I believe they are sold as sleeves. And they are worn as sleeves most of the time that I have witnessed. It seems like the pad is not for the knee but for the shin if you look how they are worn.

I just feel the NF needed to stay out of this stuff and let kids where what they want on their legs like they do with socks. If a coach has an issue, then so be it, but do not legislate color into this issue.

Peace

Why are you telling me pads can be any color? I never said the couldn't. My respsonse was about sleeves: "That 18" garment with a knee pad in the middle is a leg sleeve in my book."

If it has a PAD, it IS a PAD. Knee or Elbow.

No PAD, it is a SLEEVE.

No question.

Well for me it is a question as we've got some officials allowing them and some not, even though there is nothing in the rules to support prohibition. I like your reasoning: a pad is a pad...no pad it must be just a sleeve, but the only place sleeves are mentioned (3-5-3) refers to ARM sleeves. Knee PADS seem to be addressed as a "brace or guard", so to me it would seem these are legal items, and I would agree a uniform color is certainly appropriate, but apparently not required.

Rule 3-5 ART. 3

Arm and leg compression sleeves shall:

a. Be white, black, beige or a single solid school color.

b. Be the same color for each team member.

c. Meet the logo requirements in 3-6.

d. Be worn for medical reasons.

Again, some state organizations have addressed these items like they do in other situations. So it really does not matter what you or I or anyone else personally thinks. It only matters what the state or organizations think and how they want these things handled. We did not see these things until the last few years ago and really this year. So whatever they are or can be used for is really up to how they are interpreted by people with more power.

Agreed, and this year the knee pads/hybrid sleeve devices are way up in my area.

That's your interpretation. It has zero basis in the rule book. Knee and elbow pads aren't even mentioned in the rule book or case book.

Sleeves don't contain pads. If it has a pad, it's a pad.

Who says? Not my state, and not the rule book.

I'm just being argumentative here, b/c I haven't cared personally myself.

I agree it has no basis in the rulebook, and I don't see any mention of pads in the book either.

Given no book definition, we're left to using external definitions -in this case the only external definition of any use to us is the one used by the manufacturers of these.

Sleeves (any brand, I just looked at several on line) don't have pads; and those apparently hybridized things that have pads in them, on line, are labelled and sold as pads.

I am corrected! I was looking at an '11-'12 book in my office...one reason I hadda ask this question in the first place:(

I'll diagree with this. For several yrs now players have increasingly been wearing "arm sleeves" with a "minor cushion/pad" on their elbows due to alleged injuries, and it was never considered "a pad". It was a sleeve. Now, that it goes on the leg, we're considering it a pad?

As BNR said, not in my state. Hey, we're in the same state. Cool! :cool:

Could be. I personally haven't made anybody take off or change that equipment. However, around these parts, at the college and high school levels, they are being interpreted as sleeves.

I should check to see what my state website says, if anything.

Pads are just pads, with only enough material to hold the pad / wrap around the knee.

Any additional material makes it a sleeve.

(Both are equally correct -- these are not "just" pads and not "just" sleeves -- they are sleeves with pads. And that's why your state needs to decide. Ours has decided on the second interp)