Got asked a question from a friend of my son. He has recently gotten his ears pierced and wondered if he was able to wear the ear rings while particpating in track events. I am a softball, volleyball and wrestling official and know what FED says about them in these sports but was wondering if anyone could tell me what the ruling is for track.

Thanks in advance

DaveASA/FED,
[Per NFHS]
<U>Competitors Uniform 4-3-4</U> - "Jewelry shall not be worn, except for religious or medical medals. A religious medal must be taped and worn under the uniform. A medical alert must be taped and may be visible."

(<I>In Michigan, no chain for a religious medal; the religious medal must be taped under the uniform without the chain.</I>)

mick

Mick,
Thanks for the reply. What is the penalty? I know if SB, VB and WR that person would not compete if it was not removed. His coach mentioned point deductions for jewelry, I had never heard of this.

Thanks again

DaveASA/FED,
The Track & Field and Cross Country jewelry rule is a little tougher.

According to Fed, jewelry comes under the heading of an <B>illegal uniform</B> in track & field, and the penalty for an illegal uniform is that the competitor is disqualified from the event.
They even have a rule that implies that a jewelry-wearing competitor may not choose to run in another lane (one that is farther away from any opponent).

<I>[What is considered jewelry? In Michigan: any jewelry and those popular colored-plastic wristbands, sunglasses (with medical exceptions), watches, temporary body paint or other adornment.
Legal jewelry in Michigan: Wedding bands, medical alert necklaces or bracelets, religious medals (no chains)]</I>

The jewelry rules, though unnecessarily harsh in my opinion, are simply <U>zero tolerance</U> and event disqualification. Thus, if a kid gets dq'd in one of his four events the kid may remove the jewelry and still legally compete in the rest of that kid's events.

Oh, ...breathe-right strips are permitted! ;)

mick

Why are they allowing a wedding band to be permitted? A state can be tougher than the NF such as disallowing watches or sunglasses, but to permit a ring is not something a state association can do.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by mick
[B]Tom,
I doubt very much that Michigan will loose it's membership in NFHS, or they wouldn't allow it. ;)
Officials are also allowed wedding bands.
mick

My daughter recently had another hole put in her (head) ear and I explained to her that she cannot participate in her events with the earring in. Her coach told her she could tape it and thus far she has not had any issues. I work basketball and know that we would never allow this. Is it possible that she is walking on thin ice and eventually someone will penalize her?

ChrisSportsFan,
When push comes to pull, like hoops, it depends on who the referee is I think.
mick

What jewelry items an official wears is not the issue nor the point. NFHS has no say in that matter.

NFHS rule policy does have a say in what the athletes can wear. Wearing a ring is something comes under their policy and it should not be permitted by Michigan officials.

Applying tape to cover an earring is also something that should not be dependent on the state nor official working the meet.

The earring either comes out or you don't participate. If you do participate, than you will be DQ'd from that event.

Maybe not for Track, Tom, but they do have opinions, for example;
<LI> In its basketball Officials Manual, it shows a <U>Cardinal Principle</U> - "n. Do not wear jewelry during a game."<LI> In its Softball Umpires Manual - <U>Uniform-Equipment</U> "Jewelry, except for wedding bands and medical-alert bracelets and necklaces shall not be worn."
I would guess some other sports would follow suit.

mick

I agree with zero tolerance, Tom. It makes my life real easy.
I was giving ChrisSportsFan the "real world" answer.
Some officials allow earings. It's an indisputable fact.

And, of course, if the jewelry decision is made after the event, the event DQ stands.

mick

I can only speak for Track (and Football) but it has been passed down to me that all NF rule codes have a consistent ruling for jewelry.

If track officials are indeed premitting tape over ear rings, then they guilty of making up their own rules and are doing a disservice to the kids especially when they go out-of-state to compete.

I've seen tears flowing from young girls eyes when they are told to remove the item or sit. It bothers me not. You'd be surprised how quickly the item comes out.

Here in my state, if you report to the event with a banned item, you're gone. Coaches know this and go all out to assure that their athletes comply prior to leaving the bus or enter into the competition area.

If the NF ever does change (to be like the NCAA or USATF) I'll be more than happy as I do all three. It makes live easier for me if that were the case.

In Michigan, we follow the <I><U>NFHS Starter Pre-race duties</U></I>:

"Just prior to the race, and before giving remaining instructions, the starter should: (3) Apply preventative officiating checks for proper uniforms and jewelry."

I think the reasoning is to prevent a simple, "You're gone", until after the race. :)

mick

I wish we would also have more leeway in preventing uniform and jewelry violations at the startline or event. Fact of the matter here is, it's the coaches responsibility to prevent it before they enter the track or competition area.
Once they become competitors per definition, it is out of our hands.
It's working as the number of DQs in my sectional area has dropped off tremendously as a result of this strict policy. It all begins with a pre-meet coaches and captains meeting.