Volleyball Officials - I hope everyone's season is off to a great start!  The heat affected some early matches, but hopefully we're in the swing of things now.  Here's a few items to consider as the season progresses.

HEADBANDS & HAIR DEVICES - ADORNMENT AND MANUFACTURER LOGOS

Rule 4-1-5 permits hair devices made of soft material that are no more than 2 inches wide.  Bobby pins, flat clips, and flat barrettes, which are unadorned and no longer than two inches, are also allowed.  Please note that the unadorned requirement specifically applies to bobby pins, flat clips, and flat barrettes.  As such, headbands may have adornment such as a school logo, a team name, player's name, etc.  Headbands, hair devices, and hair ribbons may be any color or multicolored.  A bandana may be worn as a head band IF it is worn folded so it is only 2 inches wide.  Headbands and hair devices are also excluded from Rule 4-2-9, which governs manufacturer's logos/trademarks/references.  As such, headbands and hair devices may have multiple manufacturer's logos, trademarks, or references.  The volleyball rules are more liberal in this area than in other sports, such as basketball, which has much more restrictive adornment and manufacturer logo rules.

A number of questions always arise regarding sequins, glitter, etc. on headbands.  As long as the sequins are not hard and unyielding, they're legal.  As long as the glitter does not flake off, it's legal.  If you're in doubt about the glitter, an easy way to check this is to have the player in question take her headband off and rub the glitter portion in front of you.  If nothing comes off, you shouldn't have a problem.  Keep in mind that glitter is never allowed to be worn as make-up or other decoration.  If you're in doubt about the sequins, ask the player to take her headband off and hand it to you.  If the sequins are not hard and unyielding - no problem.  The vast majority of glitter and sequin headbands out there are legal.

PLAYER EQUIPMENT & ACCESSORIES

Rule 4-1-1 states that a guard, cast, or brace made of hard and unyielding leather, plaster, pliable (soft) plastic, metal, or any other hard substance shall not be worn on the hand, finger, wrist, or forearm, even thought covered with soft padding.  Please keep this in mind, as questions often arise in this area, especially regarding finger splints.  Rule 4-1-2 permits hard and unyielding items (guards, casts, braces, etc.) to be worn on the elbow, upper arm, or shoulder as long as the items are padded with a closed-cell, slow-recovery foam padding no less than 1/2-inch thick. 

A question arose this year about a player wearing a sweatband or multiple layers of sweatbands on her forearm.  This is LEGAL.  Nothing in the rules prevents a player from wearing soft, moisture-absorbing sweatbands on her forearm.  Lance Armstrong bracelets, rubber bands, etc. are not moisture-absorbing and are therefore considered jewelry.

Please try to rectify any headband, hair device, jewelry, etc. situations prior to the beginning of the match if you see them.  Tell the coach, and have him/her address the situation with the player(s).  This also serves as a warning to the coach for illegal equipment. 

If first discovered during the match, it is unnecessary delay.  The player also must be removed unless the illegal items can be immediately removed or made legal. 

For a subsequent violation by the same team, a loss of rally/point shall be awarded to the opponent, and the player must be removed unless the illegal items can be immediately removed or made legal.

EARRINGS, NOSE RINGS, TONGUE RINGS, ETC.

Bottom line, if you can see it - even if only for a second - it's illegal.  If you're observing warm-ups and it is obvious that jewelry is present, the player must remove it.  A player obviously cannot enter a match with jewelry.  Referees need not look under tape to see if there is jewelry, as the head coach will verify in the pre-match meeting that his/her team's players are legal in reference to the equipment and uniform rules.  Players also may not use a plug, string, spacer, straw, retainer, etc. in leu of the actual ring, as the plug, string, spacer, etc. is also considered jewelry.

Lisa is providing this information to the coaches as well.

Keep up the good work, and I'll be in touch in another ten days or so.

Joel Oswald

Assistant Director