Prep school game yesterday. Black is warming up before the game. Three Black players are wearing black "leggings". Tights? Long socks? Who knows? My partner and I chose to ignore, which surely makes us part of the problem, not part of the solution. We're just kicking the can down the road to the next "Fashion Police" officials, as previous officials had obviously done to us.
Black is warming up with all players wearing warmup jackets. As the game progresses, and more players take off their warmup jackets, and come off the bench into the game, I note that a few Black players had black arm compression sleeves, and one Black player had a white arm compression sleeve. It was late in the first half by the time I noted this, so I waited until halftime to approach a Black assistant coach and tell him that all the players must have the same color arm compression sleeves to participate in the second half. He says that he'll take care of it, and he did. The black sleeves came off, and the player with the white sleeve kept his on.
As I'm waiting at the division line to administer the throwin to Black to start the second half, the Black throwin player politely asks me about the arm compression sleeves. I reply that they all must be the same color. A nearby Black player asks me about his black "tights". I reply that I wasn't sure if they were tights, or very long socks. Throwin player says to me, "Hey. This is getting weird". He was right, it was weird, and it would have felt weirder with female players.
When it comes to issues of proper uniforms, and equipment, I'm usually a "Fashion Police Son Of A Bit*h". Illegal undershirts? Illegal headbands? Illegal wrist bands? Illegal arm compression sleeves? Go to jail. Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars.
That's when it comes to proper uniforms, and equipment, above the waist. In the past, I have generally ignored anything below the waist. But lately, tights have become more, and more, popular, among both players, and officials.
How do you handle this issue? When you note these while watching the warmups, exactly what do you say? "You can't wear tights". "Are those tights?" What are those you're wearing?" Do any of you ignore them, as we did yesterday, secretly hoping they are really just very long socks? Are you more "timid" asking girls about this issue? Are we "can kickers", or are we "Fashion Police Sons Of Bit*hes"?
