Illegal number
 

Had a situation in a middle school game last week where a player was in the game wearing #6. Did not notice this until we called a foul on him in the 4th quarter. In reading 3.4.3 situation B in the case book, it appears that there is no penalty until A6 enters the game as a player. However, in the interest of preventative officiating, is this something you would look for when checking the book pregame? I'm wondering if a technical foul could have been prevented if we had noticed him listed as #6 in the book before the game. (Then again, if he's listed with an illegal number after the 10:00 mark and it's then changed, it's a technical foul anyway.)

Or is this a booger not worth picking in a 7th-grade game? Just looking for input. Players wearing illegal numbers is something I've never actually seen in a scholastic game and it's never really occurred to me to check for that in the book.

At that age level I'm not surprised that a player is wearing an illegal number. Heck, if their uniforms match it's a bit surprising. So while preventing such a thing by checking the numbers in the book during warm-ups (and before the 10:00 mark) may be a good idea, chances are the team didn't have a choice. And I'm not going to stop a player from playing the game at that age level.

In MS, yes.

I don't really work that level anymore, but I would enforce the rule, here at a MS team.

Now, if it was a non-school team of middle-school-aged players, that's a different story.

Just for information - here in our local kids rec league, the league orders all the jerseys (T-shirts), so even the third grade boys and girls wear legal numbers.

I got in trouble once when I was being observed and used two hands to report a number '6' on one team. It was during the summer and not something to call a tech. I tried asking my observer how else to report a number '6' but he didn't care. :mad:

Your observer must have polydactyly.

Smarty pants.:)

It's one of the major reasons you are checking the book.

Would you mind detailing what you do when you check the book?

Sign Language.

Check local listings. The enforcement of this rule is going to vary by area at the middle school level.

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I had the same situation. If memory serves, the number was 7 or 8. I didn't bother to say anything. I didn't feel that it was worth it. I know and trust my reporting mechanics. Plus, the observer didn't notice the entire play sequence. That comment just went in one ear and out the other.

I worked a Varsity game for the local dead school last year. Their provided scorer was also deaf so someone taught me the signs for 'white' and 'black' which I used when reporting fouls and timeouts. That was an interesting game to say the least.

Are you from Illinois?
 

Do they vote too? :eek:

You'd have to ask their coach, Paul Barrers. All I know is the game was less exciting than watching paint dry, or rigor mortis set in.

This. ^^^ In my son's jr high league (CYO) there often seem to be more illegal numbers than legal -- many schools use the same jerseys for football and basketball and may have one set shared amongst multiple teams. Other leagues, I'm sure, expect actual enforcement of such rules.

Only in Chicago

Pointing towards bench
 

I've seen more experienced officials in my area point to the bench of the offending player while stating the color when reporting. They say it helps when it is really noisy. I've started doing that in gyms when I can barely hear myself think.

I think that's a great idea -- but in some areas you will get downgraded for doing so -- so you might want to check with others before doing so.

I do that too. I'm told it's not a proper mechanic. But, guess what? It's effective. I do it anyway.

The "Accusatory Point"
 

The "Accusatory Point."
Our state prohibited it several years ago. Problem is, few officials, and even fewer trainers, actually got the memo. Is still found, albeit rarely, in our association.
I don't like it for another reason than the one they gave when asking us not to do it any more: point to the scorer's right and the scorer tabulates a foul on that side of his/her book; problem is the team that fouled is on the other side of the book.
Most of the time gym volume inhibits communication between officials and table when officials try to say too much. Ain't difficult for any table personnel to hear the report of a color. "Red." "White." The color, the only word actually necessary to verbalize to the table in any gym, loud or not, seems quite easy to communicate.
We really need the Eagle's opinion of this.

I didn't know this, either. At camp, I was told not to use the optional bird-dog when I called a foul on two players going for the ball at mid-court. But, I realized that a good preliminary signal/call (eg: "24 white with a push") is just as effective, so I had no problem with that feedback. I didn't realize the point was a no-no, though. I'll be eliminating that starting with tomorrow's games.

When I was scorer in a gym that was going to be noisy, Id often let the officials know I'd nod my head if I had the information I needed to record the foul. Plus the officials & I also made sure we had eye contact through the process. Communication is key. :)

Do we have to? ;)

Short And Sweet ...
 

Nice list. Don't forget to put the officials names in the book.

We Been Told To Enforce Illegal Numbers In Our Catholic Middle School League ...
 

Not required here. But I'll do it if either book asks.

Certainly. I had to deal with this very thing last year in a middle school opener. Here, we're told to enforce the uniform rules at all levels, and use tape if you have to, to make the numbers legal.

(Apology to those who have to read this story again. I'm aware that I told this before.)

As I'm checking the book, I see the numbers 6, 7, 8, and 9. I look up, and there they are, warming up. (I'm a little grumpy at myself for not noticing, as they weren't wearing warm-ups.) Long story short, the principal ordered the new uniforms, didn't know they were illegal ("I'm a hockey guy," he explained), and despite the coach telling the principal they were illegal, the team wore them anyway (likely hoping we wouldn't enforce the rules).

As I'm wracking my brain trying to figure how to tape over 6 through 9, the coach offers that last year's unis are still in the locker room. Perfect solution.

So, yes, catch these things early.

Thanks BNR!

Thanks for the input. I'll definitely be checking for legal and duplicate numbers from here on out, probably even more so for sub-varsity games with these schools that likely can't afford new uniforms on a regular basis.

On a slightly different note - was running the clock last night for a MS game officiated by a different association than mine. (My wife is a teacher at this particular school and I try to help out when possible.) The referee made a point of coming to the table and signing the book to verify the score and fouls at the end of each quarter. I have never, ever seen this. I certainly don't plan on doing it; has anyone else ever heard of that?

by rule (2-5-7) the R is supposed to do so at the end of each half.

There's nothing prohibiting it at the end of each quarter -- and in a MS game where the tables are often suspect, it's probably not a bad practice.

When I'm the 'R' verify the book(s) after each quarter, but I do not sign or initial them.

Verification
 

When you say verify, I assume you mean fouls and score match all 3 (both books and scoreboard)? I do this at the end of quarters as well. I also do it during a TO if the game is close towards the end of the game. We had an issue on a local board a couple years ago where a bug rivalry game would have gone into OT if they went by the scoreboard and visitors book. Unfortunately, the home book had the home team up by one at the end of regulation. They had to go with the home book since the officials didn't have definite knowledge.

I will also ask them to verify with each other any players with 3 or more fouls.