Equipment??

[ON THE ROCKS]

What is allowed and not allowed?? heard this past friday a team was hit with a 15yrd pen..for not wearing proper equipment? Wrist ban???

[Frank Reagan]

What is allowed and not allowed?? heard this past friday a team was hit with a 15yrd pen..for not wearing proper equipment? Wrist ban???

Wrist bands must be within 3" of the base of the thumb. The bicep bands must follow this as well. This is not a new rule, just a late point of emphasis from the OHSAA in an email to all coaches and officials. All coaches are to be asked if all players are legally equipped prior to the game and these fit in that question. I'd say the officials found this during the game and called the appropriate foul. BTW, the referees don't write these rules, they just enforce them. Having wrist bands up around the bicep and/or bicep bands are an adornment that is there to look cool, pretty much nothing else.

[Boo-Duh]

All Head Coaches , ADs, and Officials were sent the following note from the OHSAA:

We are heading into the fourth Friday night of the season. There are issues that must be corrected immediately: wearing illegal equipment and not wearing required equipment. Please review NFHS football Rule 1-5 on pages 17-22. Specific issues that must be addressed are: players wearing pants/knee pads that do not cover the knees, failure to wear legal thigh pads, failure to wear hip and tailbone pads and wearing sweatbands or “rubber bands” in an illegal manner.

1. Kneepads must cover the knee and pants must “completely cover the knees, thigh guards and knee pads and any portion of any knee brace that does not extend below the pants.” (1-5-1-c-2 and 4 page 19)

2. Thigh guards (pads) must be at least ¼ inch thick on the outside surface and at least 3/8 inch thick on the inside surface (1-5-1-c-3).

3. Players may wear moisture-absorbing sweatbands on the wrist beginning at the base of the thumb and extending no more than three inches toward the elbow. It is illegal to wear a sweatband on the tricep or bicep or on the leg or around the neck, etc. It is illegal to wear any “Under Armor” type bands unless moisture absorbing and worn as a sweat band.

Prior to the game Coaches are required to certify to the officials, that all players are legally equipped and will wear the equipment in a legal manner. Officials are required to penalize the head coach for players being illegally equipped. During the game it is an unsportsmanlike foul and 15 yard penalty for every equipment infraction by a player in the game. Two such fouls will result in the ejection of the head coach.

Officials are required to be on the field at least 30 minutes prior to kick off. Officials shall inspect equipment and uniforms. The head coach will be notified immediately of any problems. Correction can occur prior to kickoff.

In the case(s) involving entire teams dressed in “short pants” and/or knee pads not covering the knees, the game will not begin until players are legally dressed. If the players cannot be legally equipped the game will not be played. It will be legal for players to wear “wrestling” knee pads until such time that pants conforming to the rule can be purchased.

Officials who willfully ignore this memo and the uniform/equipment rules will be suspended for the remainder of the season. Teams/schools that willfully ignore the uniform equipment rules may be fined and excluded from the OHSAA post-season playoffs.

[ON THE ROCKS]

heard it was on elbow..and also had a small pad in the wristban because of being injured...they could call this on every team..but to be 15 yrds on the 1st play...sounds like its a gray area...tried to find in the rules book what page?

[Frank Reagan]

All Head Coaches , ADs, and Officials were sent the following note from the OHSAA:

We are heading into the fourth Friday night of the season. There are issues that must be corrected immediately: wearing illegal equipment and not wearing required equipment. Please review NFHS football Rule 1-5 on pages 17-22. Specific issues that must be addressed are: players wearing pants/knee pads that do not cover the knees, failure to wear legal thigh pads, failure to wear hip and tailbone pads and wearing sweatbands or “rubber bands” in an illegal manner.

1. Kneepads must cover the knee and pants must “completely cover the knees, thigh guards and knee pads and any portion of any knee brace that does not extend below the pants.” (1-5-1-c-2 and 4 page 19)

2. Thigh guards (pads) must be at least ¼ inch thick on the outside surface and at least 3/8 inch thick on the inside surface (1-5-1-c-3).

3. Players may wear moisture-absorbing sweatbands on the wrist beginning at the base of the thumb and extending no more than three inches toward the elbow. It is illegal to wear a sweatband on the tricep or bicep or on the leg or around the neck, etc. It is illegal to wear any “Under Armor” type bands unless moisture absorbing and worn as a sweat band.

Prior to the game Coaches are required to certify to the officials, that all players are legally equipped and will wear the equipment in a legal manner. Officials are required to penalize the head coach for players being illegally equipped. During the game it is an unsportsmanlike foul and 15 yard penalty for every equipment infraction by a player in the game. Two such fouls will result in the ejection of the head coach.

Officials are required to be on the field at least 30 minutes prior to kick off. Officials shall inspect equipment and uniforms. The head coach will be notified immediately of any problems. Correction can occur prior to kickoff.

In the case(s) involving entire teams dressed in “short pants” and/or knee pads not covering the knees, the game will not begin until players are legally dressed. If the players cannot be legally equipped the game will not be played. It will be legal for players to wear “wrestling” knee pads until such time that pants conforming to the rule can be purchased.

Officials who willfully ignore this memo and the uniform/equipment rules will be suspended for the remainder of the season. Teams/schools that willfully ignore the uniform equipment rules may be fined and excluded from the OHSAA post-season playoffs.

Geez, Boo-duh, you just blew my itty-bitty reply out of the water. lol

[ON THE ROCKS]

ok..thanks..

[91blue14]

an official can be suspeneded for the season if not enforcing the rule!

[FarAwayFalcon]

Rules are rules, even if they're dumb and no one likes them. Most officials will give a warning to somone, but I don't think they are required to. You would think the OHSAA has more to worrry about then wristbands being too high.

[ON THE ROCKS]

Had lunch today with old friend today.He is also a ref still has done many SOC games . Yes they ask the coach is your team properly equipped. but they do a walk around to look for these violations..he has never seen it called...do they carry a ruler around to measure the thigh pads...cmon .. So holding call came up..ohhhh ..gray area...If play is on other side of the field ball carry is no way going to be effected by that call why call it...stated holding can be called on every play...Sometimes my opinion not his in a big game the refs want to be center of the attention..

[zebra77]

Officials study and must obey the rules set forth by the OHSAA, and we must pay for our liscense as well, I for one will not be suspended for not enforcing these rules just because some fans don't like the rules.

[ON THE ROCKS]

OK, so if player A is backside of play has no chance or has given up on play..And player B has past LOS and downfield 10 yrd..And player A has no chance of even being involved would a flag be tossed .?? I would say 90% no....

[Boo-Duh]

Rules are rules, even if they're dumb and no one likes them. Most officials will give a warning to someone, but I don't think they are required to. You would think the OHSAA has more to worry about then wristbands being too high.

The wristband issue is not that big a deal in Southeastern Ohio. Most Crews will observe warm ups and inform a Coach or Team personnel that so and so needs to fix equipment or remove a wristband.

This is more of a problem in some of the larger cities with gang related issues. Such as, "Colors" and other gang symbols that you and I would not even think about as being anything. The OHSAA has to make rules for the whole state and we as Officials, School Employees and Adults must teach our young men and women that rules need to be kept on the football field as well as in life. Do the officials see everything, no way, but neither does the Highway Patrol...just a thought...