High School game... Do you guy to the gym dressed or not? Why or why noy?

I go dressed because

a) it's too damn cold to go outside not dressed
b) don't want to risk getting arrested.

Don't think that is what he had in mind. :)

It depends for me. If it is rec ball on weekends, I go dressed for the game but wear a jacket (which is rather warm in Texas the first part of the season). Primarily because the only place I would have to change is in a public restroom. If it is a HS game through the association or JH with the independent assignor I work for, I change at the school because I will have access to a locker room/officials room.

Our contract with the schools state that we have to wear a coat, dress shirt and slacks, tie. A turtleneck may be substituted for the dress shirt and tie. On really cold days or snow days we can skip the sports coat or suit coat and wear a heavy parka. Woman are similar dressed/business dressed but no tie.

Some of us have taken to just buttoning the top shirt button and no tie. I don’t like that myself. What I do is wear a dark colored undershirt that compliments my dress shirt, this when I where a V-neck sweater over my dress shirt while wearing a sports coat.

Last minute call to do a game, you get what you get.

If its a high school game I like to dress at the gym because it makes me feel more professional to come to school dressed nice then show up on the court in my uniform.

For lower-level games, especially in the afternoon, I often go in uniform. For those games, it's often hard to find a gym manager to let you into a locker room even if you do have some time to spare. For J.V. or Varsity, I can't think of a time when I haven't put my uniform on at the game site.
No "suit and tie" type requirements around here..just wear something that's neat and clean.

Z

Dress at the school. You look more professional than if you arrive in uniform. Also, when you arrive in uniform, the ADs and coaches will wonder if you just worked 5 rec games and are tired. Also, your uniform will stay clean.

Are you kidding me? Telling you what to wear BEFORE a game.
Who cares? Who sees you? If you are there in plenty of time before the game, there is no one in the gym yet. And, if you shower after the game, which I highly recommend, everyone is gone by then!
My God, take the time to go over the case book instead of deciding what the heck to wear!!!!!!!!!!!

Hmmmm,
 

"Are you kidding me? Telling you what to wear BEFORE a game.
Who cares? Who sees you? "

Well let's see. Several of us actually work varsity basketball. Several of us work (or have worked) in associations where we are asked to view the officials working a JV game before your game.

Let's see:

When you get the gym and tell the AD you are in attendance so he does not have to worry, he/she will see you.

When you go to the locker room from the the stands to dress (whatever your personal timing is to prepare).

Players amy also see you enter a dressing area.

I think you should re-think your statement.

Many, many officials are seen by many, many people.

Oh yes, I forgot one more thing:

In preparing for a game many like to start at home packing their bag, this carries over into the professionism of wearing correct "regular" clothes.

I think you popped-off a little quickly.

(The Original) Tee

ROFLMAO!!! Good one Dan!

It is called professionalism where I'm from. Coaches have commented on it when they attend our association’s meetings and the ADs require it.

What is the big deal? I have to dress this way for work as do most of us. Members of the military do come in their uniforms.

[Edited by RecRef on Feb 20th, 2003 at 08:27 PM]

I think this is really excessive to be required. If someone doesn't regularly wear suits in thier career, this can be very burdonsome. I would never think it reasonable ask someone to spend 10-20x a game fee to buy clothes to show up in, particularly at the rates we get paid..Or to expect someone to change clothes from their professional day job where such attire would only draw jokes.

I know many people who show up in various levels of attire from jeans/t-shirts all the way to suits. I know several of the best in our area that regularly make the state tourney that arrive at games in jeans. It doesn't seem to impact their ability to officiate nor the coaches/ADs perception of thier ability to officiate. The coaches around here are certainly more intelligent than to think that a suit makes the ref a better ref.

Me, I'm usually in jeans and a nice shirt, sometimes dockers or something similar. The requirement of wearing of suits/ties in my profession was elminated about 20-30 year ago when they realized that it didn't add to the ability of the engineers to do the work.

[Edited by Camron Rust on Feb 21st, 2003 at 12:37 PM]

I heartily echo the word excessive. I am thankful to live in a rural (redneck) area where such restrictions are probably unheard of. I personally farm for a living (if you can call this living) and have been known to get off a combine, run by my house and change, and beat it to the games. This is not something to be proud of, but I'm sure that I have called a game or two at times with a little grease left stuck somewhere on my person. As long as it's not in my eye, I still know a travel when I see one.

Re: Hmmmm,
 

"Several of us" up there on your pedestal, "actually work VARSITY games." Oh my gosh. Excuse me. Maybe because I don't have a thousand posts don't ASSUME (....of you and me) I don't work Varsity games.

I work Varsity games. And can you believe it, I am actually working tournament games!!!!!!

There may be a difference in your sitch and mine. I usually do 2 Varsity games a night, girl/boy so we are there BEFORE anyone else and we don't have to sit in the stands and wait for the "dreaded" JV game to get done. But I don't think it would make a difference what I would wear.

Let's just say I don't show up in a tank top and cut off jeans. I wear what I wear to work, Dockers and a collared shirt.

I am sure the AD is more interested that you are at the game, rather than what you are wearing. Who do you think let's us in our locker room?

My Uni is on a hanger with my officials jacket over the top, and I carry a bag with my essentials in it.

And as far as my "professionism" as you put it, or "professionalism" as I would put it, doesn't matter if I am wearing my correct "regular" clothes I always make sure I am being as professional as possible.

Tim, I have re-thought my statement and I have not changed my mind. I hope I didn't "pop-off" too bad this time.






[Edited by tw1ns on Feb 21st, 2003 at 01:17 PM]

I am in the same association as RecRef and our Policies and Procedures section of our association's Official's Handbook spells out the dress code. I have noticed over the past couple of years as the workplace dress code (my government office included) has gone to "business casual", more and more of our officials have dressed that way. On many occassions, I have worn a knit shirt (dressy polo type) with a sport coat. I am working the clock tonight for a varsity doubleheader and I wore a suit today -- going straight to the gym from work. The schools also want us to wear our "stripes" when we do the clock. The main benefit to wearing a suit is that my wife tells me that I look so sexy in a suit. Of course she normally tells me that as I am leaving late for work, rather than when I get home at night. Hmmm, maybe that is the problem.:D

Back in town I see.

Where were you doing the clock? Hopefully not at Lake Braddock as I attended the 7:00 and 8:45 games.

oh, your association assigns clock personnel. Must be nice!!

Different areas..
 

One thing that I have noticed from reading this board, is the small differences in philosophies from area to area.
Dress code seems to be one of these.
I would never wear jeans to a game in my area, but wouldn't wear a dress either. We wear nice dress slacks and a nice shirt/blouse to most games. Also, it's da*m cold up here and at times we wear anything to keep warm.
But the point is; we need to look professional, have clean cloths, no matter where we live.

Came back on the 14th (left 72 degree weather for 24" of snow). Worked at Oakton (boys game went to O/T and girls won easily). Working at Flint Hill tomorrow (Sunday D/H and 1 game on Monday. Plan to be at Robinson next weekend.
May see you there -- I'm the good looking tall blonde headed guy. :D

Some of the schools prefer having "officials" do the clock and some do not. I think there are about 9 or 10 schools that request us to do the clock. What usually happens is that one of our officials will do a F/JV doubleheader and then do the clock for the varsity game.

in So-Cal
 

Most of us show up in uniform...for 7:00 or later varsity games, some guys will change at the site from whatever they wore to work, but we have no code.

Re: in So-Cal
 

Matt: I have been working in Monterey off and on for the last several months and I observed about 30 games during the season. I noticed most of the officials arrived already dressed in their uniform. In most cases, the officials did not even have a dressing room -- they sometimes walked outside the gym at halftime or hung around the table area. I talked to several of them and they indicated that this happens at most schools in that area. May just be a local thing.

Re: Different areas..
 

I wore a nice dress once to a game but that was after a long weekend, and I it was a call in game!!
Actually, our association asks that we dress "nice or professionally" for all of our games. That can mean a nice "wind suit" (I call them sweat suits, but what do I know) Not the terry cloth kind, but more of the team warm up kind. (I of course am not permitted to wear anything with my wife's school on it.) Or a button down shirt with khakis. I usually come from work, Jacket and Tie, so I am a little overdressed, but no one recognizes me!
Perception is reality. If your first impression on a coach/administrator is professional, that can go a long way in giving you the benefit of the doubt.

Re: Re: in So-Cal
 

I'm in the Long Beach Unit of the CBOA-and yes, in most cases, guys show in uniform. But some of the more veteran guys/guys who work college ball, are used to dressing at the site, and they've gotten to know ADs and coaches well, so the schools are prepared to hook them up with a locker room.

It is all about professionalism.
 

I always get dressed at the site during the regular HS season. It is unprofessional to do anything else for any HS and lower level game (School games).

If it is during the off-season and the AAU or HS Leagues are playing, I go partially dressed. Might wear sweats over some shorts, but usually I never wear my striped shirt ever. I always take a bag with my shoes and shirts to put on at courtside.

Peace

Re: It is all about professionalism.
 

Some schools don't provide a place to get dressed. Some games are so close to the time a person gets off work that there may not be time to get dressed at the site. In that case, showing up dressed would be far more professional than showing up at game time and holding the game up while you dressed.

Z

High school game one should go dressed and present yourself professionally.

It is all about presentation, and that term doesn't just apply to mechanics and things on the court. A few years ago, a fellow official was selected for the state tournament in just 4 SEASONS partly because of the way he dressed (suit and tie) that some of us thought excessive, got him all the way to Div 1 now. He is a very good official, but not THAT much better than quite a few people he has left far behind.
All I have to say is that you never know who is watching. I wear business slacks, dress shoes, and a dress shirt to ALL my HS games (even ones here in town). Occasionally, I will wear a wind suit for a smaller town tournament, or if I don't have time to really go home and dress up nicely. For ALL college games it is sport coat and dress slacks AT LEAST. Sometimes tie, sometimes not if I want to wear a nice shirt underneath that doesn't have a butterfly-type collar.
I was selected to 2 regional tournaments this season, and one of the comments sent to my Chapter President, was that he appreciated my "business-like approach" upon stepping out of the car, not only stepping onto the floor. Yes, it DOES matter IMHO.

Jeremy Hohn I like your style.

What to wear
 

If you are doing a Varsity game you will want to dress at the gym. I know when Iam doing varsity games I like to shine my shoes, gel my hair, and get my beltless slacks nice and neat and shirt tucked in just right. When I take the floor I may miss a few calls, but I look like I just walked out of GQ.

It is all about professionalism.
 

You need to learn that my comments do not apply to everyone around the country. In my area you get dressed at the game site if you want to be taken seriously. No excuses, no excuses. Are there officials that get dressed before the game starts, they sure do, but it does not help them be precieved better by folks that have to work with them or the assignors that give the games. This is all about professionalism and we should carry ourselves in a professional manner. I would assume in many cases that there is at least a locker room for the teams, so if they do nothing but put us in a coaches room or office, that is better than being able to have to answer questions or be approached by fans that might not like the way you are calling the game. All it takes is one unfortunate moment, and your policies will change drastically. I do not have my NF Official's Manual right in front of me, but they have many things that Game Management can and should do to provide a safe environment for the officials and participants, this is one of them if I am not mistaken.

If I am wrong about this, please correct me, but I thought you were under an association or chapter that provided some kind of standards with the schools. If you have such a Chapter, you should demand better accomidations. Because this is never something I have to worry about and I have never done a HS game of any kind and did not have a personal lockerroom or some where that I could dress in relative privacy. And I have worked all over this great state, this has never been a problem.

Peace

Re: It is all about professionalism.
 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by JRutledge

You need to learn that my comments do not apply to everyone around the country.

Thanks. That was exactly my point.

If I am wrong about this, please correct me, but I thought you were under an association or chapter that provided some kind of standards with the schools. If you have such a Chapter, you should demand better accomidations.


We don't demand, we work with the local schools. Some times there are several games being played at once at the same school(frosh, JV, "C" and Soph) and there just aren't enough accomodations to go around. In those cases, or in cases where someone is coming directly to an afternoon game from work (or sometimes directly from another game), it seems silly to expect them to dress onsite.

Z