This guy wanted to join our board, but...
 

...he misunderstood about patches.
http://www.centerstagecostumes.com/I...e_Eyepatch.JPG

Count me in as one who wore the ugly patches. Mostly because I found the whole patch thing and "Pursuing Victory with Honor" as worthless. It wasn't about the $27. IMO, the embriodered shirts were only incrementally better looking than the patches.

Every Game ...
 

In Vermont, we order our shirts with the IAABO logo on the left chest and an American flag patch centered on the back right below the collar.

Also, we have the option of two shirt styles: traditional black/white stripes and grey with black pin-stripes.

Any other states have the option of different shirt styles?

Devil's Advocate ...
 

For your information:

U.S. Flag Code (4 US Code 1)
Sec. 8. - Respect for flag
(j) No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations.

That being said, my referee jersey has a flag patch on the back, I wear a flag patch on my laboratory coat at work every day, and I display the flag at home on every national, and state holiday, as well as every time a Connecticut soldier, sailor, airman, or marine, gets killed in Iraq, or Afghanistan, so far 41 flag displays:

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc...-utility-local

I think our association considers ourselves a patriotic organization. :D

The flag with gold trim is also supposed to be reserved for military purposes, isn't it?

Indiana requires the IHSAA patch on left sleeve for all Freshman level and higher.

You don't have to be licensed for JRHS but I suppose it doesn't hurt. I let my license lapse a couple years ago cause I wasn't working HS games but I'm going to retake the test next fall and get my patch again...

One time I heard some fan say about me, "He doesn't even have a patch on" ....I thought to myself, well...he's right but the guy I was workin with did and he was a first year guy and I'm not sure the patch made much difference! ;)

I still have a few shirts without the IAABO patch, and I try to match my partners when working lower level games. I remember hearing a fan yell at me to go back to school and get my patch. I wished I'd brought my patched shirt so I could have changed at half time. :)

What's to prevent any guy off the street from buying a uni and purporting to be a ref? In Illinois it's a red flag with no patch. And any high school game at any level where a ref shows up with no patch(I've never seen it) would be under extreme scrutiny from both school administration and fans.

The patch I don't have and can't buy is STATE FINAL OFFICIAL...

Speaking of patches, just because an official has one doesn't neccessarily mean he/she can officiate. It just simply means they passed a test!!

Working 7th grade a&b games yesterday, my partner comes in fully geared up (IAABO patch & flag on shirt) 2 minutes before tip-off. As I'm changing from my greys to stripes, because he doesn't own greys, I ask him why he's wearing a HS shirt for a MS game? He says so coaches & fans will know he's certified & capable of working the games!

So I'm L & 3 minutes into the game an airball by A3 (visitors) he rebounds his own miss, I got nothing crowd goes nuts, the T comes in with the AT&T travel violation.
Fan says, that's why he has the patch on his shirt.

Perception is reality?

Dude. Ouch! Did you talk to him about that later?

BTW, middle school wears grey shirts around here?

I tried speaking with him about that, as well as not tossing the jump with his volleyball whistle in mouth & how the T should blow the FT dead when it doesn't strike anything, but he wasn't too receptive as he kept looking in the spot where the patch should be on my shirt.

He claims to be looking forward to attending our local HS camp this summer :rolleyes:
Thank gawd!!

When is it? I might go.