Official's Facial Hair

[JoeTheRef]

When I think about facial hair, I was excluding mustaches. I wear a very thin one, but now that I think about it, it seems like everyone in my college association shaves theirs during the season. My college website is down right now so I can't look at all of the offcials pictures, which is required on our website. I know had a couple of strands of hair on my chin and was told that I needed to shave before my games. I use to have to shave once every other week but now I make sure I shave the night before every game.

[biz]

The first association I reffed in had more rules and regs. than I care to remember. One of them was no facial hair except for a well groomed mustache.

My current association has only a rule that officials will look "professional."

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by tomegun

If so, this is also an unwritten rule concerning officers in the Military. .

Concur! Like the military and some jobs for that matter - facial hair is just frowned upon for whatever reason and it "goes without saying". But, we even talked about this at one of our Ref Association Mtgs. As I look around my Association, my work place and the corporate structure, it just doesn't happen. While I don't necessarily agree, I learned long ago, when it Rome.....

Besides, I look horrible/10 yrs older with a mustache and beard! blah!

[rainmaker]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

No, but we have regulations concerning anything that fugly. We don't use officials that make small children cry and the townspeople break out the torches and pitchforks.

ROFL!!

[DonInKansas]

Originally Posted by grunewar

Besides, I look horrible/10 yrs older with a mustache and beard! blah!

Heh, my problem is that I look 17 years old withOUT my goatee. Maybe when I hit my 40's I'll be able to shave it and look like I'm in my 20's again..

[mbyron]

If my facial hair's like this, can I advance?

[MajorCord]

Around here, mustaches are OK, just no beards or goatees if you want to call varsity level.

Is this anybody on this forum?

[rsox34]

...where I worked previously--facial hair on white male officials was frowned upon. Now in NH and MA where I currently officiate, there are a lot of white guys with facial hair.

[archer]

we have several European Americans that have side burns. We have a mexican american with a pencil mustache, and a antartic american with a full beard.

[rainmaker]

Originally Posted by MajorCord

Seeing Padgett's picture (if that is really him) brought this question to my mind. Do your official's associations have regulations concerning facial hair (women excluded )?

Originally Posted by Rita C

When more women start officiating past menopause, they might include them as well.

How old are you, Rita? Still got a few years left? Without getting too explicit, I"ll just say about myself, that I'll let you know in a few months or so how that all works out.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by mbyron

If my facial hair's like this, can I advance?

No, but if it's like this, your odds are a helluva lot better...

I'm not sure whether the headband is illegal or not though.....

[mbyron]

Good point, JR. And you're right to worry about the headband.

I wonder about my suspenders, though?

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

No, but we have regulations concerning anything that fugly. We don't use officials that make small children cry and the townspeople break out the torches and pitchforks.

HEY - I was framed, I tell ya.

[NewNCref]

Originally Posted by MichaelVA2000

Why are you not clean shaven for softball as you are for basketball?

For softball, I umpire with many guys with facial hair, and no one has ever said anything about it. For basketball, I can't think of many people with facial hair.

And JRut was right earlier. There are several African-American guys in our association, many of whom call varsity games, who have facial hair. This does just seem to be a hang-up of Caucasian persons.

[som44]

I have a goatee and I wear glasses..does not seem to bother anyone..maybe I am just lucky and the people in NH overlook those things- nice to live in the
"Live Free or Die" State