Taking Jersey Off at Bench
 

How far would you go with this rule? If A1 is directed to leave the game because of Blood on his/her jersey, and they have an undershirt on under their jersey. They take their jersey off at the bench still with undershirt on and put a clean jersey on. Would you give a tech in this situation. How strict does NFHS want this enforced?

I would not, but I might suggest to the coach changing in the hallway next time.

I don't like it but that is what they want called.

Just be proactive and use preventative officiating. Tell the player when you know this to go to the locker room, hallway or away form the court to do the change.

Peace

This scenario
 

I had this exact scenario last week. Blood on the shirt (not his of course - which led to a separate search), as the kid pulled his shirt out from being tucked in while walking to the bench, I caught up with him and asked him to go in the hallway or locker room to change his shirt. He asked why (not sarcastically, a legitimate wondering why) and I told him that was the rule and it would is supposed to be a T if he takes it off on the court. They accepted it, changed in the hallway and came back in.

In thinking about this rule, it seems to me the Feds may have been addressing boys without an undershirt, girls with just a sports bra underneath and upset players removing their shirt angrily. Instead of getting that detailed on it, they just made a blanket rule. I have no problem with it. Going forward, I will make sure I tell the player when I notice the blood and explain it to the coach when reporting it to him/her.

This rule came into NFHS rulebooks everywhere about 2 seconds after Brandi Chastain removed her jersey when the USA won the 1999 Women's World Cup. I have no doubt that they did not think about things like blood on the jersey and other reasonable things when they made the rule. Or, perhaps they did and just felt a black and white rule was easier than asking officials to apply reasonable judgment.

By looking at the annual interps, I infer that the rule came in to effect in the 2005-2006 season. And, one of the case plays from that year specifically deals with blood on the jersey:

SITUATION 5: A1 is directed to leave the game with a blood-saturated jersey. While at the team bench area, he/she removes the jersey and changes into a clean, spare jersey. RULING: A1 is assessed a technical foul. Team B is awarded two free throws and the ball for a division line throw-in. COMMENT: The uniform rule is intended to be applied in all situations. It is not unreasonable to expect team members to leave the playing area to change uniforms

Always Listen To bob ...
 

bob jenkins is correct. The NFHS basketball rule first appeared in 2005-06. That's an awful long two seconds.

Apply the Theory of General Relativity and you will see that two seconds is the correct time. :D

MTD, Sr.

Changing jersies at courtside.
 

I have a basketball friend (yes I really have friends) who is Canadian, and officiates women's college basketball in the Great White North. Many years ago, he officiated a women's exhibition game between (I will not use real names to protect the guilty.) a college from the Province of Ontario and the woman's national team from one of the Scandanavian countries. Just before game time it was discovered the Visiting team and brought its "white" jerseys and not its "dark" colored jerseys. The Home team graciously lent their "dark" colored jerseys to its Guest. They was a collective sigh as the air was sucked out of the arena as the Visitors changed their jersey at court side and everybody discovered that many of the Visitors did not wear bras (some of them didn't shave their underarms either).

MTD, Sr.