State HS Fed's infatuation...

Dakota · #1 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 04, 2002, 05:28pm

I saw an article recently where the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association disqualified the Stevens Point Area Senior High School's 800-meter relay team after one of the runners wore an illegal sports bra.
The team won the race at a sectional meet by 9 seconds.

But a meet official disqualified them because a runner had a sports bra that was white with one-quarter-inch black trim on the straps. WIAA rules stipulate a visible sports bra must be one solid color, either black, gray or white.

The association later reinstated the team when threatened by legal action.

I did an internet search on the issue and came up with numerous newspaper articles all over the country where female HS teams / individuals have been DQ'ed for similar minor uniform violations, usually having to do with underwear or barrettes or hair tie-backs being the wrong color. One track runner, who set a meet record, was DQ'ed because a commercial logo on her underwear was visible through her shorts & was "slightly" larger than the allowed size. They also never seem to notice this ahead of time; only after a major win. Funny how it works out that way.

What's with this after the victory "gotcha" rulings with uniform violations in high schools? Does it happen is softball, too?

Steve M · #2 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 04, 2002, 08:51pm

I don't know that Pennsylvania has had any DQ's like that in softball, but, we have a requirement about the coaches having to wear a uniform that matches the team's and this includes socks. I have two schools in the area who almost always get into district championship play who's coach's are known for having socks that do not match their teams. I made sure to let each know the ruling and that they'd have to comply.

Today it seems that whenever somebody can't win on the field, they are willing to accept "victory" via technical rules violations.

Steve M

Andy · #3 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 05, 2002, 01:05pm

You have hit on one of my pet peeves with FED.

I feel that stepping on the court or field and having to tell players to tuck their shirts in or make sure their sock match or tell them to unroll their sleeves makes me look "nit-picky" and starts to build a barrier between me and the coach.

I agree that the appearance of the uniform is important, but who cares if a player has her sleeves rolled up or is wearing a black sports bra under her blue jersey? Is the apperance of the uniform that important that it could result in the outcome of a contest being overturned?

Bottom line: I will enforce these rules because they are rules, but I still don't like them.

greymule · #4 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 05, 2002, 02:02pm

One reason I'm finished with Fed is the nit-picky rules. In my last girls' game this year, almost every player had her sleeves bunched at the shoulder, tied neatly with small decorative bands of various colors and patterns. Illegal. And in the pre-season meetings we were cautioned specifically not to let them get away with that particular egregious violation. All the coaches in the county were similarly warned.

The girls like it, the fans like it, the coaches couldn't care less, and the bands pose no safety hazard whatsoever. I said nothing. Since the girls showed up for their last game of the season wearing them, I suspect no umpire had said anything all year long.

Jeffhead · #5 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 05, 2002, 02:23pm

I ump'd HS fast pitch for the first time this past season and thought it was pretty funny how anal the rule book was when it came to these "violations". At the state rules meeting we had to attend the state official was adament about the "proper" wearing of the uniform, you would have thought the game was going to hell in a hand basket!!! The funnyest rule in the book to me was that you could wear a headband with a manufacturer label as long as the label was no bigger than a certain demension (I don't remember what it was) BUT it was OK for the label to be larger than that demension when stretched!?!?! You'd think that they would have more important things to worry about than this kind of stuff!!!
Jeff

moose69 · #6 (**permalink**) Wed Jun 05, 2002, 02:51pm

Rules like this are a waste of time,energy and paper in rule books. Who cares about coaches sucks? Who cares about the colour of a sports bra? On the basketball side of things, the uniform restrictions are absolutly pathetic. The NFHS people clearly have too much time on their hands, and the way they choose to spend that time is by making up stupid uniform rules.

bluezebra · #7 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 06, 2002, 02:31am

Rules are rules are rules. If you don't like them, don't work FED sports. If you do work FED, enforce the rules. If you just enforce those you agree with, you don't belong out there.

"The girls like it, the fans like it, the coaches couldn't care less, and the bands pose no safety hazard whatsoever. I said nothing. Since the girls showed up for their last game of the season wearing them, I suspect no umpire had said anything all year long." You don't know what happened before. In the back of the FED RULES BOOK is an OFFICIALS CODE OF ETHICS. You violated them by not enforcing the rules. And the coach violated their code. It's umpires like you who make it difficult for those who follow you.

Bob

Steve M · #8 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 06, 2002, 03:53am

I agree completely with Bob. While some of the uniform requirements are not what I'd like them to be, I'm still going to enforce them as long as I choose to work Fed games. But I will go on doing as much as I can behind the scenes to get the rulings changed. I also feel some responsibility to the local teams that advance to ensure that they do not get surprised by having rules enforced late in the year at the state level that were not enforced early - that is a distraction that the teams do not need.

Steve M

Roger Greene · #9 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 06, 2002, 09:20am

I agree with Steve and Bob, but would like to add the folowing.

These minor uniform violaitons can be corrected quietly and without most people noticing that the umpire took any action, or they can be enforced in a way that everbody notices and gets the umpire the rep of being OOO. (Stolen from Tee Allen)

IMO you should handle it low key at the plate meeting or between innings. The only unhappy person I had all year was an assistant coach in blue jeans who I wouldn't allow to coach a base, and the next game I had with him, he was laughing and pointing out his new kaki pants.

Roger Greene

greymule · #10 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 06, 2002, 12:26pm

"If you don't like them, don't work FED sports."

Exactly. That's why I'm finished with Fed. I'm sure all the umpires who come after me will have it easier.

Rick Vietti · #11 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 06, 2002, 01:05pm

As I always say to coaches and players that complain about some of the rules.

"I didn't write them, I am here to make sure that you use them."

bluezebra · #12 (**permalink**) Thu Jun 06, 2002, 01:29pm

Quote:

Originally posted by Roger Greene
I agree with Steve and Bob, but would like to add the folowing.

These minor uniform violaitons can be corrected quietly and without most people noticing that the umpire took any action, or they can be enforced in a way that everbody notices and gets the umpire the rep of being OOO. (Stolen from Tee Allen)

IMO you should handle it low key at the plate meeting or between innings. The only unhappy person I had all year was an assistant coach in blue jeans who I wouldn't allow to coach a base, and the next game I had with him, he was laughing and pointing out his new kaki pants.

Roger Greene

Exactly. When I arrived at the field, along with checking bats, helmets, the field, etc., I observed the players. If anything was not proper (jewelry, uniforms), I would mention to the coaches and players to correct the problem(s). I didn't make a big deal out of it, just handled quietly. If a coach and/or player said, "We/I were allowed to do that last game, my reply was, "That may be coach/player, but today we play by the rules".

Bob

greymule · #13 (**permalink**) Fri Jun 07, 2002, 09:25am

So to all those who advocate the enforcement of all rules, no matter what we think of them: Were they right to disqualify the girl whose sports bra had the black trim on it?

Steve M · #14 (**permalink**) Fri Jun 07, 2002, 10:49am

The situation with the girl with the colored sports bra should have been handled differently. The girl's coach should have been told beforehand that there was a rule violation and that it must be fixed before the contest began 'cuz "Susie" would not be permitted to compete dressed the way she was dressed. If/since she was allowed to compete, whatever happened on the field stands. The situation was poorly handled.

Steve M

Roger Greene · #15 (**permalink**) Fri Jun 07, 2002, 11:49am

I don't know about track meets, but in N.C. baseball and softball we are instructed that if a "uniform" violation can not be corrected to allow the player to participate and notify the booking agent.

The rational behind this is that in most county school systems are not supplied with public funds to uniform and equip their sports teams. The booster clubs must raise the funds, and in some of the less afflluent counties it is difficult to raise the funds to keep the teams properly uniformed.

I would be extreamly suprised if Chapel Hill would honor any such protest here.

Roger Greene