October 30, 2013
TO: ALL CIF-SOUTHERN SECTION COACHES
RE: Please read this memorandum carefully so you are very clear on how officials will handle any uniform violations by high school soccer teams during the 2013-14 season
As we have indicated since last spring, whenever there is a uniform violation this year, you MUST submit an incident report on the CIFSS website. Such incident reports will continue to be filed until we receive direction from the CIF office to stop. Remember this rule is designed to be enforced for VARSITY games only. Officials do not need to submit reports for JV or Frosh/Soph games. As scrimmages are considered "training" sessions, officials also do not have to submit reports for these games; however, this would be a good opportunity to point out the potential uniform violations before the first regular season game occurs.
The following are uniform violations which must be enforced this year. In the case of numbers 1 and 2, if the teams are unable to meet the required standard, play the game and file the incident report. In the case of numbers 3 and 4, it should be possible for these players to make the necessary corrections to their uniforms before they enter the game.
1. HOME TEAM JERSEYS AND SOCKS MUST BE SOLID WHITE [in the rule book since 2010] (solid white means just that - no striping or piping of any kind or of any shade; no manufacturer's logos or symbols of any kind with the exception of one that may be no more than 2 1/4 inches square; small markings can be covered with white tape; school names, emblems, insignias referencing the school all are permitted)
2. ALL JERSEYS MUST BE NUMBERED ON THE FRONT AND ON THE BACK [in the rule book for at least 10 years] (the number on the front may be on the shorts if not on the jersey, and tape applied properly can be used to represent the numbers)
3. THIS INCLUDES THE JERSEY OF THE GOALKEEPER. IT MUST HAVE A NUMBER ON THE FRONT AND ON THE BACK [in the rule book since 2011] (and the number must be different from that of any other goalkeeper or field player)
4. IF TAPE IS APPLIED EXTERNALLY TO THE SOCK, IT MUST BE OF SIMILAR COLOR AS THAT PART OF THE SOCK TO WHICH IT IS APPLIED [a new rule this year] (in the case of solid white socks, obviously the tape must be white)
5. NFHS HAS PROVIDED US WITH THREE INTERPRETATIONS OF NOTE: (1) PLAYERS WITH SOLID WHITE SHORT SLEEVE JERSEYS MAY WEAR LONG SLEEVE APPAREL UNDER THE JERSEYS, AND THIS APPAREL MAY BE A DARK COLOR BUT IT MUST BE THE SAME COLOR FOR ALL PLAYERS ON THAT TEAM WHO CHOOSE TO WEAR APPAREL UNDER THEIR JERSEYS; (2) VELCRO OR ELASTIC BANDS THAT ARE WORN TO HOLD UP THE PLAYERS' SHINGUARDS MUST BE THE SAME BASIC COLOR AS THE SOCK; AND (3) UNALTERED ANKLE BRACES MAY BE WORN ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE SOCK AND DO NOT HAVE TO BE THE SAME COLOR AS THE SOCK.
Finally, this year officials must be consistent in reporting these uniform violations. NO EXCEPTIONS!!
