Question Number: 19728

League Specific 8/11/2008

RE: High School Under 17

Alex Flick of Mount Joy, PA United States asks...

I recently heard about a rule that was going into effect that all players needed a certain type of shin guard to play. I heard that if you do not have the certain type you could be yellow carded. I was wondering if this was true as to that I am a referee and have never heard of this rule. I hope you can help me. Thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Sad to say it's true, for USA High School ONLY. Shinguards need to need NOCSAE standards for height and age. They must be marked with the NOCSAE logo or you will not be legally equipped and may not compete. Again this is peculiar to USA High School Only.

An added note the referee will, on the first occurrence of this illegal equipment being identified during the match, caution and show the yellow card to the coach and ask the player to leave the field and correct his equipment. The player may not be replaced until the next legal substitution opportunity. At the second occurrence of illegal shinguards being identified, any other player on that team, the player is caution and removed from the field to correct his uniform and he may be replaced with a substitute as in any other caution event. This applies to USA High School Only...

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

This is true, but only in high school games played in the USA. It does not exist in college, club, or any other type of soccer for that matter. Just the US HS games played under the NFHS rules.

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

Alex, I am from Canada and it seems my colleague has confirmed that only certain shin guards are allowed in USA high schools. It is not so in the Laws of the Game as made by IFAB and published by FIFA. USA high schools are not affiliated to FIFA because they have made several law changes that are not congruent to the international laws.

Nonetheless, I doubt very much that a referee would need to caution and show a yellow card to a player for transgressing this edict. All the ref needs to do is check the equipment and not allow illegal equipment to be used. Can you imagine if 18 players showed up with the wrong brand and every single one was cautioned and shown the yellow card? A little absurd, wouldn't you say?