Umpire Uniforms

[zm1283]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Publius:

I don't know where you live, BUT, you may be an independent contractor, but if your StateHSAA has a required uniform I would advise you to wear it. The OhioHSAA can fine an official up to $100 for not wearing the correct uniform, i.e., wearing a powder blue or red shirt to umpire a baseball or fastpitch softball game, or wearing the gray with black pinstripe shirts for a basketball game (and I really do prefer the gray shirts over the zebra shirts myself). Meaning, that they can keep you from officiating.

MTD, Sr.

The only way that uniform standards can really be enforced at the high school level is by local associations. The state bodies don't have the time or manpower to ensure that every official is dressed properly. That may be different in some places, but I know that a lot of baseball umpires in this area ignore the navy-only shirt/jacket/hat rule that the state governing body has. The only time everyone follows it is in the district and state tournaments.

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by zm1283

The state bodies don't have the time or manpower to ensure that every official is dressed properly.

The coaches, however, could report such instances to the state.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by zm1283

The only way that uniform standards can really be enforced at the high school level is by local associations. The state bodies don't have the time or manpower to ensure that every official is dressed properly. That may be different in some places, but I know that a lot of baseball umpires in this area ignore the navy-only shirt/jacket/hat rule that the state governing body has. The only time everyone follows it is in the district and state tournaments.

Enforcement is a separate issue. Publius's point concerns a legal principle: whether state associations can mandate uniforms for independent contractors.

I will patiently explain again: the mandate is not for independent contractors as such. The mandate is for licensed officials. It is then up to member schools whether they hire independent contractors who have a state license.

Around here, schools want licensed officials, so the mandated uniform is de facto required if you want to umpire high school baseball.

[zm1283]

Originally Posted by yawetag

The coaches, however, could report such instances to the state.

In this area, no coaches that I know of care what uniform we're wearing. I guess if one really had a vendetta against a certain official, they could report it, but I haven't seen that happen.

Originally Posted by mbyron

Enforcement is a separate issue. Publius's point concerns a legal principle: whether state associations can mandate uniforms for independent contractors.

I will patiently explain again: the mandate is not for independent contractors as such. The mandate is for licensed officials. It is then up to member schools whether they hire independent contractors who have a state license.

Around here, schools want licensed officials, so the mandated uniform is de facto required if you want to umpire high school baseball.

I get what you're saying. I realize enforcement is different than the principle. Around here, the associations come right out and say that as long as you match, it doesn't matter

[MikeStrybel]

My Poly-wools went through a rough Spring and still look brand new. I machine wash and hang them to dry. Dry cleaning is over kill.

Uniform, by its very definition, means everyone looks the same. I am not a fan of having to buy six different color shirts so that I can match my partner. Still, I am with you on having only one vendor to buy from. Competition is good in this economy.

[scarolinablue]

'Round these parts, every umpire is required to have the navy shirt so at least all have one matching shirt. However, if you and your partner want to wear something else, any color is fair game as long as you match. The coaches couldn't care less, nor could the state association.

[gordon30307]

If they tell you to wear Navy you gotta wear Navy. That aside ever since the switch from heather gray to gray they're making me nuts and I've given up trying to match my partner. There are a half dozen vendors out there all of the gray pants are different. I have Honigs for no particular reason. But I'm not buying plate and base pants from Davis, Smittys, Officials Choice etc. just to match my partner. However if a particular conference or organization says I must wear a particualair pair of pants I'll do so if I want to work for them. If you don't want to buy the pants don't work for them.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by gordon30307

If they tell you to wear Navy you gotta wear Navy. That aside ever since the switch from heather gray to gray they're making me nuts and I've given up trying to match my partner. There are a half dozen vendors out there all of the gray pants are different. I have Honigs for no particular reason. But I'm not buying plate and base pants from Davis, Smittys, Officials Choice etc. just to match my partner. However if a particular conference or organization says I must wear a particualair pair of pants I'll do so if I want to work for them. If you don't want to buy the pants don't work for them.

The NFHS simply says gray. I really don't care if the pants match perfectly or not.

Then again, it's obvious this is just another attempt of Honig's to sell to 100% of a state's officials. I wonder how much of that $70 ends up back in the FHSAA's coffers.

Fortunately, I can still buy pants from whomever I want where I live. And if I'm wearing Davis pants, I really don't care if my partner buys Smitty or Honigs pants. Should I match brand and style of shoe, too?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by gordon30307

If they tell you to wear Navy you gotta wear Navy. That aside ever since the switch from heather gray to gray they're making me nuts and I've given up trying to match my partner. There are a half dozen vendors out there all of the gray pants are different. I have Honigs for no particular reason. But I'm not buying plate and base pants from Davis, Smittys, Officials Choice etc. just to match my partner. However if a particular conference or organization says I must wear a particualair pair of pants I'll do so if I want to work for them. If you don't want to buy the pants don't work for them.

Why did you do that anyway? Do you do that in any other sport?

I never understood why people tried to match pants based on who made them. That was always silly and unnecessary. I bought one brand if my partners did not have them, so be it. No one really ever cared but umpires that had nothing else to worry about.

Peace

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Enforcement is a separate issue. Publius's point concerns a legal principle: whether state associations can mandate uniforms for independent contractors.

I will patiently explain again: the mandate is not for independent contractors as such. The mandate is for licensed officials. It is then up to member schools whether they hire independent contractors who have a state license.

Around here, schools want licensed officials, so the mandated uniform is de facto required if you want to umpire high school baseball.

Mike:

Well said.

MTD, Sr.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by zm1283

The only way that uniform standards can really be enforced at the high school level is by local associations. The state bodies don't have the time or manpower to ensure that every official is dressed properly. That may be different in some places, but I know that a lot of baseball umpires in this area ignore the navy-only shirt/jacket/hat rule that the state governing body has. The only time everyone follows it is in the district and state tournaments.

ZM:

I don't know where you live; and you are correct regarding a StateHSAA's lack of manpower to enforce its officials' uniform requirements, BUT you would be suprised what your StateHSAA knows.

Somebody from your local umpire's association could see you umpire in a non-sanctioned uniform and report you to your StateHSAA, or you umpire a game that is broadcast on your cable company's local access channel (BuckeyeCable my local cable company has it own sports channel (BCSN) for local H.S. and college sports) and video of the game is sent to your StateHSAA offices. I can assure you that it happens.

The following is a true story that happened to two H.S. soccer officials here in Ohio. The year that USSF/FIFA officials changed from black shirts with white cuffs to yellow shirts with black cuffs, the OhioHSAA still required its soccer officials to wear black shirts with white cuffs. During the very first week of the H.S. soccer season two officials officiated a varsity game at a H.S. located only a couple of miles from the OhioHSAA's offices; the officals decided that they were going to wear their USSF yellow shirts to officiate the game. Unbeknownst to them, an administrator from the OhioHSAA happened to be in the stands. Each official was fined $100, and their game fee was only $40.

MTD, Sr.

[treydawgmt]

In the "north of I-80" part of Illinois, to work essentially any game, you contract with one of a handful of associations. These associations have uniform requirements, which also conform to the IHSA uniform standards. You wear the uniform the association tells you to for the specific game. If you don't, and your assignor finds out, you probably won't be working for that organization at all any more. And then you don't work at all pretty quick. Makes it easy - follow the uniform!