Yeah I think it was decided on a whim at one of the early association meetings. The president just sort of blurted it out and people started looking at each other wondering if that's what he really said - gray shirts mandatory for varsity. They they repeated it at the next meeting, and it was done. It is purely an association thing. It worked out well - everyone had grays at all my varsity games. I always packed both shirts just in case. It looks sharp.

I was not asking because I care, I am asking because I was curious as to why it was so important to have a shirt with a flag and not with one. Honestly what you do is up to you, but I am not bringing a shirt with a flag anyway nor care if my partner wears one. Matching shirts is the least of my concern.

Peace

I quit bothering with the flagless shirt once I realized that everyone here has one. The benefit of living in a military town.

I do not think it always has to deal with military towns or even focus. For example no one even wore a flag on the shirt in my state (and it was not policy to do so) until the 9-11 events. That happened during football season and everyone ran out and got a flag on their shirt as we were given the option to wear one. By the time basketball season came around nearly over 2 months later it was a hit and miss kind of thing. Actually I rarely see officials to this day wear flags for basketball officiating. It is still very common in football, where as if an official did not wear a flag it would be noticed. And there was a period of time where officials tried to match, but I never put a flag on my shirts because I did not want to mess up a shirt by putting on another patch and hardly use the shirt. Then I soon got over matching as it is often a silly exercise when no one but us cares either way. So I stopped caring and just use plain shirts other than the state patch we must wear. Even in college games I have no patch on any of my shirts.

Peace

I don't see the point other than patriotism. I mean if your in NC obviously you are in the United States officiating. If your calling in France I could see where the flag could come in handy

When I was in Iowa (post 9-11), it wasn't overwhelmingly common from my experience. Here, it is. I can't say for sure if the difference is the fact that it's a military town, as my previous area wasn't a mil town and it was just as ubiquitous. That was as much of a "God and Country" area, though, for folks on both sides of the aisle (I mention that only to note patriotism isn't considered a political issue here so much as I noticed it as such in Des Moines outside of the officiating community).

The state patch is just as idiotic, far as I'm concerned. We don't have one here. I like having no patch on a shirt at all.

I agree with you, BTW, but we always have tried to match flag or no flag. Maybe I'll give that up at some point.

I'm going to disagree with you Rich, as it shows you're properly licensed, otherwise any chooch can go to Dick's, buy a shirt and start 'reffing' which some do on maverick park district stuff. It's very noticable here if you don't have a patch. Another patch of pride is a state final patch which the lucky ones wear and it's also worn with pride. The IHSA in Illinois is a very large and strong association which requires a few things to become licensed. It may sound corny, but I'm proud to wear that patch.

If you've got chucklheads buying shirts and reffing, there's nothing to stop them from getting an IL state patch on their shirt.

The last time I wore a shirt without the IAABO patch (I was matching my unpatched partner in a JV game), some stiff in the stands yelled out, "go back to school and get your patch!" It made me laugh.

I disagree with Rich and agree with full completely. And if we really want to be honest, wearing a flag on an official’s uniform is very inappropriate. We are not governmental employees and we are not in the military. And half the time we have a flag on the uniform you get into a debate as to which way the stars are going on the flag in relationship to the front of the jersey. At least the state patch represents something from the state and is appropriate for what we are doing. Let governmental people wear the flag. I am not representing the country by working a high school basketball game (or any other sport for that matter).

It is so noticed that when I have worked AAU games (which it is not required to wear any patch) in this state, I have been accused of not being a licensed official. :eek:

I also agree with the pride thing, because you often see IHSA officials in NF publications wearing their state patch. The current patch is not as big as it used to be and does not stand out that much, but if you do not wear one everyone seems to notice.

Peace

It sounds corny. Sorry. The barrier to entry just isn't that great to warrant a patch. I had a drawer full of them (the IHSA kept sending them when I was a reciprocal official and I kept throwing them in a drawer, but I gave them to someone).

Six years of being a reciprocal official and nobody ever asked about my lack of a patch. I sure wasn't putting one on for the 8-10 games a season I'd work, mostly around the holidays.

Do you remember the wrist bands that the IHSA had for a season or two right after 9-11? I had bought one, but I only think I ever wore it in one game when both of my partners were wanting to wear it. It just felt out of place for me. I don't even like the feeling of an extra whistle in my back pocket.

So it trying to wear the exact same shirt because one person does not have a flag or not. Just saying. :D

Peace

I don't disagree. I was just saying that it's a thing we (my regular partners) do. I wouldn't think less of guys who didn't. Personally, I would have no flags at all, but I had a partner who made a big deal out of it. He's out of the picture, now, so I'll probably never buy another flag patch. It's an unnecessary expense, IMO.