"medical" ear stud

[RKBUmp]

While it wasn't some supposed medical piercing, I do remember seeing something from nfhs several years back about a player wearing an insulin pump and it should be allowed.

[Little Jimmy]

We have a player on the local circuit that uses an insulin pump. It used to draw attention but it seems commonplace now.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by RKBUmp

While it wasn't some supposed medical piercing, I do remember seeing something from nfhs several years back about a player wearing an insulin pump and it should be allowed.

Don't interpolate, extrapolate, or expand that decision to anything someone declares as a medical device. Stay with the stated rulings.

No one could possibly confuse the need/use/intent of an insulin pump with an earring. Any earring.

[RKBUmp]

Next we will have fidget spinners on the field.

[Umpteenth]

Originally Posted by RKBUmp

Next we will have fidget spinners on the field.

And, finally, we won't have 10U girls playing in the dirt any more, lol.

[teebob21]

Originally Posted by Umpteenth

And, finally, we won't have 10U girls playing in the dirt any more, lol.

I'm not recommending anyone do this, but last time I umpired 10U, F6 wanted to play tic tac toe with me. In the first inning, when I moved over to C position, she drew a tic tac toe board in the dirt with her foot, looked me square in the eye and said "I'm X's. You're O's".

I lost.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by teebob21

I'm not recommending anyone do this, but last time I umpired 10U, F6 wanted to play tic tac toe with me. In the first inning, when I moved over to C position, she drew a tic tac toe board in the dirt with her foot, looked me square in the eye and said "I'm X's. You're O's".

I lost.

That's awesome!

[teebob21]

Originally Posted by Manny A

That's awesome!

I thought so too. I wish that game would have gone into extra innings so we could have had a rematch.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by RKBUmp

While it wasn't some supposed medical piercing, I do remember seeing something from nfhs several years back about a player wearing an insulin pump and it should be allowed.

That makes sense. Denying a player from playing because she has an insulin pump would go against the NFHS policy of making "reasonable accommodations for athletes, coaches and officials with disabilities."

Also, NFHS rule 3-2-13 specifically points out that "Each state association may, in keeping with applicable laws, authorize exceptions to NFHS playing rules to provide reasonable accommodations to individual participants with disabilities and/or special needs, as well as those individuals with unique and extenuating circumstances. The accommodations should not fundamentally alter the sport, heighten risk to the athlete/others or place opponents at a disadvantage."

That's fundamentally different than allowing an earring that supposedly alleviates migraines. Unless the player's coach shows me a letter from the doctor that says this, she's not playing with it.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by Manny A

...Unless the player's coach shows me a letter from the doctor that says this, she's not playing with it.

As much as I dislike being the clothing and jewelry police, I disagree with this for NFHS. Earrings are one of the items declared to be illegal by black-letter rule:

ART. 12 . . . Players in the game are prohibited from wearing jewelry such as rings, watches, earrings, bracelets, necklaces (including cloth or string types) or other hard cosmetic or decorative items.

I would need for the state association to issue a ruling, or she is not playing with that earring in her ear, doctor's letter or not. The doc can prescribe the earring (assuming he is silly enough, IMO), but he cannot make it legal to wear in a high school game.

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by Dakota

As much as I dislike being the clothing and jewelry police, I disagree with this for NFHS. Earrings are one of the items declared to be illegal by black-letter rule:

ART. 12 . . . Players in the game are prohibited from wearing jewelry such as rings, watches, earrings, bracelets, necklaces (including cloth or string types) or other hard cosmetic or decorative items.

I would need for the state association to issue a ruling, or she is not playing with that earring in her ear, doctor's letter or not. The doc can prescribe the earring (assuming he is silly enough, IMO), but he cannot make it legal to wear in a high school game.

If it is on a doctors note that she needs to wear it, is it still an earring or is it a medical device?

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

If it is on a doctors note that she needs to wear it, is it still an earring or is it a medical device?

Your question is basically irrelevant, IMO, unless the state association makes a written accommodation for it.

To make an absurd analogy, an I.V. bag on a wheeled stand is a medical device, but would not be allowed in the game.

Unless or until the state association issues a written accommodation, it is illegal. I'm not telling her to take off her "medical device". I'm telling her she can't play with it on. Her choice: play or don't play.