Quote:
Originally Posted by JRutledge
... want to know my partner's attitude about uniforms so when we start the game we know how that is going to be handled or why it will be handled in a certain way.
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Especially now that I'm working midafternoon middle school games, especially girls games. I want to know exactly how both of us are going to handle fashion police issues before we step out onto the court. I don't want a good cop/bad cop routine once we get out there.
For your information, this is my second year working middle school games. As the referee, I concentrate on undershirts, headbands, and wristbands, ignoring arm sleeves and leg sleeves. I will try to get girls to comply with the undershirt requirement, but will listen to coaches who sincerely complain that their young adolescent girls are bashful about wearing sleeveless jerseys, which in many cases are nothing more than sleeveless thin fabric reversible practice pinnies. If it's a choice of several girls not playing that afternoon or allowing them to play, I will often side with allowing them to play. Boys don't get the same allowance. I know that this isn't by the book, but it's certainly a little better than the Wild Wild West approach of many of my middle school official colleagues.
"But I've worn this headband all season."