Dressing to go to a game
 

We all wear similar uniforms to work the game. How do you dress before going to work a game?

I only work varsity games. I have a pretty standard dress for before hand -- khakis, dress shoes, button down shirt or nice sweater. Other officials here in Wisconsin will wear jeans and sweatshirts and pretty much anything. No "official" code here, but my football crew wears no jeans, etc. either. We feel we're being "evaluated" the second we arrive, so dressing nice helps.

Interested to see what others wear to the gym/field, etc.

Same casual attire for me, slacks, button down/polo shirt & dress shoes (even for weekend games).
Hopefully by "looking the part" upon arrival, participants will develop a professional perception about me.

My dress code is more or less the same. I go under the impression that we're evaluated from the moment we arrive at a game site, until the time we get in our car and leave, which includes attire, arrival time, and attitude (3 A's...maybe I'm onto something here).

Attire: If you're a parent or AD, would you be more impressed to see an official arrive in work attire (khaki pants, dress shirt, etc) or sweatpants and a t-shirt?
Arrival time: I try to arrive to my high school contests at least 1 hour before tipoff, 45 minutes at the latest...
Attitude: Do you think ADs or coaches care if you just had the worst day at work? They want to see that you're focused on the most important thing to them at the moment - the game they're about to play.

We're also being evaluated by our fellow officials, particularly if you've never worked with them before. I've worked with guys that show up in sweatpants. I've worked with guys that show up 15 minutes before game time, shake my hand, and ask if there's anything I want to go over before we start. No? Ok, let's get going then...

Nothing wrong with a little professionalism, and dress code is certainly 1 of the items on my checklist.

For Tournaments I wear the standard nice shirt,nice shoes, and a sports jacket. For a regular season game I wear a tie, dress pants,nice shoes and a jacket.. In my Assoc. of 300 refs I'm pretty much considered the best dressed, though I never made that list of best dressed people. :rolleyes:

Around these parts it doesn't seem to hurt people who dress however they want,but it definetly helped me by dressing the part of a professional.

Dressing nice can only help you as an official I am also a firm believer in having a luggage bag with wheels...not a gym bag you throw over your shoulder.

Do you use the same one for football as basketball? I do. Every year after my football season ends, it becomes a basketball bag and vice versa.

For the most part....Khakis or dress slacks....polo or button down oxford shirt & sweater...sometimes an association polo or sweater....dress loafers....BUT....when the weather's not the greatest....I'll adapt with sensible and practical wear to battle the elements! Most folks are happy we even get to game sites....regardless if we're in jeans....boots....sweater...1/4 zip fleece shirt (w/WIAA logo or association logo), etc.

Hey let's be practical and reasonable! Making good first impressions is the CODE....but "stupid" can also be read by folks too! ;)

PEACE!

Concur with above. First impressions mean a lot.

Our association's minimum dress code is business casual - No Jeans, no sneakers, no sandals, no sweat suits.

In my experience (sub-varsity) - those who do show up for a game in uniform or "dressed down" are the same one's who don't really look at this as a profession - i.e, how they look in their uniform, when they show up for a game (10/15 min early), don't care about pre-games, relaxed signals, don't hustle as much, etc.

How is this enforced? Depends on your Association.

Just my $.02.

I wear a nice pair of pants, a nice polo shirt (turtlenecks) at the very least, and dress shoes. Usually the shirts I wear have some type of logo with an association name on it or the shirt has the IHSA on them. This is what I wear for all varsity games where I know I can take a shower afterwards. There are some places that I cannot take a shower or the dressing room is a mess, so I might wear much more casual attire.

Lower level games I wear whatever is comfortable, because in many cases you cannot take a shower or they put in a place you might not have a lot of room.

Peace

I wear whatever I wore to work in the morning; sometimes a suit and tie but most times a little more casual. If I know I am going to a gym with no changing room or tight quarters, I might change into my pants ahead of time. I've done that rarely over the years.

Our association expects varsity officials to wear "business attire" like a button down shirt and sport coat. Most of our officals adhere to that policy. We also change back to our street clothers before leaving the gym, even if there is no shower available. I wonder if anyone has a policy on dress after the game?

I have a leather bag for my uniform, etc. With all of the inclement weather, I have seen people trying to wheel in their suitcases, but often they are dragging them through the slush. The bag works for me.

I usually dress 'business casual' to games. Some guys wear jeans to Saturday games, but I try to be consistent.

Me too. It helps that I wear business casual to work. But I'll change prior to leaving work on Fridays (we wear jeans at work on Fridays).

Down here in the great state of Mississippi there are zero high school gyms with showers and even a few JUCO schools without. For that reason, I go wearing something comfortable.

Dress To Impress ...
 

Over 28 years, the standards of my local board regarding dress have changed with the times. We went from a jacket and tie, to just a tie, to no tie, what can best described as "business casual". It was hard for me to give up the tie. I will occasionally wear a tie to a prep school game. Many of our officials wear a vest, or a sweater, with our IAABO board logo embroidered on the front. How you dress can impact your peer ratings, and thus your ranking, and your schedule, level, and number of games, the following year.

For HS games I typically wear docker type pants or nice jeans, a nice oxford cloth shirt, and add a sweater in cooler weather. Sometimes I'll have a blazer or leather jacket. I use a garmet bag and carry a smaller athletic bag. If I'm working a MS game in town, which is seldom, I jusy go dressed wearing my jacket. It's 3 minutes from home.

Learned This The Hard Way, Dressing In Bathrooms ...
 

Me too. Most middle schools don't have proper dressing facilities.

I'm in the group of wearing what I wear to work, business casual - no jeans ever.

Now for the Saturday morning kids games it's uniform with OHSAA jacket. No place to change before or after.

I work Volleyball also and many of those officials I work with walk in with complete uniforms on including shoes. Right from the street. It just seems strange for me as I dress similar for volleyball as I do for basketball. I always change into my game shoes for volleyball as well.

So are u saying that anyone who shows up dressed down and ready to go is a slacker official. that they have no appreciation for the game

Basketball always khakis, dress shoes, etc. Never jeans for basketball. For football, I have worn khaki shorts and tennis shoes in early season games. I've also worn jeans. Just less people around and you don't have to sit through a JV game with the rest of the crowd.

I do have a 'over the shoulder' duffel bag but my next piece will be a roller bag I think.

I won't speak for grunewar, but this varies.

First of all, he didn't say anyone. He said his experience has shown a correlation between the two groups.

Second, it's a regional thing. Those officials who work at gyms without adequate changing rooms are stuck; this could vary as much by area as it does by level. Around here, I would never consider going to a hs game in uniform. On top of that, the assigner sent an email out to everyone recently reminding them as much.

Other areas may not view this as nearly as big a deal; and it may be the norm to show up to even a varsity game with the uniform on.

I am also a OHSAA volleyball official and a work PAVO matches, where in PAVO you must change. Another official and I who also works the same as me discusses this all the time that in OHSAA that you should come in as we do in basketball. But most OHSAA schools in my area would laugh at you if you asked for a changing room in my area.
I do change my shoes once I get there though.

As for basketball: dress pants/shoes, polo or dressy shirt for JH and above, I dress the same for all because all games matter.

Just to clarify, the reason some of us do it differently for JH games is not because we think they don't matter. It's because the facilities simply are not provided.

Nah, thats not what I ment, I mean there is some in Ohio that have good changing rooms and people could change and don't, thats what I was meaning.

Something to go with this, I hate it when I show up at a JH game ready to go with my jacket on and the other official gets there and says to me "Others officials in this league don't wear or bring their jackets for this league so I don't bring mine".
I hate this if you wear it for a JV then wear it for a JH.

Maybe, but jh is level where you get a lot of officials who don't have jackets. I always brought mine just in case, but never thought it was a big deal either way.

This is something that I address when making the confirmation phone call to partner(s) the day before JH games. ETA, jacket, type of shirt (grey or stripes), shorts/pants, etc.

This is what I love about having access to partner information prior to the games. When I was working in Des Moines, we didn't know who our partner was until we got to the game.

What I am saying is, most (a lot, a high percentage) of my partners who show up for a game in uniform, or in sweats, or in jeans and often right before the game knowing this is not the Association policy, simply don't care about their image, professionalism, moving up, progressing in the game as much as those who show up and do what they are asked to do by the Association.

Again, my experience - yours may be different.

Just depends. Jeans are fine if they are nice (not faded or ripped) and worn with a sweater and casual shoes rather than a sweatshirt and running shoes as mentioned. On tournament days and weekends, we will often wear nice sweats.

There doesn't seem to be any real dress code here. I've started dressing nicer this year, trying to more actively cultivate a professional image. It doesn't matter how inconspicuous I try to be, folks can always tell I'm a ref. It must be the bag. ;) Normally I'm in Dockers and a nice polo shirt. I have a nice looking, but inexpensive, pair of rubber-soled dress shoes. So I don't mind if I have to tramp through knee deep snow to get to the gym. I think it's more professional to dress at the game site, unless it's a JH. I've had one too many painful experiences with that.

But jeans seem to be just as acceptable here, and how my partner dresses hasn't usually been an indication of how the game will go. Well, unless he comes "dressed" to a HS game. Those guys turn out to be "interesting" partners a pretty high percentage of the time.

Volleyball is totally different. We all come dressed to our matches. Just a different culture.

His word were thoes who do show up dressed down ARE the same ones who bla bla. Sounds like a blanket statement to me. I would try to avoid thoes since u are speaking to such a varied group in varied locations. Just me. Thats all I was getting at. I think u should dress the part also, nice pants and shirt, good shoes. What looks more profesional than your uniform however. Hard to look better than u do an the court unless u don't like the threads. I'm just ranting. Not much sleep since child #3 came out on Monday

And I stick by my statement - based on my experience I believe there is a correlation .

Congrats on your new arrival!! Good luck!

Well maybe someday we can work together and I'll come dressed down and help change your mind a little. Just a little. This is daughter #3 so I will need the luck. Thanks. Someone has to have girls otherwise where would we be. (I know that's a can of worms):)

I think he's right. My experience has also shown a correlation.

Congratulations.

dress professionally
 

Business Casual at the least

I'm having real trouble picturing an area where its the norm to show up for a V game in uniform.

After thinking about it, I have worn a very nice black reebok windsuit with a white mock turtleneck on occasion early in the season.
It also sometimes depends upon the facilities in a specific school or sometimes the weather conditions. I remember one night that it was so cold I wore long underwear, jeans, a very heavy turtleneck and insulated boots to walk through the snow and ice and howling wind that night. I slid alot driving home in a blowing snow. I remember it well because it was the night my son won his wrestling match in quadruple overtime.

He Was Home Reviewing The 2009 Croquet Rule Revisions ...
 

Well, we know for sure that Mark Padgett was not the official at that match.

Picture my area.

Very rarely will I ever change for a jh games/games, only if coming from work. I'd guess 99% of officials for JH games come dressed. Time is the factor along with no place to change.

For varsity it varies, but I always think about what I'm wearing.

Black rolling bag always for varsity.

dress for success
 

I dress for future success. Since your always making a first impression on someone , dress business casual at the minimum.

Agreed, I've never heard of such an area. I'm just acknowledging it's possible.

It's been my experience that others tend to ignore those of us who go to varsity games in uniform.

ROTFLOL! Sorry, dude. Didn't mean it. :D

Don't know why that would happen. Just curious do you go dressed because of necessity, convenience, or is it just your preference?

Never really thought much about it. It's just the way everybody in my association does it 90+ % of the time. I do prefer this personally. I sometimes take another shirt to change into after the games, but most times not even that. When I do have business elsewhere on the way to the game, I will simply take my uniform with me and change on the way somewhere. I see it all as a
non-issue.

Good Advice, Except For Lion Feeding ...
 

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do"
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. 2002
When visiting a foreign land, follow the customs of those who live in it. It can also mean that when you are in an unfamiliar situation, you should follow the lead of those who know the ropes.

The proverb is often attributed to Saint Ambrose, whose advice to Saint Augustine read: "Si fueris Romae, Romano vivito more; si fueris alibi, vivito sicut ibi" ('When you are in Rome live in the Roman style; when you are elsewhere live as they live elsewhere'). St. Ambrose, quoted in St. Augustine Letters, "quando hic sum, non ieiuno sabbato; quando Romae sum, ieiuno sabbato", "when I am here i.e. Milan, I do not fast on Saturday; when I am in Rome, I fast on Saturday".

Also:
"Whan tho herd hat Rome Do so of ther the dome" (when you are at Rome do as they do there).
(Modern Philology (1940))
"That which is commonly in euery mans mouth in England Whan you art at Rome, do as they do at Rome".
(1552 R. Taverner)
"My advice to you is among the Romans, do as the romans do".
(1766 in L. H. Butterfield)
"Do at Rome as the Romans do,’ is the essence of all politeness".
(1836 E. Howard Rattlin the Reefer)
‘I thought the English never bothered about protocol?’ ‘When in Rome, however, we do as the Romans do.’
(1960 N. Mitford Don't tell Alfred)
"One woman stationed there (Saudi Arabia) who purports to be comfortable with the rules said, ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do.’ But how far does that go? To feeding the lions?"
(2001 Washington Post 8 Dec.)

Curious, are you provided a dressing room at the varsity level?

Sometimes I wonder if the emphasis on coming in business casual isn't to perpetuate the reason for a dressing room; which also provides us with needed privacy before and after the games.

We always have someplace to go, most often a coach's office.

What would be your maximum?

I would never come dressed in my uniform. They are going to give me an office or something private. If this cannot happen, then I will not work there. And considering all the rain, snow and other weather, how can you keep your uniform clean when you have crap all over it in the first place?

Peace

Mr. Blackwell Is Smiling From The Red Carpet In The Sky ...
 

Black tie?

We don't have crap in our rain and snow here. Sounds like some kind of weird localized ecological problem.

It's an Illinois thing. Most blame the governor.

And Dirty Rain Too ...
 

Don't they have a motto in the "Land Of Lincoln", "Get dirty snow on you early, get dirty snow on you often."?

et Tu, Brute . . .
 

[QUOTE=BillyMac;562092]"When in Rome, do as the Romans do"

Or, for our Shishmaref ref buddy, "When in Nome, do as the Nomans do."

I do not wear a uniform to a game much more than weather considerations. It looks stupid to me and looks like anyone can walk off the street and work the game (which you have not proven to people that do not know you by doing this). When you give that impression, people treat you that way as well.

Peace

It looks stupid to show up to officiate wearing an official's uniform.

O K



Actually, pretty much anyone can walk off the street and call the game. Look at, well, yourself, for example.:D If you feel that you need to be dressed a certain way to make a certain impression, I suggest you continue to do so. I am glad not to be in an area with such restrictions, whether real or imagined.

Common sense would have you not be dressed in your uniform prior to arrival. Many end up eating or drinking on the way to the game and spilling food on your uniform would not be a good way to show up at game sites. And with all of the crazies out there, being dressed in your uniform on the way out to your car is not a good idea. The only exception I can think of is if your day job is at Foot Locker and you go straight from work to the game site.

Guys who show up dressed for the game are generally viewed as guys who will spend as little time as possible there and grab their checks and go. That seems to be the common view and there must be a reason for it.

That said, showing up to do a bunch of AAU games usually has a different protocol.

So, apparently, does working in different regions.

I see this like belted pants. 90% of the areas, it's a no-no. In some areas, it's the norm. If it's the norm, do it. If it's against the norm, don't do it if you want to move up.

That's what I will need to deal with NEXT season. Here, about half the officials have beltless. I prefer belted to avoid Welmering up my game. Guess I will give the flex belt another go to see how that works.

Sorta like Smittys vs Lanyards.

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.

Need a spokesman?
 

Love 'em! Although, I just have 1 packing folder (18) but it keeps 2 pair of pants & 3 shirts wrinkle free. I keep my jacket folded in the original plastic. Great buy IMO.

Did you buy it here in town or on line?

Bought it from the link in post #76.

So you're saying it was well worth the $25. I may have to get one.

Yes, I like the fact that it's keeps my gear seperate from all the other things in my suitcase. On top of that, it holds everything wrinkle-free & in place to & from games.

Is the 18 big enough to include the jacket too?

I got the 18 based on it fitting into my suitcase. I carry the small overnight type. I pack my jacket in it's original plastic, but depending on how many shirts/pants you carry, I'm positive it would fit nicely into packing folder.

Since the subject came up again, thought I'd put it back in the proper thread.
I have games today, 20 minutes from my home. I have nothing else to do today. Why would I possibly want to get dressed here, drive to the school, and change again when I get there?

Varsity?

yes

Can't speak for you, but I would always change at the school because:

1. I dont want to get my gear dirty/wrinkled on the way.

2. I don't wear my indoor shoes outdoors.

3. Looks really professional.

But that's just me...

Is there another game before or after?

In our area:

1) Schools have places for us to change, and most importantly

2) We are specifically told by our Assignor NOT to arrive for games dressed in uniform (again, I understand it is regional based on situation, weather, etc).

So, IMO, in my area, if I want to stay in the good graces of my Assignor and hopefully progress, one of my ciriteria is probably - do I do what I'm told/asked - it's that simple to me.

To take it one step further - if I should: not do what I am told/asked, not get to games early, not attend meetings, not attend training when I can, not wear my uniform properly (jacket/patches), etc., then it says something about me (the person and the ref) and I should accept what is given/what I get.

In the Army, we called it "the 100% Soldier concept." You are not measured on one criteria - but many together. And, it all says something about you. JMO

4. If I want to watch a previous or following game, I'd rather not do it in uniform.

5. If I want to stop for a G2, for gas, for fast food, or to take a piss, I'd rather not be wearing stripes.

I've answered why I would want to do it my way. Grunewar makes another point that doesn't affect you; it's how we're directed to do it around here. Frankly, it's how I've always been directed to do it (three different metro areas in the past 4 seasons.)

Honestly, you're the first official I've ever heard of who says his area does it your way as a general rule. I'd be curious to see where you officiate, but I recognize the value of anonymity on here.

Actually, it's 3 games. JV, then 2 varsity. We have all 3.

Rich:

I really haven't been following this thread, but I do know one thing, I wear clothes to my games, :D.

Happy New Year!!

MTD, Sr.

Oh okay, you all do a few things quite different where you call. Triple-headers are rarely worked here, especially when you're ending on a varsity game. They tend to want us fresh for their "main event".

Sounds like great pay for a days work though! Enjoy your games today, I can't wait to work another game. Off since 12/21 :(

Another reason not to wear one's uniform to/from a game. I realize not all sites provide a shower, but damn if I'm going to wear my gear home after three games, even if "only" 20 minutes away.

I think it looks better to dress nicely.
 

I always like to stay and watch the varsity game after my game. I think it gives a better impression after the game to be dressed up while sitting in the stands. I also have found that the varsity officials are more likely to answer questions or give me feed-back about my game when I am dressed in buisness casual attire.

I can't believe there have been 96 posts on where people get dressed!:confused:

I will assume there were many people sitting at home during the holiday with not much to do. ;)

Peace

I resemble that remark.

My mistake. It wasn't 3 games. It was 4. When we arrived, the JV coach met us at the door. We're gonna play boys and girls JV games. Is that ok?
Well........ We negotiated it down to 10 minute halves for the JV's. Wait, theres more. JV boys play first, and go into overtime. Swell. Under a minute in overtime, it's still tied. Visitors shooting free throws. I said "Fellas, I honestly don't care who wins, but I want somebody to." He missed both.
Home goes down and scores 2. Visitors turn it over. Home has it with less than 15 seconds. Visitors steal and have a 2 on none. But, V1 misses the layup. V2 all alone for the follow. He tries to stuff it in, misses and does a chin-up on the rim. Easy T. Meanwhile home has an injured player. While he is helped off, V coach asks in the most meek voice you ever heard, "You're not gonna let that decide the game?" I realized he meant the T.
"Coach, you know he can't do that." He had the open palms thing going. "But not to decide the game." But the drama was not over. H1 missed both shots on the T. H inbounds. Another quick foul. H2 shooting 1&1 with 1.6 on the clock. He misses the front end, V1 rebounds, and H3 came close to fouling him.

But look at all the fun we had.