Originally posted by Nigel Isom:
coachtwink, do you presume to tell me about rules? Maybe you forgot that I am an official and its my job to know about rules. There is absolutly no rule in the rule book that says laces must be "taped". Rule 4-1-3 says "If the laces are visible, they shall be secured in an acceptable fashion" What you must understand now is the leaves the decision up to the referee as to what is "acceptable" Furthermore rule 3-1-5 states "The legality of all equipment, including mats, markings, uniforms, and special equipment, pads and taping!, shall be decided by the referee." In may cases a double-knot or tucking the laces back into themselves is perfectly acceptable. Remember my friend if it isn't worded in the rule book, you can't make it up yourself. I seen countless wrestlers this year without their laces taped and no velcro covering and you know what? It was acceptable for them to do so. Now had their laces come untied and not secured then it is at the referee's discretion to penalize that wrestler.
Nigel:
While I was unable to attend the rules meeting this year due to a JV football coaching commitment, I was at the rule meeting 2 seasons ago that Rick Bowden outlined how this rule was to be enforced. Mr. Bowden indicated that a double knot was NOT sufficient to secure the laces and neither was pulling the socks over the shoe laces. He indicated that it would have to be some additional way of securing the laces, and was very specific on this point. Simply because some officials choose not to enforce the rules consistently as they are instructed to does not mean that there was no violation. The point of this rule is to prevent shoes from coming untied during a match and allowing wrestlers to stop the match. If you enforce this rule after they have already come untied, it is defeating the point of the rule.
Since you are an official and it is your job to know the rules can you explain to me when a double knot is acceptable and when it is not as you indicated above? Is there a special "secure" way of tying a double knot that an official such as your self is trained to recognize. If so enlighten us and save the athletic departments in the state some money that they are currently spending on tape. If not, I guess you will have to stop making up your own enforcement of the rules.
By the way, I agree whole-heartedly that if you are an official, it is your job to know the rules, AND their appropriate enforcement.
PS: How is that list coming?
