Confront or Leave Alone?
 

So I was BU in a HS Varsity game last night. When I moved to C after a base steal of second, I noticed that the visiting team's F6 had a stud earring on the top of her left ear. During a break in the action, I moved closer to F6 and told her, "Hey, 13, when you go back to the dugout, please remove your earring." She said she forgot she had it on, and she would comply.

An inning later, I was back in C and looked to see if F6 took care of the issue, and she had. But then as I went back to the bag on attempted pickoff where F4 slid over to cover, I saw that F4 had an earring on the top of her right ear! WTH?! After the inning ended, I got F4's attention as she headed for her dugout, telling her, "Hey 6, make sure you take off that earring!"

So now we go to the next inning, and I eventually work my way over to C again. I look at F4, and I don't see the earring anymore. Rather, I see a bandage! Gawddamm!t!

I wanted to approach the head coach between innings and tell him, "Coach, I saw 6 with an earring and told her to take care of it. Now she has a bandaid on that ear. I'm going to assume there's no earring under that bandaid, but if there is, both of you are going to be restricted to the bench." But after I had already gotten into a couple of "discussions" with them over their bat inspection and their desire to sit on buckets (all three coaches!) outside the far end of the dugout, I just let it go. The game was a blow-out, the weather was unfavorable, and I just wanted to get out of there and go home.

What would you have done in that situation?

I don't like being the jewelry police, but HS requires it.

And, since this was a HS game, I would have called time when I first saw the jewelry and warned the head coach that his shortstop was wearing an earring. This would have accomplished several things: the coach would likely lecture his entire team to remove the jewelry, and it would have likely resulted in the second offense not happening, but if it did it would have given the required team warning so subsequent violations could be handled properly with the player and coach restricted to the bench.

Issue the warning on the first offense and restrict the player and head coach on the 2nd and they will most likely remember to get their jewelry off the next time.

And don't let it wait until the player goes off the field.

And don't let it go because they violate other rules.

Injuries are just as bad, worse if you are responsible for allowing them, in a blowout or in bad weather.

FWIW.

I often address this situation as you did; the first time. No way they avoid an official warning and live time public removal on the second offense.

If coach came out and asked, my response is: 1) I already cut you slack you didn't earn by not embarassing the girl the first time, but 2) it is clear you don't believe the rules apply to you and your players, so I guess I do have to be the jewelry police, and enforce every other nitpicking rule now.

Because, tomorrow, you are the "other guy" that allowed her to put the bandaid over it.

I am in the camp with the other respondents. Warn the coach on the first offense, and restrict both player and coach on the second.

Just today I had a catcher with band-aids on both ears. first time the helmet came off I stopped action and had her remove them. I got the usual response they are new and will get infected. I gave her the same choice I always do you remove them or I remove you.

First game this year and as the home team is taking warm up I spot the 1st base wearing a necklace. I ask her if she is going to remove it and she said "I don't have anything on."

I asked her to touch her neck and tell me what she feels. She got very embarrassed and ran off the field.

When she came back, she apologized.

Doing the pre-game we reminded the coaches about jewelry. The HC stated that his 1st base would never forget again.:D

He/she, talking to the coach, can not play with that; not "take it off" or 'remove it or the like.

OOO Yes, I know the Fed's take. Yet my response is still OOO

Sometimes, they really can play with it on.

just stick with college

I do so many NCAA games early, that by the time I start getting HS games, I don't even see the jewelry.

It is, I agree. However, when in Rome......

Well, if someone accused me of being the "other guy", I would defend myself by saying I didn't overtly allow it. It's not as if she came over and asked, "Is this okay, Blue?" and I answered Yes.

I suppose I need to be more officious when it comes to jewelry. I usually pick my battles, and this is not one of them I pick. I cringe when partners of mine make a big show of calling Time and making a player go to her dugout to remove a necklace or earring. The chances of something happening from the moment I see it to when I tell them to take it off when they get back to the dugout is infinitesimal.

Oh well, lesson learned...

I just joined a softball chapter in NYS and was instructed that if I see a band-aid on the ear, to ignore it. If if comes loose and I can see jewelry, then deal with it.

Our instructions with band aids or tape is to ask the player and/or coach if there is jewelry under it. If the answer is yes, the option is given to the player to remove it and play or not remove it and not play.

If the answer is no, we are to accept it and go forward.

Right, that is a better way, or just "you can't play with jewelry if there is any under there".

I am not willing to be responsible for allowing a rule violation to continue, let alone a safety rule. Even if the rule might be OOO.

I think whoever gave you those instructions needs to ask another level up if that's the instruction they should be giving...

Why? What would you say differently?

Doesn't matter. You still allowed it. You had good reason to know what was there, and did nothing about it.

If you know there's jewelry there and you don't have it removed, you are allowing them to break the rules and you are creating a safety hazard.

So, your difference with Andy is the possibility of accepting the player's word that it is not when you know it is. Hopefully, if you know it is, the question is not asked, as that means "visible".

In the situation we're discussing, the umpire knows - and then suddenly a band-aid is there where the earring was. Letting it go at this point is irresponsible.

Ouch...:(

Manny, for the record, I have no issue at all with the way you handled the first one. The second one, though, should have been addressed. I know you don't want to make a big show -and I get that. But unless this was coach's (and player's) very first game ever - they knew the rule and knew exactly what they were doing when they band-aided over it. They were kind of giving you the finger, don't you think?

Just for giggles, let me throw out what I understand as generally accepted practice and responsibility at various levels.

In the NCAA (and any other collegiate level), umpires have no responsibility, liability, or even a rule to address regarding jewelry. Players are considered adults, responsible for themselves; the coach makes any decision about what is acceptable on that team.

In ASA and many other travel ball associations, umpires are responsible to refuse to allow any jewelry they consider dangerous (either to an opponent, or to the player herself). Some refuse to make any judgment, and declare any/all jewelry dangerous; others use judgment, which may vary from umpire to umpire, while most would require watches and anything dangling to be removed, leaving studs and tight earrings or necklaces alone. While your judgment can be argued, the rules allow you to avoid liability absent "gross negligence", generally described as knowing it is dangerous, and knowingly ignoring it.

NFHS doesn't allow any jewelry or "adornment"; it isn't specifically related to safety, there is added concern about gang language and/or colors, and enough unrelated issues to go 100% with "if it isn't softball-related, get it off". The rules make the schools, in loco parentis act as legal guardians, and their representative, the head coach, responsible to assure all players are legally and properly equipped. The umpire has responsibility to notify the coach when you see the violation, and to refuse to allow participation if the violation is uncorrected. If you do travel ball based on NFHS rules without amendment, you have a dilemma; the coach is NOT legally in loco parentis, and since the rules require 100% jewelry and adornment-free, you are potentially liable for any jewelry not removed.

So, how do you deal with bandaids and tape? If you never see jewelry, nothing about a bandaid or tape can/should be reasonably judged dangerous. It certainly isn't dangling, and unlikely to be dangerous to an opponent in ASA. In the NFHS arena, it is, at least, suspicious. Asking the coach, while reminding that their answer imputes personal liability on their part, if there is jewelry, makes him not only a witness to your concern, but additionally a co-conspirator if the response is a falsehood/lie. In my state, that is considered sufficient; we do not proceed to call that coach a liar. If there is an injury in that game related to this, or other reason to determine there was, in fact, jewelry there, you better believe a written game report advising the coach was questioned and responded with a lie will cover your a$$, and shift the liability where it belongs. Again, in my state, that will more than likely result in the school being fined by the state association; and a strong awareness that lying about it isn't a good plan anymore.

But, if you see jewelry on the field, and advise that the player may not participate without removal, be it by direction in ASA or formal warning under NFHS, you better be sure it is removed. This is even MORE true if travel ball based on NFHS without a more specific jewelry directive. That tape or bandaid better be covering nothing more than the hole that she believes will close up or get infected during this game time, because no judge or jury will accept you being so unaware as to believe she just now acquired matching mosquito bites with odd-shaped lumps underneath. You will likely assume some partial liability in that case, if it ever gets that far.

As is often stated, ymmv (your mileage my vary).

No, I totally agree that I kicked it, Mike. Won't happen again.

Fair enough. I submit that in 99% of the cases it's REALLY obvious that the bandaid is covering the earring you just told them to remove.. or it's obvious that it's not (i.e., it's flat).

If in doubt, I have no problem leaving it alone or simply asking. But if it's clear what they did, it must be addressed.

Steve did a very good job of explaining the situation as I see it. Since the thread is about a high school game, my comments are limited to a HS contest played under NFHS rules.

The NFHS does not give umpires any room for judgment wrt jewelry. If you observe it, there is an escalating penalty by rule: 1st offense, team warning; 2nd offense, offending player and HC restricted to the bench.

In no case is a player wearing jewelry to be allowed to play. She may keep her jewelry on (we cannot order her to take it off), but she may not play if she is wearing it.

Speaking personally, unless I have observed or heard something that would inform me otherwise -- see my last sentence in this post :), I do not assume a bandaid on the ear (or nose) to be hiding jewelry. I am not so naive as all that, but OTOH, I am not going to personally inspect the player to confirm one way or the other.

In the situation where a player's coach is informed that the player is wearing jewelry (I don't discuss it with the players themselves; I leave that to the coach. I also handle the penalty issues at that time as well - i.e. warning on first offense, etc.), IF that player shows back up on the field with a bandaid covering where the jewelry was, I would certainly again discuss this with the coach; specifically asking the coach to confirm that the player did, in fact, remove the jewelry rather than just cover it with a bandaid.

BTW, I once had a HS player ask me before the game if covering ear studs with a bandaid was permissible! :eek:

A lot of the problem for the players, the players, is that ASA & PONY allow ITUJ about the danger and the players expect that to carry over to anywhere. As I vaguely remember being 15, I probably would think the same thing.

As coaches usually either faculty with an extra stipend, or travel ball coaches, both of whom are more worried about the lineup and infield drill; neither the players or coaches give jewelry a thought ahead of time.

Sooo, what to do? Maybe, "coach, are your bats and helmets ready to inspect and the jewelry rule enforced?"

To start, unless you are referring to NFHS, this is a wasted statement that carries zero weight ANYWHERE and how is a coach to know what "jewelry rule" would be enforced since it relies solely on the umpire's judgment?

I only worry about something which can injure another. If a parent/coach responsible for that player's life doesn't have a problem with a player wearing a stud or piercing that cannot hurt another while playing softball, I don't see where it is my place to usurp their authority.

During the pre-game conference (a/k/a grounds rules) ask the coach, "Are your players legally and properly equipped and will they remain so for the entirety of the game?"

If you find a player violating a rule, call the coach out on it.

Umpires need to stop addressing players. Address to coaches for God's sake. People wonder why they find an additional two or three players with jewelry on. Tell the coach and let them handle it. Without missing a beat, they almost always turn to their dugout and say, "Nobody better have on any jewelry."

Of course, this topic is about NFHS.

And, it's opinion and an attempt at insight to why this is so common a problem in HS; and a suggestion for trying to reduce it.

Well, AFA liability, it is a wasted statement in any game, in this country

I guess you mean this:
"coach, are your bats and helmets ready to inspect and the jewelry rule enforced?"

I mean anything. To some level, regardless of whom states what or provides any assurances, the umpire will always be in jeopardy of being accused of being liable.

Well, true, but "being in jeopardy of being accused" is a pretty low hurdle.

Sure is, but that doesn't mean you will not need to get a lawyer to defend yourself in a court. Of course, you just thought, "wait, I've got insurance that will cover me for liability issues". And it is quite possible that one of the first things that lawyer will tell you is that you may want to retain your own attorney for any possible damages beyond what the insurer may cover.

We have been told that we are not to ask players with bandages on to remove a bandage, be it on the ears, wrist or fingers. If we see a bandage we are to assume it is an injury being covered. We have also been told that we should remind the coach that jewelry can not be taped or bandaged over, it must be removed. Normally this gets the players attention, but I have seen cases where the player tells and umpire that it is covering an injury and the bandage stays on. I have also seen cases where later in the game, the bandage comes off and now jewelry is exposed. At this point we have a jewelry issue and it is handled accordingly.

Question: is the initial lie also a violation in and of itself?

(I realize I selectively edited the post to make it say something that it didn't quite say... but that was so I could pose the question...)

I would have a second violation and an ejection for unsporting behavior.:D

You are correct, but since the initial lie was not handled with the official warning, you can't penalize the player or coach under the rule (IMO).

I could see someone ejecting the player however because lying to an umpire could be considered unsportsmanlike conduct and as such, under HS rule 3-6-13 "Unsporting acts shall not be committed, including BUT NOT LIMITED TO ...."

Try reading what the umpire manual says because you are being grossly misinformed by this organization.

Something to consider. What is you require a player to remove band aids on her ears because it might be covering an earring and there is no earring, but an infected ear. You have now opened yourself to possible legal liability for making her remove the bandages when they were not covering anything illegal.

This is no different than in high school basketball or volleyball with a belly button ring. (or softball for that matter). We can't ask a player to lift their shirt up so we can see if they are wearing jewelry, but if during the course of play, jewelry that was under the uniform becomes exposed, we have to deal with it according to the rules. This is the same with a tongue ring. If we can't see it, there is nothing to call, but if the player sticks his/her tongue out and it is visible now we need to enforce the rule because the player allowed it to be visible and it is illegal to wear jewelry.

Already considered and already addressed in our manual. But thank you anyway.

+

Only once, that is a pretty regular occurrence for in Michigan, especially at the middle school and JV levels. It is usually followed by the same excuse "But I just got it pierced."

This is where, in my opinion, the schools need to do a better job informing the parents and athletes of the rules well prior to the seasons starting. It needs to be made clear than in ALL NFHS sports (at least as far as I'm aware of) jewelry is illegal and may not be worn. If we have schools addressing this issue before seasons start, maybe we have less of the "I just got it pierced" complaints.

You don't buy that excuse do you? The kids know the rules - they either forget to take it off, or don't want to. We have to enforce it.

"Coach, if she can't or won't take off the jewelry, please let me know who will be substituting for her."