Captains Meeting Question, Part II--Illinois Officials
 

Late in the Captains Meeting thread I posted the where in the NFHS Basketball Officials Manual one would find the requirements for the Captains Meeting. Since some States either write their own Officials Manuals or modify the NFHS Manual, I did some looking around the web about State differences.

1a) Since I am registered in Ohio and Michigan, I want to state that Ohio uses the NFHS Manual without any adoptions.

1b) And, Michigan publishes its own Manual (which is actually published by the IllinoisHSA, and is geared toward court coverage more than anything and is really the NFHS Manual with better graffics) and it does not mention Captains Meetings, but my fall back position is the NFHS Manual.

2) Which brings me to the IllinoisHSA uniform requirements for basketball offcials. The NFHS Manual specifies a V-neck shirt; and both the OhioHSAA and MichiganHSAA also specifies a V-neck shirt. And yet the IllinoisHSA specifies that a crew can wear either a V-neck shirt OR a Byron Collar Shirt, :eek:. I hope that this is just an old requirement that has never been erased from the books; I hope that some Illinois officials will weigh in on this.

MTD, Sr.

My understanding is that the "Manual" published for Michigan isn't supposed to trump the NFHS Manual, it's intended to illustrate it. Problem is, that "Manual", with the glitzy "graffics" you cite, has not been updated for a number of years. I don't think, for instance, the two-man time-out positioning purported to be approved is something you'd advocate. We've long since reverted to the latest NFHS Officials Manual, using the illustrations in the state Manual that are correct as teaching tools from time to time.

Why not volunteer to update it? I don't know how to work with Adobe whatever-that-comes-out-in.

I have not seen a Byron collar shirt in probably nearly 17 years or so.

Peace

our 2014/15 officials handbook says v neck or byron collared is recommended.....ouch

Jeff:

About three years before the NHFS went to the V-neck, the OhioHSAA allowed each crew to determine which shirt it would wear for the game: V-Neck or Byron Collar. Almost immediately everybody went to the V-Neck. I would still carry both because the MichiganHSAA didn't go to the V-Neck until the NFHS did. Therefore, I would carry a Byron Collar shirt in my bag out of habit when doing a game in Ohio just in case my partner was still to cheap to buy a V-Neck shirt. And sure enough, I had the championship game of a girls' VAR holiday tournament, and sure enough my partner showed up with only a Byron Collar shirt. I offered him one of my extra V-Neck, but he refused because he did not intend to spend money on a shirt he was not going to wear. I asked him about the next school year when we could only wear the V-Neck, and he said that he would only buy a V-Neck if the State forced him too. We wore Byron Collars that night and I haven't worn one since.

MTD, Sr.

When In New Jersey, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Or Florida ...
 

Some of these may be out of date:

The National High School Federation and your state association require officials to enforce sportsmanship rules. High school athletics emphasize positive values. All of us have worked hard to create a sense of teamwork, respect, responsibility and perspective. We remind you that we expect good behavior and will quickly penalize misconduct. We encourage and appreciate your help. Let the competition reflect mutual respect among participants and officials. Coaches please certify that your players are legally equipped and uniformed according the NFHS rules. Good luck and have a great contest! (New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, Kentucky High School Athletic Association)

"PIAA requires all registered sports' officials to enforce the sportsmanship rules for coaches and contestants. Actions meant to demean opposing contestants, teams, spectators and officials are not in the highest ideals of interscholastic education and will not be tolerated. Let today's contest reflect mutual respect. Coaches please certify to the contest official(s) that your players are legally equipped and uniformed according to NFHS rules and PIAA adoptions. Good luck in today's contest." (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association)

To captains: The FHSAA requires officials to enforce all rules regarding unsportsmanlike conduct by players and coaches. Violators will be ejected. It is strongly suggested that you remind your teammates and coaches of this policy. Additionally, this is a simple reminder that jewelry is not allowed, and jerseys must be tucked in during play if they are designed to be worn in. To coaches: Coaches, do you certify that your players are properly equipped and will demonstrate sportsmanlike behavior during today’s contest? (Florida High School Activities Association)

Billy:

The FloridaHSAA has a really whacked requirement when a player or bench personall are ejected.

Player Ejection: If A-1 is disqualified and ejected, the calling officials must inform HC-A that A-1 has been ejected and why A-1 is being ejected. THEN!! The calling official must go to HC-B and tell him that A-1 has been ejected and why A-1 has been ejected.

Head Coach Ejection: If HC-A is disqualified and ejected, the calling officials must inform HC-A that he has been ejected and why he is being ejected. THEN!! The calling official must go to HC-B and tell him that HC-A has been ejected and why HC-A has been ejected.

Why in the world would I want to give that information and why in the world does HC-B need to know that information.

MTD, Sr.

During a Thanksgiving tournament, I found out that the text description and the position of L & T on the court diagram for timeouts with a crew of two didn't match up in the MHSAA manual. :eek:

I also noticed that the manual also shows the calling official in a crew of two going opposite and not staying table side.

Quite honestly, I was glad I purchased the NFHS manual prior to last season (2013-14) as it included items that weren't present in the MHSAA manual that brand new officials probably needed to know.

Actually, it just recommends a V-Neck or Byron-collared shirt, but does specify no turtlenecks.

C. Basketball (G & B)
1. Standard black and white vertically striped knit shirt with short sleeves. Byron collared or V-neck shirts are recommended (no turtle necks);
2. Black trousers (no flares);
3. Entirely black shoes with black shoelaces, all black socks;
4. Belt-should be entirely black;
5. Jackets-should be entirely black;
6. Whistle should have a neck cord and should be such that it may be heard. A second whistle should be carried for emergency.
7. Required IHSA patches must be properly worn.

Allowed In Illinois ...
 

You gotta love the Land of Lincoln.

A lot of things are "allowed" by the state you would never get caught wearing them for a particular (if not all) assignors. We are not your state, the state does not dictate what is required to get regular season games. I can tell you honestly, I see belts about a less as I see byron collar shirts, which is almost never. And usually these are not worn by someone that is not working any varsity and those that want to work varsity know better.

Peace

optional orange belt is authorized during hunting season.;)

8. Should have less than 40% body fat and the ability to run.

I hate the lanyard thing. Part the uniform should be an understanding of the rules, and fitness commensurate with level of play. Certified or not I will probably never make it in Illinois as a tournament official. Which has never really been a goal. They talk a great game at the beginning of the year about what will happen if you don't tow the line. A couple of years it was the unifrom stuff. We did what we were told, and they made us look weak by giving the teams waivers. Crazy I tell you...

Why would knowlede of the rules have to do with what you wear on your body?

Maybe that is a requirement for officiating, but that has nothing to do with other aspects of officiating.

Peace

Walter Cronkite ...
 

My local board, my local interpreter (also the training coordinator), and my high school assigner, neither encourage, nor discourage belts. In thirty-four years, the only mention of belts has been, "If you're going to wear a belt, make sure that it's all black". Period, not another word, and I served several years on the training committee. That's the way it is. Here. I'm sure that it's very different in other places. And I fully accept that.

Lanyardless ...
 

Odd. We have more than just a few lanyardless officials here. Why wouldn't they allow this in Illinois?

Not only are you strongly discouraged to wear a belt, you might not get hired or get fired if you wear a belt. It is that simple. The state has nearly 6000 officials, they do not care what officials do at all levels, but they certainly do not hire official at all for regular season games. And there are no association that do any assigning (like around the country) and the IHSA is not going to give a darn what people wear in a freshman B game in a small town.

Peace

The uniform requirement in Wisconsin is "beltless slacks." This doesn't stop some people (mostly subvarsity) from wearing belts, but when I watched the rules video and this was mentioned, I thought of Billy.

All right kids. Play nice! ;)

MTD, Sr.

Good advice, having a whistle that can be heard. Were people using dog whistles? :)

I think they mean don't swallow your whistle. :D

Not sure how things operate in Champaign, but in Chicago you if you don't wear a lanyard, you are not going to be getting any varsity games. It has nothing to do with what the state says, and everything to do with what the assignment chairs say. Also, in almost every college conference I work and many of the college camps I have been to, you are told to use a lanyard. Again, it is what the assignors expect. There are lots of things I don't like doing, but when my boss tells me to do them, I can either follow his advice or find a new line of work. Besides, I have much more important things to worry about than being forced to use a lanyard.

And My Pants Would Fall Down ...
 

It would certainly stop me. I do what my assigner, and my interpreter, tell me to do. Plus, we still have peer ratings here (soon to be done away with).

When In Illinois ...
 

Great advice if I plan to move to Illinois (or any other state) but I don't, so I'll just do what is expected of me in Connecticut as long as I officiate here. If they change the uniform guidelines in Connecticut, you'll be the first to know, followed by me purchasing beltless pants.

I am working on designing a special message filter for any text string containing "belt" or "belts" for this forum.

Then why did you even mention what Illinois had written down? We know you are not moving.

Peace

If it ever becomes an issue I may have to 're-evaluate my stance. IMO a coach wants a fit competent referee. It gets mentioned at camps as well. At this time it has not held me back from getting varsity assignments. For me Officiating basketball is a passion not a job. I haven't used a lanyard in around 20 years. If I ever get back to small college basketball again I will probably have to change. Until then I choose not to. Right now the military takes up most of my time. As an independent contractor I can choose my assignments and they can choose not to hire me.

Belts and Lanyards ???
 

Because I found it interesting.

Billy and Jeff!!
 

Boys!! Lets play nice!

This thread was supposed to be another one of my light hearted threads because when it comes to rules discussions I can be a very difficult person to deal with when I am correct, ;); even when I am incorrect about being incorrect, ;).

MTD, Sr.

P.S. I don't want to have to report the two of you to Santa so close to Christmas.