Just a Word of Caution...

[Adam]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

You can have personal standards that do not apply to everyone. Just because there might be people in my area that show up wearing jeans, does not mean we have to do the same.

Peace

I'm not talking about personal standards; this statement essentially sums up the part to which I was responding:

Originally Posted by JRutledge

They better give me a room somewhere or I am not working. This is a choice.

There are some areas where if an official makes this "choice," he will be labeled high maintenance and a prima donna (sp?). Some places, you just show up and work if you want to move beyond that level.

I've worked in such an area. I eventually stopped working ms games, but it was because they paid $12.50 per game and it wasn't worth getting off work early to work three hours on a tartan floor for that rate. I just wore separate shoes, set my bag behind the scorer, and took care of the game.

Here, I'll be doing ms games for the first time in five years (schedule change), and I don't yet know how the dressing room situation looks. I imagine its closer to the high schools' situation (there's always a coach's office at least), but if it's not, I won't be doing myself any favors by taking a principled stand on this issue.

My point was, your standards may work well for you, and there are some issues where I think every official could benefit by performing and appearing above standard. For example, if the other officials at your level and shining their shoes, do it anyway. If the other officials at a level aren't all clean shaven, do it anyway. If they're all showing up in jeans or sweats; show up in business casual and stand out.

But refusing to work because you don't get a dressing room won't work for guys wanting to move up. It will only work for those who have already moved up and don't want to get stuck doing AAU and YMCA.