Over the past few years I have witnessed more and more officials wearing jewelry. Is this accepted by various college conferences and high school boards? Or is it that some officials just don't even care about there apearance. The most noticeable piece of jewelry that I see is the gold chain around the neck. I am married and I don't wear my wedding ring during any games, all though this piece of jewelry I understand is accepted. I would like to know what are the jewelry rules for officials. Or can we as officials do a game with a "MR. T" starter kit on.

My college supervisors would rip several new holes into any official wearing jewelry (besides the wedding band)...players can't wear it, why should we???

I Agree!
 

Rocky,
But what about your high school boards, Do they accept this behavior from officials?

Our association does not allow jewelry. A wedding band is an exception, but I don't wear mine and have noticed that only a couple of our refs do wear their wedding band (and no, I don't have any knowledge that their marriages are better for it) :-)

Z

My HS board also frowns on it, but who's going to tell the D1 guys what to do? As far as wedding bands, I used to take mine off; but almost lost it one night, so now I wear it. But when I did the USBL games, they made it very clear that no jewelry at all was allowed. So I took it off for those games.

Chuck

To add to my previous comment, no my HS Assoc does not allow it either...we have several D-1 officials and they aren't allowed to wear it in HS games either...we did have one several years ago who made the comment "If I can't wear my necklace and earring, I won't do your games"...he doesn't do our HS games anymore...

What is good for them is good for you.
 

If the players cannot wear jewelry, why should we be able to wear jewelry? I also think it is a safety issue for both the officials and the players.

Peace

Re: What is good for them is good for you.
 

Rut,
So, you are remembering that earing with more frequency? ;)
mick

My association says other than wedding rings, no jewelry at all. I wear my wedding ring because it won't come off (boney knuckles). It hasen't been off in over 20 years.

Re: What is good for them is good for you.
 

While I agree that officials should not be wearing jewelry (with the exception of a wedding band), it is definitely not the same safety issue. How many refs have the opportunity to get their ring caught in the net or on a player's uniform. Not at all likely. Earrings could be a hazard if they are hit by the ball or collide with a player. A necklace is just bad taste, not likely to be dangerous. It simply looks bad. A simple wedding band should not be any issue.

Re: Re: What is good for them is good for you.
 

I do not wear them anymore. I have not put any earrings on in probably over a year. Between all the time that I officiate, I cannot find a time to wear them anymore. BTW, I am getting older and it is not as cool anymore either. ;) I guess turning 30 does that to ya. :D

Peace

I know that there are several D1 conferences that do not allow any jewelry including wedding bands. I figure if that is the way they do it, that is the way I'll do it.

I did not know that.
 

Man, I am glad I am not married. I might lose the ring. :D

Peace

<i> Man, I am glad I am not married. I might lose the ring.</i>

That would be cause for divorce. :-) I just put it on my key ring like it's a key during the game. Can't get home without it that way.

Z

I agree with the philosophy that if I ask/tell the players not to wear jewelry, I'm not going to either. I also think it looks much better without any jewelry.

I've taken to putting my watch and wedding band in the cupholder that slides in and out of my dash of my truck and closing it. I know where they are and they're safer than in my suitcase.

New ruling!
 

Religious medals may be worn under the uniform this year.

R4-5-6 now states " religious and medical alert medals are not considered jewelry.A religious medal must be taped and worn under the uniform.A medic alert medal must be taped and must be visible".

New CB play 3.5SitA defines it as "religious medals may be worn provided they are taped and worn under the uniform.Necklaces must also be taped and completely under the uniform".

The wedding band could definately be a medical and religious exemption:

If you come home not wearing it (or, even worse, wearing the wrong one), you'll be in need of a funeral!

Re: Re: Re: What is good for them is good for you.
 

Maybe that's when I lost it.
I know I ran outa cool a long time ago.

Re: Re: Re: What is good for them is good for you.
 

Rut: Not too sure about this. We have 3 officials (all over 40) that wear ear studs. They don't wear them in the game though. Personally, I think they look stupid on a guy no matter what his age. Both of my sons had them for about a month or so and gave them up. The younger son's ear lobe got infected -- scared the crap out of him.

OH regulates this for us so we don't have to worry about it.

Wedding bands, religious medals, and medic alert tags only.

Watches are out, unless they are used as a timepiece in the field/court.

I take my band off, it is a bit loose. I can see me pointing in a direction after an OOB, and it flying down court. That would not be easy to explain.

Re: Re: Re: Re: What is good for them is good for you.
 

I got my ears pierced at 17(13 years ago). I was just about to start college and get out of high school. Many of my peers did it and there was not many situations we could not wear them. Now as I am older, have a job, officiting responsiblity, there is not much time to wear them. Do not get me wrong, I would wear them if I could or when I could. I officiate so much and year round, it became a pain in the a$$ to keep taking them out. And I never wanted to buy expensive earrings because of the possiblity of being stolen.

Peace

Okay, here's a twist on this question. What about nail polish on officials (I'm talking females here). Any rules about that? No long nails, just polish. Camron, do you know the policy in the PBOA?

Don't know that I've ever seen or hear of one.

I would hope that if a person were to wear nail polish, it would not be "dramatic".

Official Wearing An Ankle Bracelet!
 

Now, this is a "first" for me so let me just spit this one out. I met up with an assigner and he had invited a few other officials to meet up with him and discuss their availability. When to my surprise one of the officials told me he had just finished doing a game and had rushed over to meet with the assigner. He had taken his referee shirt off and changed his sneakers, but was still wearing his referee game shorts. So I just glimpsed down at him, and to my surprise he was wearing a gold ankle bracelet. I then asked him does he take his ankle bracelet off when he is officiating games?,and he told me no. Now mind you, I had never seen a "man" with an ankle bracelet on in the first place, now to hear that he wears it during his games came as a shock to me. Just wondering is this a new style, or am I missing something here!

I have a fellow softball umpire who wears the ankle bracelet thingie all the time.
I asked him about it and it seems that the anklet was a joke gift from his daughter before some accident that happened.
He wears it religiously and refuses to take it off at all.
It is strange to me but it is a connection to his daughter that is vitally important to him.

Love2--

Are we talking inside the sock, or outside?

Personally, I never got used to spending a lot of time looking inside the socks of my partners.
What are you thinking, Jewel?

Re: Official Wearing An Ankle Bracelet!
 

Hey - I'm not one to disregard a court order, either! :D

Rainmaker, This Was Outside The Sock!
 

Because the weather was still warm, (I assume) this is probably why he was wearing a pair of those tube socks which fall a tad bit below the ankle area. I see where you may be going with this though, if the bracelet is underneath the sock and out of plain view there's no reason to get alarmed.

Re: Rainmaker, This Was Outside The Sock!
 

Yes, that was the point. In the summer, I suppose it would be up to the league. I would think it would be annoying to wear, but on my partner it sure wouldn't take up a lot of my time.


Mick -- you need to take mind-reading lessons!

Re: Re: Rainmaker, This Was Outside The Sock!
 

Uh,uh! Been married 32 years.
I see no need to even try.
'sides I have enuff trouble understanding my own thought. (<font size = 1/2> Yes, <b>thought</b>. </font>)

What a first!!! I agree completely with RUT!!!!

I noticed that a lot of people think that wearing wedding rings should be ok. I disagree. I witnessed an official catchinga ball once from his partner. The guy caught it wrong and jammed the finger. They had to cut the ring off before he could continue as the swelling made it a very dangerous situation. The rules for refs and players should be the same when it comes to jewellry.
Pistol

What a first!!! I agree completely with RUT!!!!

Jewelry Has No Place In Sports!
 

I never wear my wedding ring during games. My wife asked me once,after we got married, How come you don't have your wedding ring on? My reply to her was that I am going to officiate a game, and I feel that if the players can't wear jewelry, then officials shouldn't either. I feel that jewelry has no place in sports, and there's another reason why I don't wear it. I believe that jewelry draws attention to a person.Plus, that kind of attention may be negative to an assigner who is looking for officials to work their conference. Meaning, if an assigner is trying to fill one vacant spot on his/her roster, and the choice came down to two officials. Now,both of these officials are good, but one has on a Mr.T starter kit (jewelry). I would put my money on the official who is not wearing the jewelry!