Mouthguards

[BigFarns]

I see the rule saying that the mouthguard must be colored but what about orthodontic mouth guards. When I was in school I had one and it only came clear. I've check with an orthodontist in the area and he confirmed that they are only available in clear. So I think if the kid has braces then we should allow the clear mouth guard so long as they tell us before the game. Seems pretty straightforward to me but it caused a discussion at our meeting this week.
Opinions?

[Jim D]

A clear mouthguard is illegal equipment. I agree it's not dangerous but it is illegal and I'd tell the kid he can't play with it. He can fight that battle with the NFHS.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BigFarns

I've check with an orthodontist in the area and he confirmed that they are only available in clear.

According to a well respected coach on another website, he claims there are other colors available. This coach said he had a couple of players that were able to get colored mouth guards from their doctors.

Bottom line is the rule does not make concessions for doctor issued mouthpieces. The rule was put in place so that officials could clearly see these mouth guards. The rules apply no matter how the kid got one.

Now your state could modify this rule to allow kids to play without penalty. My state has told us that if a mouthpiece is not the right color, we are to issue an USC foul to the head coach for a player with the wrong colored mouthpiece, but the kid can play as long as everything else about the mouth piece is legal. If your state follows the rule, the kid cannot play.

Peace

[BigFarns]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

The rule was put in place so that officials could clearly see these mouth guards.

I realize why the rule was put in place and that's why I say if they tell you about it before the game then as officials we'd know that kid has a mouthguard in.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BigFarns

I realize why the rule was put in place and that's why I say if they tell you about it before the game then as officials we'd know that kid has a mouthguard in.

Unless the mouth piece is of the right color, then the mouth piece is completely illegal under NF rules. Also the player cannot play if you apply the NF rules to the letter. So what are you going to do if your state or association has not given you a directive to do otherwise? I do not have the answer, but as usual this was not a well thought out rule if you ask me.

Peace

[Jim D]

Not to be flip but the answer is the player is illegally equiped and he won't be allowed to play. That's the rule and there is no wiggle room in it. I may not like it but that's another story.

If the NF or the state makes a change I'll gladly go along with it but, for week one in my state, he can't play.

[Tom.OH]

I had an 8th grade scrimmage today. One player had braces and a clear mouth piece that covered both the top and bottom teeth. I told him and his coach that the clear mouth piece was not legal this year, the coach had never heard of that rule change (go figure). I told him ,in my opinion, if he covered the strap with blue tape (the schools main color) it would make it stand out. I don't know how next weeks officials will feel about that and I will be the one that "let him play last week" but his parents have a lot invested in the braces and I knew he was wearing the mouth piece. Any thoughts on the strap being a solid color in cases like these.

[ABoselli]

Like a few changes in the past, this rule change was announced at the beginning of the previous year, so everyone has a chance to make whatever changes need to be made with plenty of time to spare.

Lack of planning or ignorance on their part is not a valid excuse.

The NCAA rule has been in place for a while now and I'm sure there are some orthodontic patients in that bunch that somehow managed to find a colored mouthguard.

[BoomerSooner]

I'm certainly not coming from a position of expertise, but having worn braces, I know the purpose of these special mouth guards is to prevent the inside of the lips from being cut by the braces. I never had this problem playing football because my facemask prevented anything from contacting me directly in the mouth. Basketball was another story though because the face and more importantly the mouth is exposed to contact from a tipped pass, elbow, etc. My orthodontist left the decision entirely up to me for both sports with a stronger recommendation for basketball for the reasons I described, but he never made it as a medical or orthdontia recommendation...only a personal one.

The purpose of a normal mouthpiece, however, is to minimize the impact of a hit that causes significant movement of the head i.e. head hitting the ground. I read an article supporting this position with evidence saying players that wore mouthpieces were less susceptible to concusions.

All I'm saying is that with this being the case, I don't see allowing a clear mouthpiece (and circumventing the rule) on the grounds that it is medically necessary. Now a state provision that allows for it makes it fine for me. I've also seen from years past that it is the kids that want to wear clear mouthpieces do so because they think they can get rid of them a few minutes into the game.

[Jim D]

b Sooner, You may be 100% correct but you're arguing in the wrong courtroom. We don't make the rules, the NFHS does. When they say clear mouthpieces are legal, I'll allow players in my games to wear them. Until then, they are illegal equipment.

[PSU213]

First, the rule is very straight forward. There are no exceptions. If the NFHS wanted to allow these they would have included some exception that allowed a clear mouth piece if he has a note from the orthodontist, etc.

Also, here in PA our state rules interpreter was asked the question about the mouthpiece made by the orthodontist--if the are allowed to be completely clear. The answer he gave was a flat out "no."

[BigFarns]

I have never been so adamantly against the general opinion of this board as I am right now. I wore braces when I played too. I found the special top & bottom mouthguard a necessity because the one time I didn't wear it I got busted in the mouth and had to come out because of excessive bleeding! The orthodontist I had at the time said that it only came clear cause I was asking for a black or yellow one to match our team colors....so I had to be the odd-ball with a clear mouthguard.
Now I know it's the rule but I think it was just a poorly written rule. I'm guessing that the intent is to make it where we can see that the mouthguard is in because it's colored. This is so that the player will be safe. Why would we cause a kid to get his mouth torn to crap by forcing him to wear the standard mouthguard that protects only the top instead of allowing the doublesided one which is essentially what we are doing by stick with this colored mouthguard rule. Unless the one orthodontist I talked to in the area is just mis-informed by telling me they still only come clear which they did when I was playing.
I know some will say it's a rule and we need to enforce it...but when was the last time you saw someone enforce holding EVERY time it happens or enforce the helping the runner rule? You don't. You use common sense and make sure that the game moves along, everyone plays fair and noone gets an unfair advantage, right? You know you've seen a QB sneak and the fullback come up behind and just plow the QB to help him forward...and I've never in all my years around football seen anyone call it. Enforcing the mouthguard thing is silly.

There...I've ranted(probably a bit incoherently at times too, sorry)...I know I'm wrong in the eyes of the rulebook. And I'm wrong in our state. At our meeting yesterday I lost the arguement and it was decided to force the kids to use a colored mouthguard. I will enforce as I've been instructed but I think everyone has put certain kids in a annoying situation here...sure the kid won't be permenantly injured when his lower lip is bleeding like crazy from getting stuck by his braces...but I was sure annoyed when I got taken out of the game because of excessive bleeding the one time I lost my orthodontic mouthguard and used a regular one.

[Mike L]

Um, couldn't you just take a permanent ink Sharpie and draw some black lines across it? Does it now not meet the rule?

[wisref2]

And if a kid wants to play without shoulder pads and his doctor says it's okay.

And if a kid wants to play without a helmet 'cause his doctor says it's okay.

This is an equipment rule and is very clear (no pun intended), and is not the same as holding and other rules, which take advantage gained into account.

Not enforcing this rule is flat out wrong. And if the kid gets hurt and you let him play with illegal equipment, you have no defense in a civil court.

And frankly, there is no good argument against enforcing an equipment rule.

[BoomerSooner]

Originally Posted by Jim D

b Sooner, You may be 100% correct but you're arguing in the wrong courtroom. We don't make the rules, the NFHS does. When they say clear mouthpieces are legal, I'll allow players in my games to wear them. Until then, they are illegal equipment.

I'm not sure if I was misunderstood here, but I was indeed supporting the position of not allowing clear mouthpieces. I was merely providing supporting evidence that says they aren't a medical/orthodontic requirement nor should it be that big an issue since these kids typically have a face mask to protect their mouth. Are kids going to get bloddy lips every now and then...sure, but even kids without braces can have these issues.