, as I usually do, and I thought to myself, I should have not allowed him to play with the illegal undershirt. It's almost February, he should be aware of the rule by now, and it shouldn't have mattered that he was only fourteen years old, and it was only a freshman level game. And then I started thinking about all my colleagues who may have allowed him to play for the past two and a half months, and started thinking about blaming them, when it dawned on me, if I'm not part of the solution, I'm part of the problem. No one is to blame except me.

If everyone of us, and I mean every single one of us, at all levels, had RichMSN's attitude (Personally, I'd rather ignore it, but I just can't), back in December, we wouldn't be having this discussion today.

[referee99]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Thanks for sharing, Rich. I had the same issue tonight. Girls in Black uniforms wearing grey/silver pre-wrap. We only have two weeks remaining in our regular season. Same thing from the coach about being the first official all year to say something about the color.

... that 'grey' pre-wrap may actually be black when its on the roll. In the process of getting stretched it 'greys up'.

[referee99]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

That pre-wrap is (I think) listed as "black" on the package, but looks grey when stretched.

It's allowed here (with any color jersey).

...missed this.

[referee99]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I was asked to fill in for a prep school freshman game yesterday. In the middle of the third period, I spotted a young man playing with a white jersey wearing a white undershirt with about a quarter-inch of light blue piping on the end of the short sleeves.

Had this a couple of weeks ago. Coach is emptying the bench near end of game and out comes kid with illegal undershirt. I want to get the kid his playing time, but I walked him back -- and told him the shirt had to come off -- and to not take his jersey off while doing it. Kid did a quick 'deck change' and we got him in at the next stoppage.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by referee99

In the process of getting stretched it grays up.

So that's why my hair is turning gray. I guess that I'll have to stop stretching my hair.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by referee99

Had this a couple of weeks ago. Kid did a quick 'deck change' and we got him in at the next stoppage.

If more officials, myself included, handled this rule like RichMSN, and referee99, we wouldn't be discussing this on the Forum.

[referee99]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

NFHS 3-5-7: Jewelry is prohibited. Religious and 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.

Home team is wearing white jerseys. During the third period, I notice that a home team player is wearing a red wristband. During a dead ball, clock stopped situation, I tell him that he can't play with the red wristband on. He tells me it's a special wristband to cover his medical alert bracelet, and sure enough, he shows me his bracelet, and he shows me the red wristband with a white medical alert logo on it.

Sounds like something EMTs would know all about. If, just if, that kid goes down relating to whatever medical condition he had, or down from whatever reason and EMTs are on scene and aren't aware of that taped medal (covered by a legal wristband) which would give them vital info it would not be good. I think you absolutely did the correct thing.

I would inform partner and both coaches that you have deemed, as bJenks suggests, that they wristband is part of the medal and is legal in this sitch.

[cardinalfan]

Had a V girls game at a large school a couple of weeks ago. Home team is wearing white trimmed in orange and black. Every girl on the team has orange prewrap around their heads. It actually looked really nice.
The R went to the coach and told her the orange was illegal. She said it had been permitted all year... matched the uniform colors... blah, blah.
When we started the game, the coach, players, and home crowd were all mad.

Had the same team on the road yesterday. They were wearing orange (trimmed in white & black), and every player had beige prewrap. During pregame conference, the coach made sure she pointed this out to me. I told her, "Coach, orange would've been legal tonight."
By the look on her face, she still doesn't understand the rule!

[referee99]

Early in the season I adopted the approach of finding one of the girls on the offending team, and making her the 'expert' on the team by explaining the rule in all its variations.

Just like in rec ball when a parent volunteer steps to the table to do the clock, but doesn't know how to operate it I always say, "find a teenager or younger... they'll figure it out for you."