Question Number: 16945

Law 4 - Players Equipment 9/27/2007

RE: School Under 18

Allison Goodwin of Vader, Washington Cowlitz asks...

I have recently died my hair a bright pink, almost red. During a soccer game i was warned that if a player of the other team tells the referee that it is distracting then I mihgt be kicked out of the game. I cannot find anything in WIAA rules suggesting that but that doesn't mean it does not exits. Can you please help me?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Allison,
it is a load of horse manure and that is as polite as I can say that! You really want to shake the opposite team up? Try all your team going bald that ought to do it! Mind you bright pink??? Does it come with matching lipstick and nail poilish? ;o)
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Hmm. Is it possible the referee had a sense of humor and was pulling your leg? I hope? Perhaps it would behoove you to get hold of the local leader of the high school referee corps (should be available info online?) and ask that very question. They can then discuss it at a meeting, and your problem should go away. That's the best solution, dear. Go to the referee group. They should listen to their leaders.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Allison. That's a crock. If you were 6 feet 8 inches tall would you be kicked out for beingly distractingly tall? The color of your hair is your business and no one will have any backing of the Law if they ask you to leave the game because someone is "distracted" by it's color. They could just as easily complain if it were cut short. I hope Ref Maloney is right and this referee was just having some fun with you.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

"Mr Referee, I don't like that player's orange shoes. They're distracting." That's not going to generate much sympathy with refs.

Incidentally, when the kid played keeper in the second half, his shoes matched his goalkeeper jersey. I'm sure that was just coincidence.

Hmm, we had a question a little while ago about a girl who wasn't selected for a team because she didn't have hair long enough to put into a ponytail. I wonder what the response to a bright pink ponytail would have been.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Bright pink, I like it! Another thing you can do to harass your opponents is choose a match ball in a color they don't like. A white ball in the snow, a gray one in the fog and a green one just because it'll be a hoot finding it in the grass. If your side is one who plays a lot of high crosses light blue would be fun. No grass, just a lot of sand or brown earth, a brown ball. If they don't like the color of your hair give then something to really worry about.

By the way, the Law doesn't mention the color a ball must be, just as it doesn't mention what color your hair should be, only inept opponents will fret about this. Oh yeah, there might be a referee out there who has a "problem" with it. Bring an old fashioned bathing cap along just for grins...

Regards,