Lazy Partner Advice

[BillyMac]

Odd uniforms I can live with.

Jewelry, undershirts, headbands, and wristbands: By the book.

If you ignore jewelry and it somehow, in a crazy situation, causes some type of crazy, odd, injury, there may be legal ramifications.

I've posted this before, but it's worth another read: If you think that the "Fashion Police" rules can't be enforced consistently, then guess again. Undershirt, headband, wrist bands, and jewelry rules are strictly enforced in the Catholic middle school league that I work. If we, as officials, don't enforce these rules, we don't get paid by our assigner. All officials know this, as do all coaches. After a few reminders the first week of the season, we no longer have any problems with these "Fashion Police" rules. No, "The officials last week let him wear his lucky stars and stripes headband". And some of these kids are in second, or third grade, coached by volunteer parents. If they "get" the rule, then high school players, coached by paid coaches, can "get" the rule.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Odd uniforms I can live with.

Jewelry, undershirts, headbands, and wristbands: By the book.

If you ignore jewelry and it somehow, in a crazy situation, causes some type of crazy, odd, injury, there may be legal ramifications.

I've posted this before, but it's worth another read: If you think that the "Fashion Police" rules can't be enforced consistently, then guess again. Undershirt, headband, wrist bands, and jewelry rules are strictly enforced in the Catholic middle school league that I work. If we, as officials, don't enforce these rules, we don't get paid by our assigner. All officials know this, as do all coaches. After a few reminders the first week of the season, we no longer have any problems with these "Fashion Police" rules. No, "The officials last week let him wear his lucky stars and stripes headband". And some of these kids are in second, or third grade, coached by volunteer parents. If they "get" the rule, then high school players, coached by paid coaches, can "get" the rule.

+1 for our area and the areas around us.

[bainsey]

I appreciate the thoughts and advice.

My board says that 3-4-1c (home team must wear white) is only enforceable at the varsity level. That's the only distinction we've received. Personally, I'd like to see some additional leniency for the middle schools, for reasons mentioned by others, but until I get that permission, I'll fall in line. If someone else chooses not to comply, I'll have to deal with it.

At the end of last season, I had a pair of middle school games where the away teams had a few red uniforms and white undershirts. My partner dealt with the boys' coach, and those shirts were removed in the locker room without incident. Later, I dealt with the girls' coach, and one of her players wound up in tears. Her mother actually came out of the stands wanting to see this rule in writing. The home team provided her with a red undershirt.

Internally, I was quite angry at the other officials (whoever they were) who let it go all year. One key fact is that our board is not the only choice in town that does middle school games. There's another crew, and to say they're more lenient in a number of facets is an understatement. This other crew apparently worked a lot of this school's away games (our board serves their home games), and I have a pretty good idea no-one cared to tell either coach about the undershirt rule.

I sympathize with those MS coaches who are given illegally numbered uniforms, for I bet most of them aren't aware of these rules, and/or they're told by the AD "it's just a high school rule" (despite my board's instructions). The trouble is, if you don't enforce these rules, those illegal unis never go away.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by bainsey

Later, I dealt with the girls' coach, and one of her players wound up in tears. Her mother actually came out of the stands wanting to see this rule in writing.

A little bit of over-reaction, don't you think? What's going to happen over the holidays when she goes to visit her Grandma, and Grandpa, and a mean old Transportation Security Administration agent tells her to get into the machine for a full, naked body, scan, and then to get ready for her groping, private area, pat down?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by bainsey

I sympathize with those MS coaches who are given illegally numbered uniforms, for I bet most of them aren't aware of these rules, and/or they're told by the AD "it's just a high school rule" (despite my board's instructions). The trouble is, if you don't enforce these rules, those illegal unis never go away.

My personal opinion is, especially with middle school but also sub varsity, unless I'm told specifically to enforce the number and uniform rules (3-4), I'm not going to at that level.

Conversely, unless I'm told not to enforce the 3-5 rules, I'm going to.

AAU and elementary are different animals, AFAIC, so I'll get direction from those responsible in that case.

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

AAU and elementary are different animals, AFAIC, so I'll get direction from those responsible in that case.

Yeah, it really comes down to who hires you for the job, and just as important, getting everyone on the same page.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

What's going to happen over the holidays when she goes to visit her Grandma, and Grandpa, and a mean old Transportation Security Administration agent tells her to get into the machine for a full, naked body, scan, and then to get ready for her groping, private area, pat down?

LOL. Actually, I can sympathize with the adolescent girl here. She was uncomfortable that the big, bulky uni showed off too much skin, and no-one on that team was aware the undershirt had to be the same color. Of course, I'm the bad guy for enforcing something that should have been all year, but no-one did, under the guise of "common sense."