No more checking equipment?
 

:confused: So did I miss something at the rules meeting this past Fall?(Actually, ours was not very good so it may not have even come up.) I called the teams over to check their gear last week and one of my partners said that we don't do that in NFHS anymore. All we do now is ask the coaches if they are "legally and properly equipped." I checked them before every boys game last Fall. In two girls games I think I've had to have 6 players remove some form of adornment or something improper and had to send one off because she couldn't get it off. Why not check them before the game and end this before it starts? Also, if we don't check the gear, how do we determine if the shinguards are proper size, etc? You can't very well do that on the run in the midst of the game. Enlighten me somebody!

Instead of calling the teams over to check gear, why not just walk around as they're warming up? It's far less intrusive and accomplishes the same goal.

Your local association will advise you on the exact procedure that is used in your area. Some places are more formal than others.
According to the 2005-06 Rules Book, which is the current one even though the changes for 2006-07 have been published on the website, your partner is not correct. You have to do BOTH. Ensuring legal equipment is both a coach and referee job. Note: none of the new changes alter what follows:

4-3-1 Coaches' Responsibilities
Each coach shall be responsible for ensuring that each of his/her players is properly equipped. Prior to and during the game, shirts shall be tucked into the shorts, unless manufactured to be worn outside.

5-2-2d(3)
The head referee shall:...inquire of each head coach whether each of his/her players is properly equipped. <font color = red>Examine the uniform and equipment of each player to see that it complies with the rules.</font> Any questions regarding legality of a player's equipment shall be determined by the head referee, or the center referee in a game officiated using the double-dual system of officiating.

Nevada,
I went back and re-read the NFHS book on this last night and reviewed the FIFA changes for 2006. I saw exactly what you just posted and discovered that he was wrong. I knew that he had to be mistaken at the game but he was so empahatic that he was right I thought maybe I missed something at the meeting. Either he confused the emphasis on asking the coaches or he was just cold and wanted to start early. I always check both teams on their 18 as they are warming up and give each team a brief sportsmanship speech in addition to the one we give both full teams before the game. It's funny, but as I was walking 2 miles at the HS track tonight, I was thinking about this. I thought to myself, I know Nevada is going to have the answer for this. Thanks for the info!

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Just to play devil's advocate.....How do you see the bottoms of their cleats doing it this way? Or check the keeper's gloves? Or get a good look at the legality of the size of the guards? Or check for tongue rings? I did not have a HS game two years ago that someone on one of the teams didn't have to take out a tongue ring. If you can do it that way, great. I just can't see how this would work for me.

Do you need to do card/identification checks? If you do, then just combine the two.

As for tongue rings, how do you check for these without making a mockery of things? I generally just say no rings, watches, etc... (and get them to remove any visible ones) and mention that any hidden ones should be removed for your own safety. I'm not checking girls (or boys for that matter) bellybuttons for hidden rings or studs

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"If you have a tongue ring, take it out." They are usually very proud to show it to you when you say that and agree to take it out. Never had any protests, problems, or questioning, but have had a lot of players take them out.

You know that I am always glad to help with what I can.

Just make sure that you find out from your local association how strict they want you to be. Here they want us to be rather formal with the check in process. Just wandering around and glancing at the players wouldn't cut it. We also have to check their passes for USSF games. However, when I venture down south to Vegas, they don't give a darn about this stuff in either NFHS or USSF, so I don't fuss over it.

PS Did you mean the NFHS changes for 2006, not the FIFA changes? Those wouldn't matter for HS now would they? ;)

There are no local associations where I am now. There's me and about 6 guys 40 miles from here. Four of them are pretty good. Two, well..... moving along. Most of the guys I work with live between 70 and 100 miles from me or are from another state. And as for FIFA, none of the ones that thought we didn't check the gear anymore are FIFA refs anyway, only FED, and I'm pretty sure don't know the rules differences.