Lazy Partner Advice
 

There are a small handful of "veteran" officials that can't be bothered enforcing uniform or other less popular rules in sub-varsity games. (Our board has made it clear that all uniform rules are to be enforced at all levels, be it varsity or middle school.)

Let's say you're the umpire, and the vet is the referee. As you look over players during pre-game warm-ups, the home teams looks compliant, but you notice the visiting team has some players that could have illegal numbers, or wearing illegal undershirts, or jewerly, etc. You point it out to your partner, but he insists on letting it go. It's not varsity, so in his mind, it really doesn't matter.

Does coach notification only fall upon the referee's shoulders? Or, should the umpire notify the home coach, and the referee talk to the visitors'? Should an official "step up" such enforcement if a partner refuses to do so?

Thoughts, please.

That would be a tough situation. You want to always be a united group and support your partner no matter what, but you want to follow the rules and he doesn't. I think I would let it go but voice your oppinion at half time when you two are alone. Allowing the rules to not be followed allows confusion to kreep in when teams play when other official will be enforcing the rules.

Not to mention I was a Junior High coach before I was an official and I despised the comment of "coach this is just a junior high game"! I coached just as hard and the players played just as hard as a varsity team....They deserve our best as officials as well. That's what they pay us to do!

I know that probably doesn't help. Tough situation!

Well I happen to agree with the veteran that these rules should not apply to non-varsity contests. That is the way it is in my area because many of the uniforms are warm-ups or hand-me-downs. That being said who was the Referee? That should ultimately be the Referee's decision. If he was the Referee than you are off the hook. If you are the Referee, then you make the decision that is based on the game. Then if you are asked about why the rule was not enforced, then you can say "He was the Referee."

Peace

Mr. Rutledge,

I just don't agree. A veteran should be an example and show the new guys what right should look like. It should matter what level.

If we are not enforcing the uniform rules, what other rules should we ignore at the sub-varsity level?

JV fashion police are a joke
 

Schools are struggling to field teams and to fund programs, and kids are more and more being forced to pay to play in high school, even in poorer school districts.

It is more important that they be able to get team on the court than to start slapping T's because somebody has an old uniform that doesn't meet the latest NFHS fashion whim.

And no, giving some subvarsity latitute on the dress code doesn't mean ignoring playing rules. Any suggestion that giving latitude on uniform issues to subvarsity teams is the same as ignoring playing rules is patently absurd.

The original post mentioned players wearing illegal undershirts or jewelry. I agree with using discretion with illegal numbers or uniform problems at the lower levels. But that is NO excuse for ignoring jewelry violations. Those are a safety problem. And there's also no excuse for allowing illegal undershirts under a uni imo. I don't have a problem with anyone ignoring infractions listed under rule 3-4 UNIFORMS at the lower levels, but there is no excuse imo for ignoring infractions under rule 3-5 TEAM MEMBER'S EQUIPMENT, APPAREL at any level. Those are the exact instructions that we give out to members of our association btw.

+1

On the OP -- it needs to be raised within the association. Or, just go over to the other team and tell them yourself -- there's plenty of time to do that while the R is at the table checking the book, etc. Or -- just mention it casually in the pre-game meeting with the coaches and captains.

+1

Think about freshmen level ball where uniforms are hand-me-downs usually from Soph or Varsity teams. A skinny kid has enough problems keeping his pants up, much less his jersey tucked in. To penalize that player by following the 'letter of law' just isn't common sense. If he makes an effort to comply that should be sufficient. It's called game management. Yes, you're aware of the rule, and you're not ignoring it because of laziness, again just applying common sense and a sense of fair play.

I'm with Bob and JR on this. 3-4 is for varsity; 3-5 is for everyone.

The OP said specifically his association has been told to enforce everything at all levels. So why are people on this board giving him advice to ignore his association?

Snaqs.

I agree with JR on 3-5, there is no excuse. Associations, at least in the Chicago area (three that I'm a member of), don't really dictate to it's members possibly like others around the country and certainly not at middle school level.

I'm not condoning ignoring his association, I was addressing lazy partner question which to me was main point of thread and my response is how I'd address it.

Good point; I was just surprised at those who said they agreed with the veteran that it was ok to ignore what the association had said to enforced. I should have included Rut's post in my response instead of yours. You just happened to be last at the moment. Sorry. :D

I echo the words of bob and JR. I do not like being the 'Fashion Police', but I do it. It does not make us, the officials, look good when we have to enforce these rules. And it does not make us look good when we do not enforce these rules.
During warm ups I look for ear rings, bobby pins, head/wrist band violations. And if they are not wearing warmup uniforms, then I look for illegal numbers, and illegal undergarments.
Many years ago I noticed that a player had a metal brace on his finger. I informed the player and coach about this situation and the options. He blasted me during this conversation. And made it a point that the player has worn it all season and I was the 1st to bring it to his attention. I watched one of his games later in the season. Guess what? He had the brace on the finger. The player was the Assistant Principal's son.

You obviously did not read or understand what I said. Where I am from this is a Referee thing. If the Referee makes the decision about uniforms they take the heat if they do not follow the rules. Also many of these rules in my state have been considered minor and not to go around giving Ts for uniform infractions. We were told those were for varsity contests only. And I can tell you I bet my state is going much crazier over those infractions than any other state.

And you enforce the rules the way you have been instructed. Not by what we say here. And that includes sub-varsity games. Middle school does not even come into this conversation where I live as there are no widely accepted body that dictates what we do at that level (at least in my part of the state).

Peace

He said "illegal number" as well. Which means that a kid might have a 28 instead of a 25. In my career I have seen players put a piece of tape over the 8 which I would consider illegal and not penalize. I have also seen teams with no number on the front, but numbers on the back. Often freshman ball will have warm-up jerseys and not real jerseys, which have all kinds of illegal issues under the actual rule. And if we enforce that rule to the letter, we would have to start every game with a T or in some cases like tournaments not allow an undershirt to be worn when they have to flip the jersey just to play another game in the same day.

Peace

but if his association has determined these rules should be enforced even below the varsity level (which I would question for the reasons we've discussed ad nauseum), then the veteran should be leading by example here.

I agree with your assessment on how the new guy should respond. Defer to the veteran in situations like this. Of course, with jewelry items, I'd do as Bob suggested and just bring it up myself.

I did not say to ignore his association. Actually I do not care what his association said. I was answering what he should do. If the association is not at the game how can you go against a partner that wants to do his thing? If the partner is the Referee (which is likely where I live) and he does not follow the rules, he will be the one that has to take the responsibility. Not many people in my area would hold the rookie or younger official to task because the veteran wanted to do something, who also has more influence and can intimidate his/her fellow officials.

I am also from the Chicago area and I belong to 3 official's associations. I am President of one of them in the basketball division. I can tell you we do not assign games or dictate what guys do for assignors. Assignors dictate what is allowed or what is enforced in conjunction with the IHSA. Middle school is a mixed bag and there is no telling what the rules they use for specific leagues or tournaments. My associations do not have the power to tell any official what they do and it is common in most situations. The association I am President over has over 100 officials that are paid member, but during the season I will not work with many of them in my games as was the case Monday and Tuesday of this week while working tournaments. So even if we said "Association members should do this...." if they work with someone outside of the association they may not follow the same personal philosophies about anything. This is why the IHSA trumps all that stuff and if the IHSA has addressed it that is what we follow.

Peace

And you know full well this is not the case everywhere; in fact his OP tells you that's not the case for him. In my admittedly smaller metro area (half a million), there is one association that assigns high school ball. The middle school ball is assigned by a few guys who happen to be senior members of that association. I can tell you, around here, if you don't work games according to their wishes (including enforcing 3-5), you won't work many games for them.

And here in CO, the local associations all work closely with CHSAA on these things. So, while CHSAA doesn't really control middle school; the requirements are often passed down to that level. As for high school subvarsity, you can guarantee the officials are enforcing that stuff if they want to move up to varsity.

Illegal uniforms are one thing; red undershirts beneath a blue uniform is another.

If I was in Denver, I'd be working for different associations like you, and around here, I'd have to keep track of the different requirements of the different associations.

Of course I realize that things are not the same everywhere. And how he deals with that is really only someone can answer that lives in his area. They would know the procedures and consequence of not following such a mandate. I just answered what "I" would do. What others would do is up to them and their area.

Agreed.

Peace

Anyone Can Sue Anyone For Anything ...
 

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.

http://ts4.mm.bing.net/images/thumbn...33f6&index=ch1

+1 for our area and the areas around us.

Thanks, guys.
 

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.

"Don't Touch My Junk" ...
 

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?

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.

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

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."

Fullor - I remember a JVB game I had a few yrs ago where they used the V hand me downs. The uniform tops were so big on some of the younger kids the arm holes were nearly tucked into the shorts and we could barely see some of the numbers. And, if they didn't have the waste-tie (dingle-dangle for you military) or it didn't work or was missing on the shorts we had the pants problems you allude to. Was really bothersome on many and really took away from their play.

I think one reason many boards want these things enforced is the consistency. How many of us have had to deal with "they didn't have to do it in the first game"? My last game I noticed a couple of players warming up in the prelim with ear rings or taped over ear rings. I let the JV officials know. They did NOTHING. Hand me down uniforms is one thing. Black t-shirts under white uniforms, jewelry, etc is another.

FWIW, if I see a player with a bracelet, jewelry, or hair pins, I let the player know. When I go get that coach for the pre-game meeting, I advise about illegal t-shirts and needing to remove them out of the visual confines for the team I am responsible for watching. The other guy is responsible for his team.

the only rules at the lower level regarding uniforms i would have a wide flexibility of is color, number etc. (things that might be out of the schools or players control) however regarding jewelry and undershirts, no way.

As for the association saying carte blanche it is to be enforced could just be that lower level officials might not have the capacity to make that decision and it is easier to just say that, but in reality they might understand if an official erred on the side of common sense. I am just speculating of course but that's just an hypothesis.

I/we enforce it at F, JV and V levels. Consistency is key. I'm not having "the other officials let it go" discussion. Nip it!

In HS they know better and the home white uniform rule, numbers, T-shirt color, earrings rules have had plenty of time to take hold here.

Some of the kids still come out with those darn sleeves on.....and then answer that one, fairly simple, yes/no question wrong though! ;)

In this case I disagree with consistency across Frosh-Varsity. Here is where i will allow wider latitude and common sense to dictate my decision. And I am yet to meet a varsity coach that would argue for illegal uniforms just because it was allowed at a lower level. They will argue if they saw it allowed at the varsity level but in all honest varsity coaches understand there is a level of disparity between their level and the rest.

Im not advocating that someone follow my advice here. I always say follow the rule book. I don't think my personal philosophies on the game should be mimicked, nor even considered. Know the rules first and then make your own decision regarding such manners. Unfortunately most officials at that level or when they are just starting out either don't know the rules or dont have the capacity to make an informed judgement.

I really believe that the lower the level the more an official needs to have common sense and the ability to work in the gray zone and make decisions that would constitute bending the rules at times. This is one such scenario. The good thing about the varsity level and higher is that you don't have the luxury to bend the rules. Which I think makes it easier and how i prefer it.

I'll be honest; I don't even look for illegal uniforms or numbers at the jv level and below. Jewelry, t-shirts, wrist bands, and head bands are fair game at any level I work.

Mr. Rutledge,

I do agree.

Rut:

While I would agree with you for the most part on this, what would you do if the league's local rules clearly state teams cannot wear illegal numbers? One of the leagues I'm involved in has this rule, and I've yet to see it enforced when it occurs. :rolleyes: :mad:

If you read what I said earlier and not picked out only one sentence that would be obvious what I would do.

Who gave me the game? Who has the jurisdiction over the game?

If this is a middle school game and they say enforce a rule to the letter I will enforce it. If I am working a high school game and my state association says that certain rules are not to be applied to the varsity level, I think I am going with them. If the league assignor has me working a freshman game and they want everyone to enforce a NF rule about uniforms, I am doing that. I just do not work for local official's associations and they do not decide what we do in any league.

Peace