The One Time, And Only Time, It's Good To Wear A Black Belt ...

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Great advice, same advice we get from our assignment commissioner every season, but I can't afford to take a full set of "stuff" (including expensive items like a shoes, pants, and a bag) out of commission for an entire season.

Expensive stuff? You likely don't need extra shoes. I have only ever had one pair of shoes fail and I could manage with them until the game was over.

Unless you're planning on covering for the day you forget to pack a bag entirely, you really need just pants, shirt, and a whistle....the things that show and can have trouble (mostly pants). Everything else is nice to have assuming you don't arrive naked. A simple $10 duffel from target is a good enough bag.

[mrroberts]

38 and 42 waist??? Sounds like the partners need to watch their figure a bit better😳

[BillyMac]

I very recently retired from working Catholic middle school games. After more than a half a century of "wear and tear" athletic activities, I have developed patellofemoral pain syndrome in both knees, and osteoarthritis, and a bone spur, in my right ankle. I finally realized that I need rest between assignments and, at my age, can no longer work games every night. Rest between games, elastic flexibility exercises, inserts in my day job work shoes, expensive stability running shoes, lots of aspirin, and knee braces, will, hopefully, extend my high school officiating career a few more years.

With no more Catholic middle school games, I now find myself with a lot of extra "stuff", as well as a decreased laundry load. Maybe I'll pack a complete spare bag and leave it in the trunk of my car for the season. Maybe I can "save the day" for myself, a colleague, or fill in a last minute "emergency" assignment without stopping off at home.



After officiating for thirty-five years, I'm starting to see something at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, it isn't light.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by mrroberts

38 and 42 waist??? Sounds like the partners need to watch their figure a bit better.

Hey. I'm a thirty-eight. I'm just little short for my weight.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Expensive stuff? You likely don't need extra shoes. I have only ever had one pair of shoes fail and I could manage with them until the game was over.

When I swap out my new shoes, I just put the old ones in the trunk. They're serviceable if needed.