I watch about a quarter from the stands. How would I do that wearing an officiating uniform without looking like a complete goober?

Are you kidding? This is your worry? You might spill food in your bag, or worse yet, drop your bag in a mud puddle. This will never happen to me.


Changing out of your uniform will not protect you from the crazies.

The common view shared by whom and what is the reason for it?

If an official prefers to dress at home rather than drive somewhere and then have to change upon arrival, (and sometimes the rival is damned uncooperative........sorry, just made that up) especially if there is doubt about the quality/privacy of the facilities, why would anybody take a negative view of this and automatically associate other negative qualities with it?

I can see where that could conceivably be an issue in some places. But, around here we often sit and watch entire games in uniform. It never struck me as a problem.

The only games we go to already dressed are JH games in one particular city which start at 3 p.m. right after school. No other schools do this around here. Our association has enough trouble finding enough people to cover these games, so they couldn't care less if you show up dressed or not to them.

As far as what we wear to the games, our association just says to look presentable. No cut off t-shirts, sandals, etc. Jeans and decent tennis shoes are perfectly acceptable here.

Different Is Not The Same As Wrong ...
 

Calm down guys. Read my post, #43, in this thread. Different states, boards, and associations, may have different customs. It doesn't make them wrong, just different. Our local IAABO board recently merged with a much smaller, non-IAABO board, and we noticed right away that we had different customs. Since they were the smaller board, and merged into our board, we had a few meetings in which our customs were explained to these officials. These customs included officials watching the other end of the varsity/junior varsity doubleheader, rating all officials that you've observed, attending meetings, and clinics, confirming games with schools, waiting in the parking lot for your partner's car to start, and, as we've been discussing, proper dress for games.

Different strokes for different folks.... because out here (Nor Cal) [more specifically the bay area] no officials come wearing "street/casual attire" everyone just comes ready to officiate 30-60 min prior to game time. Unless your working a state championship playoff game or a major contest.

Call me young, call me inexperienced, but like someone said in here "if in Rome do as the Romans do"

Based on what I have read here, it is much more than “my” area. It appears that professionalism is expected in a lot of areas.

If you worked more than JV schedule, you might see that the same things are required where you live too. I work college too (and officials come from multiple states and multiple jurisdictions) and it is expected throughout the places I have been or have never been to wear cloths that shows you are professional. And a big part of that professionalism is what you display before and after the game, in what you wear and how you behave. You are not just doing a game; you are doing an event where many people have a personal interest in the outcome. Just like people squabble over working games close to home, people expect similar things as to how you present yourself in and around that contest.

If I go to a job interview (of any kind), I might be qualified for the job, but I am not going to show up in jeans and a T-shirt. I do not know about you, but I do not see many people going for jobs in jeans and a T-shirt or their uniform of another job. Even when the job involves hands-on element to it, the smart people wear a suit which is not what I or many people expect from an official.

Not only was that the way I was raised, it is the professions I have been involved in and out of officiating.

I often tell people it is not always what you do on the court that gets you games, it is often the things you do not do that play a bigger role.

Peace

Last season, 95% of the officials in my area wore belted. I preferred the belted because they were cheaper. I could get a pair at Walmart for <$15. Now, I'm in an area where it's a career inhibitor, so I spent the $120 for 2 pair. Next year, I'll buy another plus a new shirt.

Professionalism has many different facets. I find it unprofessional for a member of the profession to label the customs of others as "stupid" on a public forum. It is even worse, I think, to punctuate the continued criticism with a derogatory comment about ones schedule, when you know absolutely nothing about that schedule.

Why? What if you carry your "gym bag" like a suitcase instead of throwing it over your shoulder?

Agreed. It's overly picky, IMO. It's another one of the Roman things. Do what most in your association do. If there's no consensus, do what you personally prefer.

Around here, I've seen rollers, large duffels, and garment bags. I'll probably buy a new roller for next year, mine has about had it.

I had a duffel bag for two years and liked it (but it was getting too small for all my crap). So, seeing many vets had the roller bags, I went to that this yr and don't particularly care for it (tough to keep my jacket free of wrinkles). I saw someone with a garment bag and his gear came out looking good, but it looked bulky and awkward.

As has been said, to each his/her own.

I have packing folders, one each for pants, sirt, and jacket. Keeps everything wrinkle free and slim.

I know you've done this before but can you give the web site where you bought them.

The best way to keep your jacket as nice as can be is to turn it inside out when removing it and fold it carefully. We wear our jackets until the middle of the player introductions and I just pull it off while holding onto the ends of the sleeves so it becomes inside out.

That way there's no dust and dirt on the outside of the jacket, too. This means I never have to wash the jacket. Since it's only on me for about 20 minutes and only pregame I can go years without washing it. Washing the jacket fades the jacket and make it look terrible.