Sunglasses

[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