NFHS - scorekeeper shirt - issues?

[Matt S.]

Gang-

How is the striped scorekeeper shirt mandate going in your area? In my games Friday and Saturday, scorers failed to wear a shirt. On Friday (I was the R), I made him fold/hang it over his position at the table.

Do any state associations put any 'teeth' behind the rule? I'm all in favor of it being a 'T' on the home team if the scorer doesn't comply, but I'm told we're not at that point yet... it's the stuff like this and hair/equipment stuff (mostly on the girls side) that really bugs me--just puts us in a lousy situation from the start.

[OKREF]

Here, if they aren't wearing it, you play the game. Then e-mail the state head of officiating and the school gets a call.

[jTheUmp]

I'll probably just bring a old shirt with me to my varsity games, and let the scorer "borrow" it if he/she doesn't already have one. Then I'll write up an incident report and sent it to the state high school league, and let them take it from there.

My guess is that it won't be a problem for very long.

I don't think we'll ever be lucky enough to have a striped-shirted-scorekeeper at very many games below the varsity level, unfortunately.

[APG]

I hope it's never an option to give a T for something as stupid as not wearing a stripped shirt.

Here, we play the game and report any issues to our assignor who will report it to the state.

[JRutledge]

We have schools that are not using them. It is not a major problem but it is not done for some reason. I really do not see the big deal. It makes it easier for us to identify the person in varsity settings when many tables have multiple people located there.

Peace

[OKREF]

Heard here that schools not wearing them may be ineligible to host a playoff game. That would be a quick fix.

[Rich]

I know some officials who are taking an extra shirt. Not me.

I really don't care one way or the other, personally, and making a big deal about it isn't how I want to be remembered at the school.

[grunewar]

As others, we play the game and report it. No "teeth" here and no big deal IMO. They'll give it a little while before they enforce "something" I suppose.

[BillyMac]

Connecticut: Email to assignment commissioner. He will email the athletic director of the offending school, with a copy going to the state interscholastic sports governing body. What they do with it, I don't know, but I'd guess that it wouldn't be a very harsh punishment. We still have schools without permanently marked coaching boxes, and/or substitute X's at the table.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Rich

I know some officials who are taking an extra shirt.

No Way José!

[Matt S.]

Thanks for all the responses; we are following similar protocal in Nebraska--emailing assignor and/or state, depending on who assigns the game.

I guess my real beef is with the Federation--why write a rule and not put anything behind it? With the hair/headband stuff, we can have the player sit; with non-unsporting situations, we can still issue a T; obviously none of us want to be the bad guy, but like I said in the OP, it just puts us in a lousy position...

[APG]

I dunno how you're put in a lousy spot...ask if the scorer will be wearing the required stripped shirt. If not, report to the proper authorities. About as simple as it gets without anyone raising an issue.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Rich

I know some officials who are taking an extra shirt. Not me.

I really don't care one way or the other, personally, and making a big deal about it isn't how I want to be remembered at the school.

That is pointless on so many levels for me at least. I am not that "large" so my shirt would not fit many that I have worked with and certainly not yesterday. All these people have to do is go to the local sporting good store and get a cheap shirt and that will take care of most issues.

Peace

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Matt S.

Thanks for all the responses; we are following similar protocal in Nebraska--emailing assignor and/or state, depending on who assigns the game.

I guess my real beef is with the Federation--why write a rule and not put anything behind it? With the hair/headband stuff, we can have the player sit; with non-unsporting situations, we can still issue a T; obviously none of us want to be the bad guy, but like I said in the OP, it just puts us in a lousy position...

Not everything is about the NF. I am sure each state has a policy to handle this or to ignore it based on their member schools or personally situations. And it is silly to penalize a team when in many cases the teams are not responsible for such action. In the playoffs for example it is very possible that no teams are responsible for who is playing. So why create a rule to penalize someone when there would be an inappropriate penalty?

Peace

[Stat-Man]

Originally Posted by Matt S.

Thanks for all the responses; we are following similar protocal in Nebraska--emailing assignor and/or state, depending on who assigns the game.

I guess my real beef is with the Federation--why write a rule and not put anything behind it? With the hair/headband stuff, we can have the player sit; with non-unsporting situations, we can still issue a T; obviously none of us want to be the bad guy, but like I said in the OP, it just puts us in a lousy position...

This isn't the only rule without teeth. By rule, the official scorebook must stay at the table, but there is no penalty... unless it was removed as an unsporting act (See case 2.11.11).

As for the new rule requiring the striped shirt, here is something from the NFHS interpretations for 2012-13:

SITUATION 8: Team A is hosting the contest. The official scorekeeper is wearing a red shirt to match that of the coaching staff of Team A. The referee of the officiating crew asks the scorekeeper to wear a vertically striped garment. The scorekeeper refuses to change his/her garment to honor the request of the official.
RULING: The contest should be played and the situation reported to the school's administration and to the state office.
COMMENT: There is not a penalty associated with this rule. The intent of the rule is to quickly identify the official scorekeeper at the table. (2-11-12)

At our last officials meeting, our trainer indicated a report of concern should be filed with the MHSAA. I imagine other states will handle it differently.