Protective Gear Really Needed?

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by potato

...i don't see a problem since the pads protects both players in contact by absorbing the force.

Pads allow both player to go at each other harder without being as worried about injuring themselves.

Imagine how football would change if players were not allowed to wear pads or helmets. You'd probably see fewer major injuries as players wouldn't hit with such recklessness.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Imagine how football would change if players were not allowed to wear pads or helmets. .

I think they call that rugby.

And there are still some major hits in rugby. Not as many, but check out highlights of the "All Blacks" when you have time.

[Bad Zebra]

Boys middle school championship tonight (they play MS before the HS season due to shortage of officials ) Fed Rules. Home team is in white. They are wearing black leg sleeves, blue leg sleeves (a school color), one kid with black knee pads (old school style mentioned above) black arm sleeves and one player with a grey (gray?) undershirt.

Visitors were in red. They are wearing black leg sleeves, red leg sleeves and no arm sleeves that we noticed.

We told both coaches to pick a color sleeve for arms and legs and go with it. Of course both coaches claimed they were wearing these combinations all year..."and what about them? they are wearing both". Yes coach, we are telling them the same thing. Of course the home team goes with the blue leg sleeves and the kid with the knee pads (black) keeps them on. We have to explain to the visiting coach the difference. Additionally, the kid with the grey undershirt starts to strip his shirt off at the bench...whoa junior...take it to the locker room.

This drill took up pretty much the entire warm up period. It would have been a great example for the case book. What a cluster ****.

All this...and it's only middle school. I couldn't make up a more ridiculous scenario if I tried. In the end...home team gets to a running clock and we get out of Dodge in about an hour and a half. I hope this isn't a preview of the season.

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

Boys middle school championship tonight (they play MS before the HS season due to shortage of officials ) Fed Rules. Home team is in white. They are wearing black leg sleeves, blue leg sleeves (a school color), one kid with black knee pads (old school style mentioned above) black arm sleeves and one player with a grey (gray?) undershirt.

Visitors were in red. They are wearing black leg sleeves, red leg sleeves and no arm sleeves that we noticed.

We told both coaches to pick a color sleeve for arms and legs and go with it. Of course both coaches claimed they were wearing these combinations all year..."and what about them? they are wearing both". Yes coach, we are telling them the same thing. Of course the home team goes with the blue leg sleeves and the kid with the knee pads (black) keeps them on. We have to explain to the visiting coach the difference. Additionally, the kid with the grey undershirt starts to strip his shirt off at the bench...whoa junior...take it to the locker room.

This drill took up pretty much the entire warm up period. It would have been a great example for the case book. What a cluster ****.

All this...and it's only middle school. I couldn't make up a more ridiculous scenario if I tried. In the end...home team gets to a running clock and we get out of Dodge in about an hour and a half. I hope this isn't a preview of the season.

I, for one, am proud of you.
Worth the effort if all of us would just do it all the time, cuz then we wouldn't any of us have to do it any of the time.

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by Freddy

I, for one, am proud of you.
Worth the effort if all of us would just do it all the time, cuz then we wouldn't any of us have to do it any of the time.

Not necessarily true. Some have either short memories, or are just stubborn. Try telling blue #13 that he's not allowed to wear that white t-shirt under his jersey. He'll go and take it off if he has to, but chances are good that he'll have it on again next week.

Let's all say it together:

"Everybody else lets me wear it."

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by just another ref

Not necessarily true. Some have either short memories, or are just stubborn. Try telling blue #13 that he's not allowed to wear that white t-shirt under his jersey. He'll go and take it off if he has to, but chances are good that he'll have it on again next week.

Let's all say it together:

"Everybody else lets me wear it."

He'll have it on next week because too many of the everyone else does let him wear it. If no one ever let him, he'd quit trying.

[WhistlesAndStripes]

Originally Posted by just another ref

Not necessarily true. Some have either short memories, or are just stubborn. Try telling blue #13 that he's not allowed to wear that white t-shirt under his jersey. He'll go and take it off if he has to, but chances are good that he'll have it on again next week.

Let's all say it together:

"Everybody else lets me wear it."

"Well everybody else needed the night off tonight, so you're stuck with me, and if you want to play, you'll have to remove it."

[RookieDude]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

All this...and it's only middle school. .

Right or Wrong...around these parts, we usually just let different colored undershirts go for Middle School.

We do, however, make them keep their shirts tucked in and their pants pulled up.

In addition, I explain to the coaches what is expected, (concerning uniforms), when the kids get to the H.S. level.

[Altor]

Originally Posted by RookieDude

Right or Wrong...around these parts, we usually just let different colored undershirts go for Middle School.

You should get others "around these parts" to start enforcing it at the MS level. Then you'll be less likely to have to enforce it at the upper levels.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Altor

You should get others "around these parts" to start enforcing it at the MS level. Then you'll be less likely to have to enforce it at the upper levels.

Oh I don't now. Around here, it largely depends on the league (small school vs. big school) and the assigner. High school is all one assigner, and none of the schools have any issues.

The coaches don't move up with the players, so the HS coaches already know the requirements.

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by Bad Zebra

Boys middle school championship tonight (they play MS before the HS season due to shortage of officials ) Fed Rules. Home team is in white. They are wearing black leg sleeves, blue leg sleeves (a school color), one kid with black knee pads (old school style mentioned above) black arm sleeves and one player with a grey (gray?) undershirt.

Visitors were in red. They are wearing black leg sleeves, red leg sleeves and no arm sleeves that we noticed.

We told both coaches to pick a color sleeve for arms and legs and go with it. Of course both coaches claimed they were wearing these combinations all year..."and what about them? they are wearing both". Yes coach, we are telling them the same thing. Of course the home team goes with the blue leg sleeves and the kid with the knee pads (black) keeps them on. We have to explain to the visiting coach the difference. Additionally, the kid with the grey undershirt starts to strip his shirt off at the bench...whoa junior...take it to the locker room.

This drill took up pretty much the entire warm up period. It would have been a great example for the case book. What a cluster ****.

All this...and it's only middle school. I couldn't make up a more ridiculous scenario if I tried. In the end...home team gets to a running clock and we get out of Dodge in about an hour and a half. I hope this isn't a preview of the season.

Bravo. That's all I can say. Bravo. My head hurt just reading all of this.

If I was a coach I think I'd make a chart and hang it in the locker room so players would know what accessories they can wear based on their uniform of the day.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JetMetFan

If I was a coach I think I'd make a chart and hang it in the locker room so players would know what accessories they can wear based on their uniform of the day.

Source: Freddy

[Sharpshooternes]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Source: Freddy

Can someone give me the rules reference for the protective padding and such? I missed it somewhere. I thought the only one who could wear padding was the backboard.

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by Sharpshooternes

Can someone give me the rules reference for the protective padding and such? I missed it somewhere. I thought the only one who could wear padding was the backboard.

NFHS 3-5-2 probably deals with it best:

Guards, casts and braces must meet the following guidelines:

a. A guard, cast or brace made of a hard and unyielding substance, such as, but not limited to, leather, plaster, plastic or metal shall not be worn on the elbow, hand, finger/thumb, wrist or forearm; even though covered with soft padding.

b. Hard and unyielding items (guards, casts, braces, etc.) on the upper arm or shoulder must be padded with a closed-cell, slow-recovery foam padding no less than ½" thick.

c. Knee and ankle braces which are unaltered from the manufacturer's original design/production are permitted and do not require any additional padding/covering.

d. A protective face mask may be worn and made of hard material, but must be worn molded to the face with no protrusions.

e. Must be worn for medical reasons.

There really isn’t anything specific to elbow or knee pads. The generic concern is whatever a player wears can’t be a danger to anyone or provide an unfair advantage to the person wearing the padding. Basically if the rules don’t specifically say a player can’t wear something – or that a player has to wear something a specific way – then they can.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Sharpshooternes

Can someone give me the rules reference for the protective padding and such? I missed it somewhere. I thought the only one who could wear padding was the backboard.

I'm thinking that, since it doesn't say knee and elbow pads can't be worn, they are permissable.