Official's Facial Hair

[MichaelVA2000]

Originally Posted by NewNCref

On a personal note, I have a beard every day of the year, except for basketball season. No one has ever told me during preseason meetings to shave, but I just always do. It may not help me get any varsity games, but it sure can't hurt.

Do you officiate any other sports?

[JRutledge]

There is no hard and fast rule about facial hair, but there might be some personal preferences of a particular assignor. And for the record I see a lot of officials have facial hair work basketball. If you are African-American, facial hair is very common and accepted. I think this is a hang up of white people for some reason.

Peace

[tomegun]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

There is no hard and fast rule about facial hair, but there might be some personal preferences of a particular assignor. And for the record I see a lot of officials have facial hair work basketball. If you are African-American, facial hair is very common and accepted. I think this is a hang up of white people for some reason.

Peace

I think Rut is talking about mustaches in particular. If so, this is also an unwritten rule concerning officers in the Military. It isn't a bad thing for an African American to have a mustache, but sort of frowned upon for others. I don't know why this is; it seems kind of stupid to me.

As far as beards and officiating go, it isn't anything specific, but it is there. I think the same applies to certain hair styles too.

[Mark Padgett]

Gee, this guy had a mustache. BTW - his name is Dr. James Naismith. Seriously, since when did facial hair result in an inability to use good judgment?

[WhistlesAndStripes]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Gee, this guy had a mustache. BTW - his name is Dr. James Naismith. Seriously, since when did facial hair result in an inability to use good judgment?

I wonder how the laces being on the outside of the ball like that affected dribbling.

[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!

[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..

[NewNCref]

Originally Posted by MichaelVA2000

Do you officiate any other sports?

Yes, softball.

[Adam]

Our assigner has a handle-bar mustache, and maybe two guys have goatees (one is African American, and one is caucasian).

I had a goatee a few games last year, but for the most part I'm clean shaven when I ref (I can't wear a goatee for more than a month at a time anyway due to Air Force regulations.)

[MichaelVA2000]

Originally Posted by NewNCref

Yes, softball.

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

[DonInKansas]

I've worn a goatee pretty much non-stop since I was 18(11 years now), and have never had it be an issue in officiating(baseball 10 years, basketball starting this year). Then again, I've never been part of an association, as there hasn't been any associations in the areas I've worked in.

[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

[inigo montoya]

I had my goatee before I met wife and she would be pissed if I shaved it. It also makes me to look old enough to be possibly respectable - and without it I probably still look too young to be taken seriously. It is possible to be neatly-groomed and professional, and still have facial hair.

I also wear glasses. If I had to pick between wearing contacts, where something could happen at any second to cause me to be unable to see (even momentarily) and wearing the glasses, I would pick the eyeglasses. I've only ever heard one fan comment - "he already has glasses, so THAT'S not the problem" - but I don't know how coaches or the leaders of my association feel.

I'm not doing varisty yet, but I'm reasonably sure at this point that's a product of many things completely unrelated to my grooming habits (experience, skill, lack of attendance at association training camp, no field clinic yet). If it eventually keeps me out of varisty games, then so be it. I can live with it.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by inigo montoya

I've only ever heard one fan comment - "he already has glasses, so THAT'S not the problem"

Davism for glasses remarks:

"Hey ref - want to borrow my glasses?"

"Why? They're not doing you any good."