High School Equipment Evaluation

[david58]

Am I misreading the NFHS rules changes, or do the referees no longer inspect the players' equipment?

Is the onus now completely on the coach?

As one who now coaches hs a bit, I'm really interested in how many cautions, then second cautions will be issued to coaches for the broad category "improperly equipped."

[GKbenji]

Am I misreading the NFHS rules changes, or do the referees no longer inspect the players' equipment?

Is the onus now completely on the coach?

As one who now coaches hs a bit, I'm really interested in how many cautions, then second cautions will be issued to coaches for the broad category "improperly equipped."

Yes, yes, and I hope very few.

I'm sure my hopes will be dashed. This is an awful change by NFHS, allowing the coach to be cautioned if a player's equipment isn't satisfactory. I can just see how my first yellow as a HS coach comes about: I ask everyone to remove jewelry, even inspect them. Player has a small necklace under his/her shirt that is forgotten and can't be seen. During the game, it pops out, and martinet referee halts the game to give me a caution. Oy.

Look, as a ref (USSF only) I am as hard on jewelry as anyone. "Doesn't come out, does it? You can stay with it on the sidelines, or see if somebody has a pair of pliers in the car." But HS is supposed to be an extension of the classroom, right? How in the world does disciplining the teacher help the student?

[falcon.7]

We're talking about the NFHS here. The same organization that believes when a male player moves his arms to protect his groin (or ladies with the chest), and the ball hits their hands, it's handling. And that if a defender deliberately handles a shot on goal in the box and the ball still goes into the net that the player still needs to be sent off (excuse me, "disqualified").

While the thought of carding pain coaches for this is...exciting, I hope that very little of this actually happens. Then of course there are some (not all) HS-only officials that will take this new rule hardcore. I understand that the main goals of the NFHS is to promote learning and safety, and I'm all for those things, but I don't see how this and some other rules (the above mentioned come to mind) do that.

I do enjoy boy's JV games by myself, though. It gives me a chance to work on managing the adolescents. Plus I get to run a lot :).

On a final note, I heard somewhere that the NFHS rules committee no longer has a person on it who represents officials. Now it's allllllllll administrators...

[Gary V]

On a final note, I heard somewhere that the NFHS rules committee no longer has a person on it who represents officials. Now it's allllllllll administrators...Probably was making too many sensible amendments to what the other guys thought up, and they got tired of him.

[campton]

In illinois, the IHSA is possibly the most strict. Before each match (not anymore i aguess) the referee made sure you had proper shinguards (we're varsity players) and to make sure they are two inches from above the ball in your ankle. If your tape on you socks wasnt the same color as your socks, you couldnt play.


Next year, as a player, you're going to have to purchase IHSA shinpads ...yes i said shinpads.. thats what they're calling them i hear. Most likely, its going to be putting an entire pillow on your leg. YOu wont be able to play without it.


I hate highschool rules.

[Tarheel Ref]

We're talking about the NFHS here. The same organization that believes when a male player moves his arms to protect his groin (or ladies with the chest), and the ball hits their hands, it's handling. And that if a defender deliberately handles a shot on goal in the box and the ball still goes into the net that the player still needs to be sent off (excuse me, "disqualified").



And the same organization that wrote a process by which we can send a player off (excuse me, eject a player) and his/her team doesn't play a man down. ????????????? WTF

Honestly this is one of the HS rules I'm unsure of how it should be properly applied or administrated. What I do know is that whenever I'm in the center, if I pull out a red card, it will be administered in such a way that the team will be playing short.

[Tarheel Ref]

I hate highschool rules.

You're not alone, my friend.

[david58]

In the past four years, I have had players threatened with cautions for:
- compression shorts that didn't match the uniform, and which could only be seen when the player made a sliding tackle and the uniform shorts worked up his leg.
- shin guards that didn't cover "80% of the players' shin".
- shin guards judged too small that the manufacturer said were for someone even taller (Adidas guards, I had the box because he was borrowing my spare pair)
- and more

We aren't short of martinettes up here in OR, particularly when a rule comes under the aegis of "point of emphasis."

I fully expect to be sent off for a second yellow this year. Which terminates the game, since I have no assistant that is ASEP-certified. Remember, NFHS makes coaches take that waste of time class to be able to coach the kids.

Sadly, even with rules like the send-off of a player who tried to DOGSO, but failed, a hs ref really needs to abide the rules even though they are horrible. Unless he can clearly IOOTR his way out of the situation. My prayer is that the center ref I get simply calls the fouls, is wise with his ITOOTRs, and remembers that the game is for the kids, not him, or me, or the spectators. NFHS has that part all screwed up.

In the next ten years, I sadly expect the NFHS to require
- padded posts
- full 90 headgear on field players, for the keeper it will be sooner
- outlaw screwins with any metal at all
With the new rule preventing the back of the net to be within 2 yards of the football post, with the new yellow for coaches re equipment, and all the improvements they have brought to the game in the past years, NFHS could kill competitive high school soccer in the US. If they take it too far from the true game, I would bet on USSoccer to step in with an expanded academy program to absorb the good hs players and take them away from the hs game. Won't happen tomorrow, but just hide and watch.

Sad. As both a ref and a coach, I love hs soccer. There's something about playing for one's school that adds something to the game, and our culture is oriented to school-based competition. There just isnt the loyalty attached to the club programs.

[ref2coach]

With the new rule preventing the back of the net to be within 2 yards of the football post,

The new rule states that if "portable" goals are used they are to be 2 yards in front of the base of the football goal post.

When you understand that a football upright is 10 feet in front of its base I do not see this as being any big deal. As long as the soccer uprights and cross bar are 6 feet in front of the "base" it complies with the new NFHS rule.

Falcon.7 "On a final note, I heard somewhere that the NFHS rules committee no longer has a person on it who represents officials. Now it's allllllllll administrators..."

On the 5th page of my 07/08 NFHS rules book fourth picture in the soccer rules committee is Haig NIghohossian the officials Representative. He is from Granite City. IL

So they have not yet totally eliminated all officials influence. ;)

[NJ Ref]

I believe it is an oversight of NFHS, but read 5.2.3.a….The “head referee” might not have to check players equipment, but the referee, assistant referee or side referee still has to! During our State interpretation meeting our head honcho of interpretation told use that we are still responsible for checking equipment.

[david58]

The new rule states that if "portable" goals are used they are to be 2 yards in front of the base of the football goal post.

When you understand that a football upright is 10 feet in front of its base I do not see this as being any big deal. As long as the soccer uprights and cross bar are 6 feet in front of the "base" it complies with the new NFHS rule.



The problem as I see it comes with the increasing number of schools that are installing artificial turf fields for football and soccer. Now the schools can paint the end zones with the school name or mascot. Typically, the football folks don't like the idea of a soccer goal line crossing the end zone painting (they get miffed at me when that "confusing" line gets painted on the grass field for the one time we are allowed to tread on the football field each season). That means that they want the goal line on the football goal line, or on the end line of the football field. Two choices - 100 yards or 120. 100 yards being considered, generally, too short for high school, then you select the 120 choice - but for the new NFHS rule.

Apparently Kwik Goal has just introduced a new goal for placement on the end line of the football field, but the new NFHS rule makes it illegal - there isn't room for the goal and the two yards. I know of one new field going in as I type that is being set up for the 120 yard field, with the KwikGoal product, and that's simply how the games will get played. Since the word "should " is used on the placement, there is a bit of wiggle room in interpretation, and the coach is depending on that.

But would you, as an official, not play the game on a field so configured?

[falcon.7]

But would you, as an official, not play the game on a field so configured?

Well, at least the NFHS rules don't go ape-crazy and tell you if the lines are 4.25 inches wide you can't play. Play the game, e-mail the AD or your local board about it, and watch as nothing happens.

[Wahoos1]

Well, at least the NFHS rules don't go ape-crazy and tell you if the lines are 4.25 inches wide you can't play. Play the game, e-mail the AD or your local board about it, and watch as nothing happens.

Like anything else that is not up to rules, you play the game and report it, week after week after week.

They have given some leeway by allowing the ref to simply ask the coaches if the players are properly equiped.

[Tarheel Ref]

But would you, as an official, not play the game on a field so configured?

High school is a whole different beast, and I don't have the power to try to influence them into some common-sense decision-making.

Unless the field is dangerous, I'll let them play even if the field is round...if the school and coach are willing to set an example that following the rules isn't that important, I'm not going to tell thirty kids and their parents they can't play because their school doesn't care enough to properly equip the field.

[propes]

On the 5th page of my 07/08 NFHS rules book fourth picture in the soccer rules committee is Haig NIghohossian the officials Representative. He is from Granite City. IL


I don't suppose there's an actual method of contacting the referee representative. Granted ,I never asked around for the last one, but Googling the last guy brought up no contact information.

[refontherun]

Our public high-school season doesn't start until Spring, but I've heard some about some pretty peculiar rules that are coming about. I think we know about the special logo'd shinguards that all the kids/parents are going to have to buy.

There is also the thing about the undergarments matching the uniform. The rule I heard is that any part of the under garment that can be seen must be the same color as the uniform. I guess if a player has a red v-neck jersey with a white t-shirt underneath, he can't play. But anyone in the entire school that is dressed approriately can participate in the game wheher on the roster at the beginning of the game or not.:rolleyes:

I never heard the one about the tape matching the socks. That's rich!!!:D

[falcon.7]

There is also the thing about the undergarments matching the uniform. The rule I heard is that any part of the under garment that can be seen must be the same color as the uniform. I guess if a player has a red v-neck jersey with a white t-shirt underneath, he can't play.

From the 2006-07 edition of the NFHS Rules Book (4-1-1-e):
"If visible apparel is worn under the jersey, it shall be of a similar length, all alike and of a solid color."

Rule 4, Section 1-Play Rulings:
4.1.1 Situation A: Prior to the game the referee recognizes that members of Team A are wearing red shorts with...(b) white compression shorts....Ruling: Legal in...(b);

In less words, they can wear any color as long as everyone on the team wears the same color. This was done because it's hard to buy underarmour in sky blue and tangerine.

[ref47]

undergarments. a rare example of nfhs being more realisitic and less fashion police oriented than fifa. nfhs lets everyone dress the same. law 4 wants the sleeves and undershorts to match the uniform.

[USSF REF]

undergarments. a rare example of nfhs being more realisitic and less fashion police oriented than fifa. nfhs lets everyone dress the same. law 4 wants the sleeves and undershorts to match the uniform.

Honestly, I understand where the IFAB is coming from on this one. Having a consistent color makes decision making that much easier, plus from a style and marketing standpoint - it looks more professional on TV.

That said, I think it's unrealistic to expect that you could enforce this rule on the youth, so I like the NFHS idea about matching the color for the whole team... That takes out any element of confusion and seems a reasonable thing to do.