Sunglasses
 

l would like to know if there is any kind of rule prohibition in NFHS or PIAA (Pennsylvania sports association) against officials wearing sunglasses in contests. Our chapter whines and complains about this, but they have, as of yet, been unable to quote any rule which prohibits their use - they just don't like us to wear them.

I feel it is better to wear sunglasses and see more clearly what is going on, than to squint, run around with your arm up covering your eyes, wear a hat which does very little, or some combination of the three. I always felt that the better the official can see, the better they can officiate the game and make the correct calls.

What is the "Rule"?

The rule is do what you need to do to see better. If you are staring due West at about 5:30pm and the sun is shining right in your eyes, wear them.

We had a brief discussion on this topic before.

http://forum.officiating.com/showthr...ats+sunglasses

I will add that there was an NFHS interp a couple of years ago that prohibitted players from wearing sunglasses unless they are also corrective lenses. I'll find it and post it later. I would think that a referee shouldn't wear anything that is not okay for the players.

However, since you are looking for a specific PIAA ruling. I would advise you to check with them directly.

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)

2005-06 NFHS Soccer Rules Interpretations

SITUATION 8:Are prescriptive sunglasses legal for play? RULING: Yes. (4-2-1)
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Then leave your whistle and watch in your bag! ;)

...and wedding ring.

But seriously, I'm looking for an actual rule which allows/prohibits it for officials. My chapter says we shouldn't wear them, but it isn't anything more than them saying it. If they have the support of the rules, I'd feel better. If not, I don't see why wearing something that increases my ability to see the play and make better calls/no-calls should be prohibited by a group of people with less sensitive eyes than me.

It is your career as a ref. ;) Wear them if you think it will help you call a better game. There IS NO RULE THAT SAYS YOU CAN'T.

The State Rules Interpreter in Oregon wrote an article for some publication (I only heard other guys talking about it...I haven't seen it) endorsing the use of sunglasses as opposed to squinting/hat. If my SRI says do, it is ok for me! :D

I know of no NFHS prohibition of an official wearing sunglasses. Ophthalmologists (medical doctors whose specializtion is eyes) have stated for years the people should be wearing sunglasses to protect one's eyes from UV rays. When I officiated soccer I wore sunglasses when conditions warranted it. I still wear sunglasses when I umpire baseball and fast pitch softball. I remember one summer during a USSSA girls' fast pitch softball tournament an USSSA umpiring big wig called me over between innings (I was the BU for the game.) and told me to remove my sunglasses; I asked him if he was an ophthalmologist, his answer was no. I told him that when he became an ophthalmologist to come back and talk to me. He got pissed and tried to get me removed from the tournament but it didn't happen.

As far as players wearing sunglasses. Until someone can quote NFHS R4-S4-A1 for me, I would like to refrain from making any comments.

MTD, Sr.

That is Patrick Duffy. He posts frequently on the NFHS website.

You trickster! There is no section four in rule 4. :eek:

Me sorry. I meant to copy 2006-07 NFHS R4-S2-A1. I would have thought that you would have considered the fact that I had incorrectly copied the rule reference and went ahead and quoted R4-S2-A1 for everybody benefit. Thereby avoiding a needless second post by me.

MTD, Sr.

Yes, thank you. I know Patrick quite well! I just didn't feel the need to drop his name. ;)

NevadaRef:

It is not my intention to start a long thread here. I went back to the last NFHS Soccer Rules Book that I had (I had to climb up into the attic, :D.), the last year I officiated H.S. soccer was the 2004-05 season; I had registered for the 2005-06 season but I suffered a stress fracture in my right foot while officiating basketball in July 2005 which canceled my soccer season for Fall 2005 so I retired from soccer officiating; so the 2005-06 Rules Book is the latest one I have.

I checked R4-S1-A1 and R4-S2-A1 in the 2005-06 Rules Book with the 2008-09 Rules Book, which is online at the NFHS website, and these two rules have not changed. That being said, and I hope someone will correct me if I am wrong: BUT, 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. The Ruling for Situation 10 of the 2006-07 Rules Interpretations is shear nonsense.

I would love to know the non-thinking process that the members of the Rules Committee uses when they issue such nonsense.

MTD, Sr.

Well, Mark, in that case it is a good thing that you have given up officiating HS soccer. We can't have a referee out there allowing items that the NFHS has very specifically stated are illegal. :eek:

So how is this constructive?

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.