I am a young official in my 3rd year, and was recently chastised for having a neat, trimmed goatee. I was told that unless I shaved clean or went to just a moustache, I would not be advanced to the upper levels, despite above average reviews/scores by our senior officials.

I have searched various publications, ethics codes, etc., and have not been able to find any written rule regarding facial hair on officials. Obviously, I would never go out there with a shaggy beard and unkempt hair, but I feel this "unwritten" rule will hamper my development.

Does anyone have any advice or information that may be of assistance??

Thanks

Yes. this seems to be an unwritten philosophy.
But, it remains your choice.
...Another game within the game.
mick

By whom? It is the people assigning who count.

As Mick said, it's your choice. Decide what your priorities are and that will give you your answer. What's more important to you? Advancing in officiating, or having a goatee? Once you answer that question, you shouldn't have any reservations about either keeping or shaving the goatee, as the case may be. For me, it was an easy choice. I shaved.

How, exactly? As long as the rule is made clear to you, you have the choice to comply or not. If you comply, then it doesn't hamper you. If you don't comply, then it's the goatee that will hamper your advancement.

Just my two cents. As I said earlier, for me it was a no-brainer.

Chuck

Long hair!!!!
 

Seen a Ref at a Varsity game (African American) with long hair in a pony tail.




Whats your thoughts on that????

Hmmmm,
 

Chuck said it best, "what is most important to you?"

Watch the telly and notice how the top notch "TV Guys"
(officials) have their hair and facial hair, it pretty much answers the question.

Edit:

Sorry Woodee,I meant to answer your question:

I do not have any feeling for the issue you describe. I have never worked in an association that would allow a "male" official to work with hair as you described.

[Edited by Tim C on Feb 9th, 2003 at 12:00 PM]

Re: Long hair!!!!
 

My first thought is that the local association wants to increase their African-American numbers, and they're willing to relax the appearance standards to do it. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I'm unfornately left wondering if they'd let a white guy wear his hair the same way. But, then again, I'm perhaps a bit overly cynical.

snaqs

Re: Re: Long hair!!!!
 

I belong to one association that is 99% African-American, we do not have officials working with long hair. Not unless you are female. Now several individuals have facial hair, including myself, but it is cleanly shaven and taken care of. So trying to increase the numbers of African-Americans should have nothing to do with looking professional. As a matter of fact, I do not know many African-Americans with long hair period. Most African-Americans like to keep their hair short, not long.

Peace

Fortunately..
 

I have not had to worry about this problem, yet! (facial hair).
Other unwrittens -- eye wear, long hair, pants with belts.

Unfair, perhaps. But that's the way it is. The community of bball officials want appearance within a certain set of parameters.

Agree with Chuck...it's where your priorities lie. Officials have had to make all kinds of adjustments to advance within the ranks. Life isn't always fair.

In my humble opinion, the person that made the comments about your goatee has too much time on his hands and should take up a hobby like, knitting or origami.

MTD brings up a good point the rest of us missed.

If this was the most significant point the evaluator had to bring up, you're doing pretty well, I'd say.

No facial hair but if you have a beer belly that kes you look like your 9 months pregnant, that's ok I guess. Seen lot's of them.

Actually, I agree with this, too. It seems to me that you should look at it as an encouraging sign. If that was what your evaluator pointed to, then he must think you're ready for bigger and better things and the only thing holding you back will be the goatee.
Like the others said, though, it would be your choice. How important is the facial hair to you in comparison with moving up in the ranks.

snaqwells

Re: Re: Re: Long hair!!!!
 

I didn't mean to imply otherwise. I was making an assumption based on my own experience. I work in a mid-sized metro area with relatively few African-Americans. I was indicating that perhaps there was a desire to bring more A-A refs into the fold, and thus a willingness to relax some appearance standards that don't really reflect an official's abilities.
I don't like the idea of doing it, but I'd have a hard time condemning an association for allowing it without knowing more than was given.