Mouthguard Modification
 

Tonight we were officiating a 9th grade game where we noticed the quarterback had a mouthpiece much smaller than normal (back had been cut). Is there a rule that states the mouthguard shall not be modified? ... or, what prevents a player from basically cutting the mouthguard completely? Looking for actual location in rules for this. The only thing I see in rules book is that the color must not be clear and that

A tooth and mouth protector which shall include an occlusal (protecting and separating the biting surfaces) and a labial (protecting the teeth and supporting structures) portion and covers the posterior teeth with adequate thickness.

I think you would just have to use good judgement on whether or not it is legal. If it looks like it would be ok, I think you let it go, but if not, make him find another one

This topic drives me nuts. rather than worry about the safety of the players, the Fed. is concerned with colors.

1. There should be a minimum size.

2. They should require that the mouth guard hang from the fecemask. This would solve a couple problems. A. You would always know if a player had his mouth guard in. B. It would keep the players from handling them every play with their hands and all their germs as they stick them in their helmets and other places. C. It would keep them from getting lost (I find a few on every field I work).

All mouth guards, if fitted properly, are modified, which is why there is no rule against modifying them. As far as the cutting them so they don't fit as deep into the mouth, you just read over it. It's in what you quoted from 1-5-2-i. I've emphasized the pertinent portion.

I don't think that is what he is talking about. WHat I see are guards that are chewed to a nub (another result of not being able to let thwm hang off a strap like the old days.)

Good work with the large font though ;)

Yeah, I guessed on the font size enlargement. :)

ART. 3 . . . Illegal equipment. No player shall participate while wearing illegal
equipment. This applies to any equipment, which in the opinion of the umpire is
dangerous, confusing or inappropriate. Illegal equipment shall always include but
is not limited to

8. Equipment not worn as intended by the manufacturer

Read more: CoachHuey.com - mouthpiece strap

You dig a 6 year old thread up and you are still wrong..... (you are also not quoting this year's rule book)

If you had any clue as to what you are talking about, you'd know that the strap provides no safety advantage over the non-strap mouthpiece.

If it did, the non-strap mouthpiece would be illegal.

Then again, all you ever do is show your ignorance.

Stay over at Huey's...... You said you were leaving here. Keep your word for once.

Would you not agree that eliminating the clear ones does make it easier to tell that they actually have one?

With the emphasis on concussions, I would not be surprised to see this be a POE in the coming years.

Back in my HS days, I know the QB's commonly cut them down to just where the front was showing.

The first line of defense on this should be the trainers. If they notice it, then they should make the kid dispose of it and get a new one.

1-5-1d ... (5) A tooth and mouth protector (intraoral) which shall include an occlusal (protecting and separating the biting surfaces) and a labial (protecting the teeth and supporting structures) portion and covers the posterior teeth with adequate thickness. It is recommended the protector be properly fitted and:

I am not a Dentist and I did not stay in a Holliday Inn Express last but, the following comes from posterior teeth - definition of posterior teeth in the Medical dictionary - by the Free Online Medical Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

posterior teeth - the teeth in the posterior parts of the dental arches; the premolars and molars.

Illegal if they "cut it down" and all teeth are not covered.

It is up to the umpire to rule on illegal equipment. Right?

Yes. Still does not change the interpretation that was given when this rule was changed.

And the umpire usually makes these decisions with other officials anyway. But you would have to be an official to know this fact.

Peace

Before the game begins, the umpire will primarily resolve any issues relating to equipment -- usually casts or padding. Once the game starts, any official can rule on this -- just like they can on butt blocking, spearing, holding, etc.

So CT1, you are saying it will be ignored! :)

They will all rule one what they see. And it will be ignored by the schools and conferences that there is a need for more officials. But hey, it cost too much right?

We even asked our sports administer and asked him if we could one day add just two more officials to the field. And in basic words, "It would be a hard sell." So do not tell me what is ignored when the game at the HS level has most teams use spread offenses with a system that was only designed to cover running a wing offense at best.

Peace