Shirts (Poll)
 

Do you think local HS associations should set a standard as to which shirts we wear so we finally get on the same page? (std / panels / panels and flags)

Yes, we can wear the wide panel, greys & the standard as long as we all have the shirt.

Where is the "It doesn't matter" option? Unless you work for multiple associations at the same time - which some do - or you plan on moving soon, it shouldn't be that much of an issue. While I was in the DC area, I had to buy and maintain 5 different shirts. It was necessary to work all the ball I was working so I did it. I did have one problem with it: IAABO exists to make money and be the "middle man". That is one of the reasons I had so many shirts and the "IAABO exists for training" thing is hogwash. Every association should have some kind of training.

In my area, which I think is different from a lot of your areas, there are so many conferences and so many different associations, you don't always work with a partner from the same association. That's why I voted no. The standard stripes are the ones we use, but Illinois recently started embroidering the IHSA logo on the left breast. Some officials have it, some don't. The state hasn't said that the new shirts are mandatory.

That's our standard as well.

In fact, they've specifically said that they are not mandatory, and that the crew can mix and match (old-style patch, embroidered sleeve, embroidered sleeve-and-chest)

There still is a standard. Everyone has the same patch or embroidery on their shirt. We also cannot wear the side-panel shirt. No conference has an individual shirt or patch to wear. Official Associations do no assigning so they cannot override the state. And like you said we work with so many different people and places it would make no sense to have different officials groups doing different things.

Peace

There would seem to be a contradiction.

One shirt here...stripes, no side panels (v-neck, of course).

When In Oregon ???
 

Belt?

Optional, but not recommend.

The state office here says all shirts must be uniform for the crew.

The NCHSAA requires beltless slacks.

Missouri requires the state patch on the left sleeve and does not allow the grey pinstripe shirts. Side panels or regular stripes are fine, and most everyone has both. I don't know of any local associations that wear their own patch also, but they may be out there. I know some baseball groups in Missouri have their own patches.

Here is what is required. Officials must wear a patch on their left sleeve (properly placed of course) if they are IHSA officials. A few years ago they allowed a company to add a embroidery "patch" in the place of the typical patch. They also allowed that same company to put on embroidery on the left chest "pocket" area as well.

What Bob is talking about it is allowed that if one official has the traditional blue patch, another official can have the embroidery on the sleeve and the other officials could have the sleeve and chest embroidered and it would be OK. And the reason was they did not want officials to feel compelled to go out and buy new stuff just to fit with every official they work with. As was stated we all do not work with the same people from the same places or sometimes the same people in a conference, so it would be expensive for someone to have all styles.

All that is required is something be on the left sleeve of the shirt and they type of "patch" is optional as well as the other types of embroidery.

It was really not a contradiction, I just was not clear what was required.

Peace

We are expected to wear shirts with no side panel. No patches (other than an American flag, which is optional and placed on the sleeve) are allowed or expected. I have some issues with WI being behind the times (especially in how they handled the whole 3-person officiating thing), but they're spot on by not requiring patches on shirts.

Uniforms should be a state thing.

+1

Local associations shouldn't dictate uniform rules. They can't for players' unis and they shouldn't for officials.

Iaabo
 

If you are a member of IAABO, then you are required to wear a shirt with the current IAABO patch for the IAABO assignment.

A great reminder that there's yet another organization with it's fingers in the pie.

Required by whom? The only authority that matters is the guy who assigns my games.

Snaqs:

In the particular case that Zoochy is referring to, one assignor in our area exclusively uses officials from a local association that is IAABO affiliated (board 173) and requires the IAABO patch for his games.

And a VHSL patch is required.

If you can believe this, last year one of my rec assignors started to require we wear the gray striped shirts for the games he assigned. He set himself up to sell them to the refs. He said we would have up to one season to get them but then everyone had to wear them to all games or he would drop you from his list. This one season of "leeway" resulted in partners wearing different shirts, (I would bring both styles to games to match my partner) but since this is MS rec, it was no big deal. I bought two (not from him) since I worked for him two or three nights a week.

Now, it's a new season this year and he has been replaced as the assignor by that organization for the area in which I live. The new assignor expects everyone to wear the "standard" shirt. This means I have two of the gray striped ones just hanging in my closet, possibly forever.

Gotcha.

Connecticut Is 100% IAABO, We've Got The State All Locked Up ...
 

One? Implying more than one?

Here in the Land of Steady Habits, the entire state is 100% IAABO, as far as high school games, private prep school games, and many middle school games, are concerned. The state is divided into five local boards, pretty much divided up along county borders. Within each of the five local boards there is one, and only one, assignment commissioner, hired by each of the local boards, and that assignment commissioner assigns all high school games, private prep school games, and many middle school games, in that local board's geographic area.

Outside of recreation leagues, travel teams, etc., we never, ever, work with an official who is not an IAABO official from our local board. This even includes state tournament games, when crews are assigned by the state interscholastic governing body, with all members of that crew of two, or three, coming from the same local board.

Underneath our warmup jackets, that do show some local variations, we all look exactly the same. IAABO emblem on upper left of chest. American flag patch on middle of upper back. One exception, here, in my little corner of Connecticut, belts are neither encouraged, nor are they discouraged.

NYS is all IAABO for boys High School games. IAABO patch left breast, American Flag top center back of shirt. Girls High School is NCAA Women's shirt. Flag on Left sleeve. All must wear the appropriate shirt depending on boys or girls game.

Here in the Richmond area, that standard is a joke. WAY too many crews with mismatched (wide and regular) stripes.

Wouldn't fly here. Before the wide were authorized, we got repeated emails about guys wearing college uniforms. Now, the rule is all wear the same.

Partially true. I believe just one supplier chose to have two position embroidery of same logo on same side of shirt, which is pretty silly. Most suppliers have left sleeve logo. IMHO other shirt looks like something out of nascar.

I've chided you before on no patches(patches? we don't need no stinkin' patches)

I prefer one simple small state patch on sleeve, it shows you're legit. No patch to me implies I work at footlocker.

2 man and no patch? At least you have Zigs and the Packers.

Rookie Hazing ???
 

Guys, and gals, who pass the written test, and the floor test, in the November, work without an IAABO patch throughout their first season. They don't get their IAABO patch until our business meeting in March. Some coaches, and fans, know this and will make comments about rookie mistakes.

I went to the Badgers game yesterday and I didn't see a patch. I'm certain those guys are legit.

When I work a HS varsity game or a junior college game, I don't think anyone has any problem whatsoever understanding that we're there to work a game and not sell shoes.

Hey Ref, Do You Have These Nike's In A Size 11 ???
 

Then why do fans keep asking me if I like working at Footlocker?

How?

Honig's, GD, et al, don't ask me for my IHSA number before I order a shirt.

You can take the test once, get a patch, and then never take a test / go to a meeting again. That's hardly legit.

I'm certain that someone could get a patch "from a friend" without ever taking a test / registering with the IHSA.

Schools and assigners know that only IHSA registered officials are to be used. Most (well, mnay) assigners check. That's the control -- not a stupid piece of stichery.

But They Never Ask Me For A Photo ID ???
 

I can't verify that this is true, but our rookies are told every year that they must wait until their names are sent from our local IAABO board secretary to Honigs before they can order a shirt, with an IAABO patch, from Honigs. I have never purchased anything online from Honigs, but whenever I purchase a shirt, in person, they ask me for my name, and check it against some type of online database. Maybe it's all smoke, and mirrors, but there appears to be some form of accountability, at least with Honigs, and IAABO,

Actually what happened is that IHSA allowed the patches to be put on with a particular company after they had an exclusive contract to be the "official supplier" for the IHSA. That particular company came up with the chest patch I am sure with the approval of the IHSA and that is how that entire thing started. They never required all officials to have the same shirt from day one. The problem like anything people who are not around at certain events assume or do not hear what was discussed and keep putting out incorrect information. It happens all the time and certainly not just in our state I am sure.

I agree, but when we work other levels that require us to have IHSA officials, they think we are not licensed to officiate. So you both are right, you can get those from other means that have nothing to do with following all the standards, but it does show a lack standards if you do not wear one. Not saying it is right or just, but that is what people often think.

There is a big difference between a state patch and working a college game. For one if you do not wear the right uniforms you will stand out like a very sore thumb. And there are not as many officials either at that level working so what makes you legit is not a patch, it is how you are on the game in the first place (at least in my experience). Coaches know who assigns games at that level a lot more than they do at the HS level sometimes.

Peace

JR beat me to the punch. Perception is reality, you're not wearing a patched shirt and first thought is your not licensed. I see at aau ball and kids games. Of course anyone can obtain a patch or patched shirt and not be licensed as you mentioned.

Just bar talk, I happen to like our logo and am proud to wear it. If we didn't have one not a big deal.

Depends on if you're used to the patch meaning something. Up here we've never worn one, so there's no expectation that an official would have one on.

To me, it's just *another* expense.

I do not think he is talking about places that do not have them. If you are not required to wear a patch then this is probably not a big deal at all. But if you do not wear one here you stand out. I have seen officials get heckled around her for not having one even though the game did not require one to be worn.

Also not much expense when they send them to us. And they are only a dollar. ;)

Peace

Are your jackets logoed? Some guys in our area have pins, logos, flags, associations on their jackets of which I'm not a big fan, just me.

Do D1 officials have logoed jackets? I noticed logoed shirts but probably just for tourney.

An association or state logo is allowed on the jacket. I wear a plain, black jacket for HS games.

The CCA jacket has the CCA logo on them, which is required at all college levels. I have yet to see anyone put a pin or anything on them like you see in HS. I would not even think to do that considering a HS association has nothing to do with college assignments.

Peace

There, fixed it for me.

I voted yes, but I probably misunderstood. I took "local" to be in the same spirit as "state."

Just the same, it's all about the same page. Our state commission calls for the grays with black pinstripes and IAABO logo. The only time I wear black-and-white stripes is for a non-IAABO assignment, and my partner is wearing the same.

Exactly. There's nothing of inherent value in the actual patches, but the perception can be real. I've been heckled for not wearing my IAABO patch, one time, in a JV game.

In Iowa, when I was there, patches were available and there were different levels of patches. No one in my area wore them, however.

Yep -- I've been asked "how did you get that patch?" and "which patch is the Varsity patch?".

I've also been told "good job" and not heckeled when not wearting a patch at a rec league game.

Those who will heckle will do so regardless of the patch.

It should be HS shirts for HS games. I hate when guys use those college shirts. Of course, it is only gray down here. It was an option in VT & the R usually made the choice.

Keep in mind that it is only a college shirt because people at the HS level say it is. Nothing different other than the panel and material. And the material is not even different anymore as you can buy all shirts in that same mesh/light material.

Peace

It is marketed as a college shirt.

In Texas, the UIL has stated that we wear Gray pinstripe NON panel for all HS varsity contests. Then if selected to the state tournament, you get an NBA style jersey with a number on it.

Yes it is, but keep in mind that is what is required at the college level. HS could allow it if they choose to just like states allow the grey shirts if they want to. And I have seen HS games where the officials wear these shirts, so it is really a local or personal issue.

Peace

In TASO chapters it seems to vary by chapter. I don't think TASO has a statewide mandate. One chapter in the area wants grey for all levels and one wants the same as UIL, stripes for sub-varsity and grey for varsity.