He's got legs, he knows how to use them ...

[Mark Padgett]

The spring league I'm working on weekends requires us to wear black shorts with black socks. I asked if we could wear black sweats instead of shorts (I lose more weight per game that way) and was told they would "prefer" shorts, so that's what I'm doing.

I have three pair of black shorts I can use for this. When I bought them years ago, I made sure they have pockets (including a back pocket for a handkerchief) because I know that in these rec leagues, it's to the officials advantage to keep possession. While some guys use a band on their wrists for that, I prefer to move something from one front pocket to the other. I've been using a chapstick for quite some time and it works well.

As I've posted previously, I used to use a Hickory Farms beefstick, but I'd get weird looks from female coaches whenever I'd move it. The hot moms were impressed, however.

[AKOFL]

White socks with black shoes? Or do you run with different shoes?

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Isn't that the case with most of them? I have several pair with a Nike logo on them. Then again I get the joke.

Peace

I used a Sharpie on my Nike swooshes, but the coverall only worked for a couple of wash cycles. As long as they aren't black shorts with white racing stripes, people aren't going to care all that much if that is the dress code for the tournament.

[DLH17]

I've done AAU ball a few times the last couple of summers....standard gear is an athletic looking pair of black Nike shorts that go to or just above the knee, black low top Nike's (a lot of guys wear their Shox) and black socks (preferably no show or ankle). White socks with all black shoes makes a guy look at least a decade older than he is. In my case, the late 40's/early 50's. Not the image I want to project since I'm already balding on the crown of my coconut.

I'm with Rutledge...avoid the trap of wearing the shorty shorts with accompanying belt/loops.

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by AKOFL

White socks with black shoes? Or do you run with different shoes?

I've seen the white socks with black shoes combination many times.

I actually had one supervisor use this in his camp instructions - black shorts are fine, with white socks and black shoes. Now, I was one of the ones that thought black socks look better with black shoes, but since the instructions specified, and I had a bunch of white socks, that's what I wore. As it turned out, the supervisor used that to see who could follow instructions, and downgraded people who wore something different than what was written.

So I learned that it's important to follow instructions, no matter how trivial they may seem to me. If someone says to wear a certain item, that's what I do. If they tell me they don't care, than neither do I.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by 26 Year Gap

I used a Sharpie on my Nike swooshes, but the coverall only worked for a couple of wash cycles. As long as they aren't black shorts with white racing stripes, people aren't going to care all that much if that is the dress code for the tournament.

This is really surprising to me. I have been too many camps or situations where we wear black shorts and I have never been told that the shorts could not have a logo on them (as this is almost impossible to find in the first place) or that you could not have even significant amounts of white on their shorts. I have even known guys to have several white stripes on the shorts and no one cared as long as the shorts were black (if they really cared about that in the first place). I would never have even thought to mark out a logo in any situation. That is just as interesting as it shows how different places are. I could maybe understand this a little at a camp, but not at all at a summer league. I have seen guys were white shoes in summer league games. Everything else is worn as normal.

Peace

[bradfordwilkins]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

That is just as interesting as it shows how different places are.

In almost EVERY New York city summer league (or tournaments as they're called here), black shorts (sometimes with the logo of the park i.e. West 4th St, IS8) sometimes w/ a nike logo or sometimes plain black)...

Or we wear our blue nike shorts with our Pro-AM shirts.

But the one consistent is white socks with black shoes.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I have been too many camps or situations where we wear black shorts and I have never been told that the shorts could not have a logo on them (as this is almost impossible to find in the first place)

As I said above, I have three pair of black shorts I wear for rec leagues. Two have no logo and one has an Adidas logo. I make sure I don't wear that pair when I ref in Beaverton, because the odds are pretty good the coaches (and a lot of the parents) might work at Nike. I don't want them to think I'm a spy.

In fact, I think there's a city ordinance in Beaverton that you can't wear a competitive company's logo on a city street, which is weird, because Nike's World Campus (that's what they call their corporate HQ) is actually outside the city limits and there's been an ongoing "fight" between the city of Beaverton and Nike about getting them annexed - in fact, Nike got the Oregon state legislature to pass a special bill to make them exempt from annexation!

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

(Apologies to ZZ Top)

In the past my local IAABO board only assigned AAU games when the games were in conjunction with our local camp. Now our board is assigning AAU games for several tournaments over the next few months. I plan on working games in these tournaments for several reasons: get in some running, stay on top of my game, see some of my buddies that I don't normally see in the off season, and make a few bucks.

Problem. Since, other than camps, I have never worked spring, or summer, ball, I don't own a nice pair of black shorts for officiating. I always wore long pants for the camps. Does anyone have a suggestion, or a link, to where I can purchase a few pairs of black officiating shorts? They can be belted, or beltless. I take pride in my appearance, and always like to look professional, so I don't just want to run down to our local sporting goods store and buy a pair of black running shorts.

Another silly question. With black officiating shorts, do I wear black socks, or white socks?

I've worked in shorts every year for the past 10 at a tournament out of town.

Each year we talk about this and every year it's agreed that white socks look better.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

If someone says to wear a certain item, that's what I do.

OK - I want you to work your next game wearing this uniform.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

OK - I want you to work your next game wearing this uniform.

While I certainly don't have the legs for that uniform, I am willing to work with this official.

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

OK - I want you to work your next game wearing this uniform.

...sigh...ok, but since you're talking about that specific uniform, I gotta take it off her first. The sacrifices I go through for this avocation...

OK, now let me edit slightly:

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

If someone in charge says to wear a certain item, that's what I do.

[Judtech]

It is a good thing to dark out a manufacturer logo. One year I worked a tourney sponsored by adidas, was amused by all of the guys/gals wearing NIKE shorts with the logo very visible. Since I stopped at the Reebok outlet store, I took a marker to my $10 shorts. Couldn't do anything about the asics shoes though, except darken the silver like normal.
As for socks, I wear a black ankle brace on the right and I wear sox that are running socks that are white and black. You can find them out there. I figure this way I have the bases covered and it doesn't accentuate the ankle brace.
Some tournaments I wear my Borat mankini/speedo outfit, but that is only once a year...........
Google Search

[GoodwillRef]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Do everyone a favor and wear shorts that are long. Do not buy those ugly coaching shorts (I do not know what you mean by officiating shorts BTW anyway).

Also wear white socks, it looks better and you do not look corny.

Peace

Thanks for the white socks comment...so many guys where I live think black socks with shorts look good...no they don't!!!!

[GoodwillRef]

Originally Posted by 26 Year Gap

Some AAU, like the tournaments that Disney runs, require us to be in full uniform. Many others allow shorts. I have some black Nike shorts that have pockets. Some want us with white socks. Some want black socks. But they are the short socks, not the 'normal' length socks. I would ask the assignors what the proper dress is for each tournament.

And leave the fishnets at home. Unless you have a night game.

The Tournaments at Disney are all AAU National Tournaments and they require you to wear the full uniform. I am attending a womens camp there in July and we actually have to bring along our CCA jackets.