This is, in my opinion, a stupid rule. I can see reasons for a lot of the uniform/equipment rules, even if I don't like having to enforce them. But this one is just stupid. Why?

1) Wearing long pants instead of shorts is perfectly legal. Yet wearing long pants UNDER shorts is prohibited.

2) As others have already pointed out, the rules do not limit the length of socks (thank God!). So you can wear socks that extend up from the foot, past the knee, all the way up the thigh if you want. There's no way to tell just from looking at the player if s/he's wearing tights or very high socks. There's no reason to treat these differently.

3) Leg sleeves are becoming more popular, particularly in the college game. And like socks, these go over the knee and onto the thigh, so that it's impossible to tell if they are sleeves or tights. Yet these, too, are perfectly legal. Why are they treated differently???

I'm submitting a rule change proposal to the NCAA to make tights and leg sleeves legal, as long as they are a single solid color similar to the dominant color of the game pants. No idea if it will get any attention, but I'm hopeful.

My headache is that much larger because boys (NFHS) and girls (modified NCAAW) work under two different codes in NYC. The only positive is I end up reading rule books prior to each game.

Keeping the whole setup straight makes my head spin. Then you add in fellow officials who don't enforce the rules - including some of my partners who've said "I'm not dealing with that" - and the whole thing becomes a mess.

There is an easy way to tell. Socks and compression tights are two different materials. Also the tights usually have the same padded spot for the knees that arm compressions sleeves have for the elbows.

Also religious reasons.

Assuming you use NFHS rules, legal. Not legal in NCAAW (at least), without medical clearance.

Legal in HS, illegal in college unless accompanied by a medical waiver.

A good friend of mine is the father of probably the first or 2nd best girls player in the state. I went to watch some of her play-off game last week and she was wearing a long sleeve t-shirt. I asked him what was up with that and he said it's something she does for home games. I told him to let her know she won't be doing that next year (she's going to an ACC school).

I was wondering about that after watching the Baylor/UConn game a few nights ago. Griner was wearing a long sleeved shirt and I had thought I remembered it was illegal in NCAA.

Just The Facts, Ma'am ...
 

Tights? Very long socks? Compression shorts? Leg sleeves? Gimme a break. Please.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5251/5...ca118730_m.jpg

My eyes aren't that good.

Legal.

I noticed this by the Omaha South kid with the ESPN highlight the other night. I think a few of the players were wearing long sleeves.

I think they put so much on their legs, it is really hard to tell anymore. I honestly do not know why we should have to look for this stuff. This has so many uncomfortable situations this puts us in if we check for these things. I can only imagine what it is like when girls are involved. The NF really needs to get out of this business. This to me is like socks, who cares?

Peace

You want inconsistencies? Compression sleeves are the arms are illegal in football but medically legal in basketball.

Oh, wait! If the compression sleeve has a pad in it, it then becomes legal!

Tell me how that makes any sense at all.

However, compression sleeves for the legs that extend up under the shorts and compression tights that extend below the shorts, the difference is difficult to distinguish.

NCAA Long Sleeve Undershirt ???
 

Medical waiver?

Question from a 100% NFHS official: If long sleeve undershirts are illegal in the NCAA, what's to stop the player from wearing a long sleeved uniform jersey?