Different Color Uniform Jersey

[Back In The Saddle]

You ruled the jersey was illegal because it did not match the color/shade of the other jerseys. Yet you ruled that the player may not participate while wearing it. It sounds like you confused 3-4 with 3-5. A player may participate while wearing an illegal jersey at the cost of a single direct technical foul to the head coach (10-5-4). A player may not participate while wearing illegal equipment or apparel.

[stosh]

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

You ruled the jersey was illegal because it did not match the color/shade of the other jerseys. Yet you ruled that the player may not participate while wearing it. It sounds like you confused 3-4 with 3-5. A player may participate while wearing an illegal jersey at the cost of a single direct technical foul to the head coach (10-5-4). A player may not participate while wearing illegal equipment or apparel.

So if it's not just a different shade, but a different color, a technical gets them in the game?

I think 3-5.1 gives me enough to not let them participate and avoid a technical. (My guess was that this coach knew the real jersey was on the way, and he was more willing to have his player not start if it got there late than he was to start the game with the other team shooting a technical).

Looking back, it probably would have been best to let her play with the different shade jersey and avoid everything. Live and learn, live and learn.

[Back In The Saddle]

Yeah, there's the two separate issues going on. As long as the difference in color is not somehow confusing, I think you let them play. I have had one game where the JV and soph. jerseys were completely different colors (one red, one silver) from each other, but both sufficiently different from white that it did not cause the players any grief. Just me. I called a foul on a rebound where a kid in red went "over the back" of a kid in silver. I felt silly.

OTOH, the difference 3-4 v. 3-5 is significant. Uniform and apparel are distinct and specific categories. 3-4 regulates the uniform. If the uniform is illegal because it does not conform to 3-4, then 10-5-4 comes into play. 3-5 regulates other stuff, including some stuff normally considered to be articles of clothing, that isn't the uniform. If some piece of gear or apparel does not conform to 3-5, the player simply may not play while wearing it.

It may seem arbitrary, but I think the reason for the different administration is two-fold: First, the school provides the uniform, and so the school's representative (the coach) bears the cost of violation. Gear and apparel is generally provided by the player, and the rules put the responsibility for this on the player. Second, dealing with an illegal uniform is difficult and often time consuming, as you found out. Gear and apparel can normally just be removed right then and there.