NFHS Jewelry Rant

[bkbjones]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

Although it does kind of twist on me you would allow medical or religious necklaces - it seems to me they can kill/injure just as easily...

Because rules say they may be worn and they must be taped. If I were king of the world they would wear the bracelets, taped down with the info visible. Much easier to get to the information in an emergency. A taped down necklace may not be as readily seen....

[bkbjones]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Sorry for their and your loss, but adults would seem to responsible for their own behavior.

a.
b. Adults are responsible for their own behavior
c. because of my experience, I am adamant about necklaces in youth games. adults are on their own.

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by bkbjones

Because rules say they may be worn and they must be taped. If I were king of the world they would wear the bracelets, taped down with the info visible. Much easier to get to the information in an emergency. A taped down necklace may not be as readily seen....

Awesome - thats about where my passion for this issue ends as well.. right where the rules end. If I see it in NFHS, it gets addressed. If I see it in ASA and its dangerous, it gets addressed.

I think we are on the same page then.

[bkbjones]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

Awesome - thats about where my passion for this issue ends as well.. right where the rules end. If I see it in NFHS, it gets addressed. If I see it in ASA and its dangerous, it gets addressed.

I think we are on the same page then.

Just because I'm passionate, in the opinion of some over the top, doesn't mean I am insane.

Well, not totally. Today. Yet.

[CajunNewBlue]

like we all haven't heard/done this before....

Umpire: time!
Umpire: number 15 you cant play with that jewelry on. (so player runs to dugout to remove)
Umpire: coach.. come see. (coach makes a face like his/her bucket (which of course, is in the dugout) is stuck up his/her butt)
Umpire: coach, that's a team warning for illegal equipment, jewelry in this case.
Coach: why you gotta be a d!ck? the last umpires didn't nitpick on the jewelry and we had a great game... wish we had them. (while umpire makes note of team warning on lineup card) (and of course the peanut gallery is chiming in "just let em play, blue" and "nice work ya hero")
Umpire: jewelry is illegal coach, lets play ball.
Umpire to himself: wait till i find out who worked that last game(s)... making me look like a bad guy for enforcing the rules!!

whatever, call your game.

btw: did i miss any steps?... as i never called a jewelry timeout before... J/K

[NCASAUmp]

All umpires are fighting this issue, and I'm not talking about jewelry. It's "the other umpire." We've all seen them, some of us automatically know who it is, and every organization has them. Sadly, there are no exceptions.

This is how I tell it. The rules are there because someone wiser than I believes that the sport should be conducted this way. My opinion on whether or not these fellas or ladies are correct is irrelevant. If the book says I shall or must do things a certain way, then damn it, I'm going to do it.

I do not like starting in B with no runners on base (remember: I do SP, not FP or Modified).

I do not like getting in the set position behind the plate. It makes me miss more of the 12'+ high pitches.

I could go on and on about what I do or do not like in the rule book or the umpire manual.

But the bottom line is that is not my decision to make, nor is it yours. My gripes go up the chain of command, not down to the coaches or players. If the book has a rule about dangerous jewelry, then so be it - I will enforce it to the best of my ability.

And according to ASA, medical bracelets may be worn. However, if they are, they must be taped to the body with the medical information visible.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

I do not like starting in B with no runners on base (remember: I do SP, not FP or Modified).

Only voted, and yes there was a vote, for this after discussing with umpires from different parts of the country where the mechanic was tested. If don't properly, it actually makes the umpire's job easier and allows better coverage of more plays.

I do not like getting in the set position behind the plate. It makes me miss more of the 12'+ high pitches.

Worst slow pitch mechanic change in my 20+ years of working softball. Just a note, going set is not, nor should it be, a problem. Going set PRIOR to acertaining the legality of the pitch is the problem.

I could go on and on about what I do or do not like in the rule book or the umpire manual.

Nah, that never happens

But the bottom line is that is not my decision to make, nor is it yours. My gripes go up the chain of command, not down to the coaches or players. If the book has a rule about dangerous jewelry, then so be it - I will enforce it to the best of my ability.

And according to ASA, medical bracelets may be worn. However, if they are, they must be taped to the body with the medical information visible.

According to ASA, ANYTHING the umpire does not determine as dangerous may be worn which is fine by me.

[bkbjones]

Originally Posted by CajunNewBlue

like we all haven't heard/done this before....

Umpire: time!
Umpire: number 15 you cant play with that jewelry on. (so player runs to dugout to remove)
Umpire: coach.. come see. (coach makes a face like his/her bucket (which of course, is in the dugout) is stuck up his/her butt)
Umpire: coach, that's a team warning for illegal equipment, jewelry in this case.
Coach: why you gotta be a d!ck? the last umpires didn't nitpick on the jewelry and we had a great game... wish we had them. (while umpire makes note of team warning on lineup card) (and of course the peanut gallery is chiming in "just let em play, blue" and "nice work ya hero")
Umpire: jewelry is illegal coach, lets play ball.
Umpire to himself: wait till i find out who worked that last game(s)... making me look like a bad guy for enforcing the rules!!

whatever, call your game.

btw: did i miss any steps?... as i never called a jewelry timeout before... J/K

My personal fave was the mom who complained because she just paid over 1,000 buckaroos for her DD's necklace and if SHE had to keep it in her purse instead of around her DD's neck WHILE SHE WAS PLAYING, it was ON ME if she lost it.
(The mom wasn't hot, either...two big strikes.)

[CajunNewBlue]

Originally Posted by bkbjones

(The mom wasn't hot, either...two big strikes.)

doesn't that just suck?

[MichaelVA2000]

Originally Posted by bkbjones

My personal fave was the mom who complained because she just paid over 1,000 buckaroos for her DD's necklace and if SHE had to keep it in her purse instead of around her DD's neck WHILE SHE WAS PLAYING, it was ON ME if she lost it.
(The mom wasn't hot, either...two big strikes.)

You could have offered to keep the necklace in your pocket and if the DD remembered to get the jewlery back after the game, it would remain hers.

[Stu Clary]

I gave a team warning at last Wednesday's high school game for a "Livestrong type" plastic bracelet.

[that's a walk]

First post this year for softball and thought I would chim in. Working a dbl header scrimmage last week and I was PU for 2nd game. Noticed when talking to home team catcher that she had a stud in her upper lip area. Knowing the coach as well as I do, I went to him between innings and told him I didn't want to be an a$$ but "if this were during the regular season I would, depending on when I noticed: 1) stop the game and have her remove the item or if it took to long, have her replaced, or 2) have it removed between innings. As I was telling the coach this he stated that they thought they had the ear thing all set and this was new. I found out later that same inning that this catcher also had one of those bar/stud like things going from one part of her ear to another. I was informed that was also removed after I taked to the coach.. I guess I am one of those that doesnot go looking for it but if I see it, I have to take care of it..

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by that's a walk

First post this year for softball and thought I would chim in. Working a dbl header scrimmage last week and I was PU for 2nd game. Noticed when talking to home team catcher that she had a stud in her upper lip area. Knowing the coach as well as I do, I went to him between innings and told him I didn't want to be an a$$ but "if this were during the regular season I would, depending on when I noticed: 1) stop the game and have her remove the item or if it took to long, have her replaced, or 2) have it removed between innings. As I was telling the coach this he stated that they thought they had the ear thing all set and this was new. I found out later that same inning that this catcher also had one of those bar/stud like things going from one part of her ear to another. I was informed that was also removed after I taked to the coach.. I guess I am one of those that doesnot go looking for it but if I see it, I have to take care of it..

Once you see it, no delay, remove (jewelry or player) then and there.

[outathm]

I had my first HS game of the year (game #50) and pulled the coach aside as his players went off the field to ask him 'Why are #4's earlobes so shiny. Message received by the coach, no issue made, and the player stayed in the dugout, coach's decision. The hard part is noticing these things when working a NFHS game after so many in a rule set where you can some to the plate with more metal than a robot.

Now, what is the deal with all of the metal in your face? I guess I really am getting old when I do not get the piercing thing.

[wadeintothem]

Lip piercings, eye brow piercings and such are obviously dangerous and out in all rule sets.