Eastern Maine refs claim saggin’ rule not a big concern

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Droopy drawers and loose shirts swaying in sweaty gymnasiums have not been a problem for referees officiating high school basketball games in Eastern Maine this year.

The National Federation of State High Schools’ anti-sagging rule, that encourages referees to temporarily remove players from games for wearing shirts that are not tucked in or shorts below the hips “hasn’t been a huge problem in Maine,” according to 20-year referee Mike Thurston.

“It stems from metropolitan areas where they are more concerned about styles and trends,” agreed Kyle Webb, who is in his 14th year as a referee.

“I’ve even heard that in some urban regions of the country, they have looked into the feasibility of legalizing the wearing of (baseball) hats during games,” Webb added. “The kids wear them backwards.”

Thurston said he has had to ask players to tuck in their shirts three times this season, “but they weren’t putting them out on purpose,” he explained. “They weren’t doing it to be sloppy. They just came untucked during the game.”

Technically, referees are supposed to remove a player with an untucked shirt or droopy drawers. The player can return on the next legal substitution.

“But I believe in discretion,” said Thurston, who simply asks them during a lapse in play to tuck in their shirts as opposed to removing them from the game. The players have complied.

“From my point of view, that’s the way to handle it,” said Thurston. “The kids are very aware of the rule. The coaches have done a nice job making them aware of it.”

Preseason rules clinics outlined the new rule for the state’s coaches.

“Once in a while, you’ll find an isolated case of it,” said Webb. “You’ll see a player try to get away with it, and we do enforce the rule. One of the problems is some of the schools have emulated the uniforms worn by some of the major college teams, like Michigan, and the material is silky and real baggy to begin with. The shirts tend to come out of the shorts with regularity. But it is unintentional.”

“In one case,” said Thurston, “a player told me his shirt was awfully short. And it really was. It wasn’t his fault (that it kept coming out of his shorts). He did a real good job keeping it tucked in.”

Thurston and Webb like the rule.

“It makes perfect sense to me,” said Thurston. “If a player looks sharp, he’ll play sharp. It makes the school look good, and it makes the community look good. The rules-makers want things as clean and polished as possible.”

“It definitely makes sense to me,” said Webb. “You want the players to have respect for the uniform and for themselves. And you want them to wear it the way it has been designed to be worn.”

See SAGGING on Page 12

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Sagging shorts have not been a concern for officials

By Larry Mahoney Of the NEWS Staff

Droopy drawers and loose shirts swaying in sweaty gymnasiums have not been a problem for referees officiating high school basketball games in Eastern Maine this year.

The National Federation of State High Schools’ anti-sagging rule, that encourages referees to temporarily remove players from games for wearing shirts that are not tucked in or shorts below the hips “hasn’t been a huge problem in Maine,” according to 20-year referee Mike Thurston.

“It stems from metropolitan areas where they are more concerned about styles and trends,” agreed Kyle Webb, who is in his 14th year as a referee.

“I’ve even heard that in some urban regions of the country, they have looked into the feasibility of legalizing the wearing of (baseball) hats during games,” Webb added. “The kids wear them backwards.”

Thurston said he has had to ask players to tuck in their shirts three times this season, “but they weren’t putting them out on purpose,” he explained. “They weren’t doing it to be sloppy. They just came untucked during the game.”

Technically, referees are supposed to remove a player with an untucked shirt or droopy drawers. The player can return on the next legal substitution.

“But I believe in discretion,” said Thurston, who simply asks them during a lapse in play to tuck in their shirts as opposed to removing them from the game. The players have complied.

“From my point of view, that’s the way to handle it,” said Thurston. “The kids are very aware of the rule. The coaches have done a nice job making them aware of it.”

Preseason rules clinics outlined the new rule for the state’s coaches.

“Once in a while, you’ll find an isolated case of it,” said Webb. “You’ll see a player try to get away with it, and we do enforce the rule. One of the problems is some of the schools have emulated the uniforms worn by some of the major college teams, like Michigan, and the material is silky and real baggy to begin with. The shirts tend to come out of the shorts with regularity. But it is unintentional.”

“In one case,” said Thurston, “a player told me his shirt was awfully short. And it really was. It wasn’t his fault (that it kept coming out of his shorts). He did a real good job keeping it tucked in.”

Thurston and Webb like the rule.

“It makes perfect sense to me,” said Thurston. “If a player looks sharp, he’ll play sharp. It makes the school look good, and it makes the community look good. The rules-makers want things as clean and polished as possible.”

“It definitely makes sense to me,” said Webb. “You want the players to have respect for the uniform and for themselves. And you want them to wear it the way it has been designed to be worn.”