Sunglasses

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

NevadaRef:

You make my point so eloquently. There is no rules support for the prohibition of non-prescription sunglasses. The NFHS Soccer Rules Committee could have just as well said that the wearing of red soccer shoes unless the player writes with his/her left hand is prohibited. The interpretation is not supported by rule and is utter nonsense.

MTD, Sr.

If that is what you believe then I must suggest that you launch another one of your email campaigns to the NFHS in an effort to get them to reconsider. Until that happens the official ruling issued by the NFHS is what counts and your personal opinion doesn't mean squat.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

NevadaRef:

I did not start a letter writing campaign, but I did send an email to the OhioHSAA State Soccer Rules Interpreter, Don Muenz:

Sent: Friday, September 26, 2008 10:39 AM
Subject: D. Muenz: NFHS Soccer Interpretation: R4-S1-A1 and R4-S2-A1.

Sep. 26/Fri.(10:39amEDT), 2008

Don:

I don't officiate H.S. soccer anymore (bad knees; but I still officiate basketball, baseball and fast pitch softball) but I have a question that is being discussed on the Officiating.com's Soccer Forum. It has to do with players wearing sunglasses. The last year I was registered by the OhioHSAA for soccer was 2005-06, but did not officiate because of a stress fracture in my right foot caused by my bad knees; therefore, this is the last edition of the NFHS Soccer Rules that I have.

The following two NHFS Rules Interpretations have been quoted in the thread on Officiating.com's Soccer Forum:

2005-06 NFHS Soccer Rules Interpretations

SITUATION 8:Are prescriptive sunglasses legal for play? RULING: Yes. (4-2-1)

and

2006-07 Soccer Rules Interpretations

SITUATION 10: (a) Player No. 1 on Team A is wearing sport eyewear and (b) player No. 2 is wearing non-prescription sun glasses. Are these pieces of equipment legal? RULING: Legal in (a) and not legal in (b). (4-1-1)

I went to the NFHS website and compared 2005-06 rules edition of R4-S1-A1 and R4-S2-A1 with the 2008-09 rules edition and the rules have not changed. That being said, I do not see anything in these two rules that prohibits a player from wearing of sunglasses (prescription or non-prescription) while playing. There is no rules support for prohibiting a player from wearing non-prescription sunglasses. A player who has 20/20 vision has the same right to protect his/her eyes from UV rays as a player that has 20/60 vision.

Can you give me some insight on why the NFHS Soccer Rules Committee would make a rules interpretation that cannot be supported by rule? Maybe you could forward my email on to the NFHS Soccer Rules Committee. Thanks.

Mark DeNucci, Sr.
OhioHSAA no.: 104563


Don replied via email telling me that he had passed my question onto Mark Koski at NFHS Headquarters.


Mark sent the following email to Don:

Sent: Friday, September 26, 2008 11:28 AM
Subject: RE: NFHS Soccer Interpretation: R4-S1-A1 and R4-S2-A1.

Don,

Thanks for contacting the National Federation of State High School Associations. This action taken from the NFHS Soccer Rules Committee was done prior to my arrival here at the NFHS. If interested in submitting a rule change, please do so on the attached form.

Best of luck this year!

Mark Koski, CMAA
Assistant Director

Direct Line: (317) 822-5716
Fax: (317) 822-5700
Web Site: www.nfhs.org


As one can see, Mr. Koski believes in the Mary Struckhoff school of passing the buck. He didn't even bother to answer the question. I guess I just might email Mr. Koski myself.

Mark

[SethPDX]

That's an excellent non-answer. Mr. Koski should consider a career in politics.

If the explanation is nothing more than "It was like that when I got here" with nothing to back it up perhaps the opinion of NFHS should not mean squat.

[Nevadaref]

Mark, you know that I have great respect for your experience and rules knowledge. I also value your contributions to the forums. However, most of all I thank you for storing all those old rules up in your attic. It saves me a lot of space in mine!

So even though we sometimes disagree in rules discussions, I always enjoy hearing your opinion. I just don't want any less experienced officials to read your opinion about wearing sunglasses in an NFHS soccer game, and think that it is okay to act contrary to the current NFHS interpretation. As I said before, we need to abide by the official ruling until it is changed, if that ever happens.

So in the meantime, best wishes with your email writing to Mr. Koski in pursuit of that.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Mark, you know that I have great respect for your experience and rules knowledge. I also value your contributions to the forums. However, most of all I thank you for storing all those old rules up in your attic. It saves me a lot of space in mine!

So even though we sometimes disagree in rules discussions, I always enjoy hearing your opinion. I just don't want any less experienced officials to read your opinion about wearing sunglasses in an NFHS soccer game, and think that it is okay to act contrary to the current NFHS interpretation. As I said before, we need to abide by the official ruling until it is changed, if that ever happens.

So in the meantime, best wishes with your email writing to Mr. Koski in pursuit of that.

NevadaRef:

Thanks for the kudos. One of the points that I think we are both trying to make the we have people at the rules making level that are making interpretations that cannot ber supported by rule because these people are rules illiterate. And that really fries my tuchus.

MTD, Sr.


P.S. I was up late last night watching the Red Sox-Angels games. What was your excuse for being up late?