Belt or no belt?

[CLAY]

It has nothing to do with what I would wear to an interview.
Wearing belted or beltless pants does not have anything to do with your ability to officiate a basketball game. To watch officials draw attention to themselves pulling and tugging at the beltless pants all through a game. Belted pants that fit well look as good as a beltless pant. To see a person who is over weight, belly sticking over the waistline and in beltless or belted pants is not pretty. So in this case it would not matter what the over weight official is wearing he is not going to look good, but that does not make him less of an official. just like the pants, they do not make you less of an official.

[zebraman]

I think it just depends on what the evaluator(s) in your area find important.

When I'm evaluating a ref, I certainly don't give a rats patootie if they have a belt on or not. However, it is obvious from the comments in this thread that some evaluators do care about that.

Look at the guys in your vicinity who are in the position that you'd like to be at (as far as officiating success). If they are all wearing beltless pants, it may be an indication that there is some belief in your area that wearing beltless pants is part of the "accomplished official" uniform. If a lot of the top officials are wearing belts, it probably doesn't matter.

Z

[BOBBYMO]

I wear a belt to go along with my metal whistle ( with a pea in it), my collored shirt and my suspenders.
Just teasin.
I really feel that wearing a belt is a part of the past as far as officiating gear is considered.

[Hawks Coach]

As a coach, I can say I never noticed. I never would have read this thread except for the other thread. I judge refs by how they carry themselves on the court and how they call the game. Can they keep up with play, do they keep the game flowing smoothly, do they know the rules, do they have a good sense about how to enforce the rules, etc. Note that sentence never once mentioned belts or collars

[Indy_Ref]

Originally posted by CLAY
It has nothing to do with what I would wear to an interview.
Wearing belted or beltless pants does not have anything to do with your ability to officiate a basketball game. To watch officials draw attention to themselves pulling and tugging at the beltless pants all through a game. Belted pants that fit well look as good as a beltless pant. To see a person who is over weight, belly sticking over the waistline and in beltless or belted pants is not pretty. So in this case it would not matter what the over weight official is wearing he is not going to look good, but that does not make him less of an official. just like the pants, they do not make you less of an official.

Clay,

I would absolutely agree that what kind of clothes you wear to an interview has nothing to do with how you can or will be able to perform the job. However, I WOULD argue that what kind of clothes you wear to an interview has MUCH to say about how much you value the opportunity to work at that business. I think this concept can apply to officiating as well.

How many D-I and NBA officials wear belted pants?? If you wanted to be promoted to the NBA level, would wear what the NBA officials wear? If you wanted to be promoted, I think you probably would. If you wanted to be promoted to the D-I level, would you wear the same things the D-I officials wear? I think you probably would.

What about high school? If an official wanted to move up into the state tournament...or advance in the tournament, should that official dress appropriately? I say, "yes". Now what exactly is that? You'd have to look at your region/area and how the best officials dress.

If all abilities are equal and the only thing that separates two officials is that one looks to be more modernly dressed, I say the modernly dressed official gets promoted.

[CLAY]

a big thank you to the coach.

[Adam]

Just to clarify, it's "SNAQWELLS", not "SNAGWELLS". It's a Q, not a G. Not that it's a big deal, but it's generally easier to get my attention if you call me by the correct name.
Now, once again, I'm not saying that how you dress affects your ability to perform your job.
Let's go back to the business model. You're correct that many people who dress alternatively (to include unnaturally dyed hair, excessive metal potruding from the face, etc.) get hired and do their jobs very well. However, people who dress that way don't generally get promoted in the business world. When there are multiple applicants for a job, you need to stand out positively, and first impressions are key. It's a lot like that resume. If your resume looks like crap, or is filled with typos, it goes in the trash and you don't even get a phone call. If your clothes look like crap, you're not getting that second interview. Are there exceptions? Sure, but they've all graduated top of their class at MIT. That's a select few.
Officiating isn't any different. If you just want to go out and officiate sub-varsity games, and do the best you can do, it won't matter what kind of pants you wear or whether your shoes are shined. If, however, you want to do varsity, college, or higher, those things will matter; because you need to show more than rules knowledge to those who will make or break your career.
Is it fair to be judged by appearance? I think it is, to a degree. It displays one's willingness to do what it takes to get the job done.

[AK ref SE]

First- I whatever you wear has nothing to do with if you can make a call or not, if you are a good official or not.

Second- I'm in the military since someone brought up that aspect of it. We go through phase-in and phase-out of uniforms. If you are not wearing the new up and coming trend, you are percieved by others of not caring, not wanting to further your career, happy where you are at attitude. The person could be the smartest person on the block, but the perception is lazy or doesn't care. And the general public doesnt know the difference. But the person that does your evaluations for promotion notices.

Same in Basketball the general fan may not notice, the coach may not notice.....But the person that has come to your game to promote you to the next level may notice, and if on his check list there is an appearance block that lower mark may be the difference between if you get the job or not.

AK ref SE

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by AK ref SE
First- I whatever you wear has nothing to do with if you can make a call or not, if you are a good official or not.

Second- I'm in the military since someone brought up that aspect of it. We go through phase-in and phase-out of uniforms. If you are not wearing the new up and coming trend, you are percieved by others of not caring, not wanting to further your career, happy where you are at attitude. The person could be the smartest person on the block, but the perception is lazy or doesn't care. And the general public doesnt know the difference. But the person that does your evaluations for promotion notices.

Same in Basketball the general fan may not notice, the coach may not notice.....But the person that has come to your game to promote you to the next level may notice, and if on his check list there is an appearance block that lower mark may be the difference between if you get the job or not.

AK ref SE

Well said!

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by CLAY
As I see it Iam going to invest in beltless pants, patent leather shoes, and mouse for my hair.

Mickey or Mighty?

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by ChuckElias

Mickey or Mighty?

Optical or mechanical?

[JRutledge]

This is what an clinician told me that does D1. He said when you go to camps, evaluators are looking for "why not" characteristics. The more checks you have in the "why not" category, will hold you back. There are so many officials trying to get to the top, if I have more "why nots" then everyone else, it will hold me back.

Now, I am not telling anyone what to do. You have to find your own way. But what Chuck, Dan or Juulie are all trying to convey here, is that this is what we have noticed in our experience. If you have a different experience, then that is OK. But the reality is that in all the sports I officiate, there are things that are frowned upon when we officiate. And when we wear things that are not proper attire, it holds those individuals back until they change it. It really is that simple. I do not make the rules, I just follow them to the best of my ability. I used to wear belted pants and I changed because it was apparant that I was in the minority with the type of pants I was wearing. And believe me, you are judged on much more than what you wear on your pants. The time you show up, the way you handle your contracts, the way you interact with fellow officials. All those things factor in and none of them have to do with making a single call on any baskeball court. All those things I just mentioned have completely held officials back from moving to the next level. I know guys that have not updated there Quickbase (inside joke ) library and that has not gotten them a Freshman game anymore in a particular conference. It may not seem fair, but it is when others are making the decisions. When some of you get to a certain level and you are making the rules, then you can do whatever you think matters. But when you are trying to work or get a game, then you have to listen to what the "Big dawgs" want, your you sit home.

Peace

[FC IC]

There always seems to be officials that want to stand out. Once upon a time, they did it by working without a lanyard. Then they did it by wearing white logos on their shoes. Next came beltless pants. The two fashion statements today are pleated pants and gray shirts. IMHO, there will always be officials trying to make a fashion statement. What is boils down to is fashion, pure and simple. And just like fashion on the street, it evolves over time. So you have a choice... you can either be a trend setter, a follower or throw back to the old days.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by TPS2859
It's become a sad day when we are prejudged on our looks, and not our ability!

Is this coming from the guy that prejudged every older official in the world?

Physician, heal thyself!

[Hawks Coach]

Originally posted by CLAY
a big thank you to the coach.

You're welcome - but please bear in mind that I don't assign your games. Many good points have been made on the other side of this issue, and that may be all that really counts. Mine is an opinion with no wieght.