Career No-nos.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by Moosie74

A couple of years ago our association got multiple complaints of officials for middle school games wearing jeans, tracksuits, etc to the game site and the athletic directors and coaches did not like it.

Business casual should be the minimum for Jr High games, tie and jacket for varsity.

Seriously? That standard is utterly ridiculous ....both for the JH games AND the varsity games. Unless those schools are paying those officials 5-10x what they probably are paying, they need to get a life.

IF I were working middle school games, there would be zero chance I'm going to the game in anything but what I wore to work that day. On the weekend, I'm probably going dressed.

In my professional work environment where I've been for over 20 years and pays a heck of a lot more for my time than officiating, clean/neat jeans are the norm and shorts are even common in the summer. T-shirts and polo's are just as common as any other kind of shirt. If someone is wearing a tie and jacket, it is either for a funeral or an interview (and that would be the extreme).

My upper end is business casual and that is not every game. I own just precisely one jacket that I only wear on very limited occasions. It is unreasonable to expect a person to buy a new wardrobe for traveling to work a game, particularly a low paying jobs such as MS officiating, only to change into the real work clothes as soon as they get there.

To insist on jackets and ties is, if you get down to the underlying motives, a different issue. Anyone who is doing that is really just trying to make their job seem more important that it really is.

[BatteryPowered]

In my area we are specifically told it is better to get dressed at the game site. For this reason, on days where I have a game I put a sports coat in my car. I work for a steel manufacturing company and often need to go into the production area...therefore I wear jeans. It just looks nicer and comes across better with the sports coat.

As for jewelry, we are told it is acceptable to wear a wedding band during the game. I don't. Been married 36 years and the wife is secure enough for me to go sans ring for a few hours...and it isn't like any female at the game is going to come up and hit on me. Besides, players cannot wear them so I think we should not.

I do have to figure our how I am going to address my medic alert bracelet. I know I can tape it down with only the important part visible. I am looking for one that is part of a sweat band (just cannot seem to find them again). I guess I could make my partner(s) aware of the reason and not wear it during games...but don't really like that option because if something does happen (even if it is remote) they may not remember in all the commotion.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by BatteryPowered

I do have to figure our how I am going to address my medic alert bracelet. I know I can tape it down with only the important part visible. I am looking for one that is part of a sweat band (just cannot seem to find them again). I guess I could make my partner(s) aware of the reason and not wear it during games...but don't really like that option because if something does happen (even if it is remote) they may not remember in all the commotion.

I believe they make necklace based medic alert tags. You could easily wear one of those that was just below the collar of the shirt. I know it isn't quite as visible but I would hope that medics are trained to look in both places if they're going to look at all.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BatteryPowered

I do have to figure our how I am going to address my medic alert bracelet.

I'll figure it out for you. Wear it. Period. Your life is more important than some uniform directive from your association. If anyone criticizes you for wearing it, you can tell them that BillyMac says that they're a dick head. That's right. A dick head. Can I be more clear? I've got your back brother (or sister).

From my local board guidelines:

When arriving at a game site, people immediately judge you by your appearance. Make a good first impression by coming to game sites dressed professionally in business casual attire. Consider purchasing a sweater, pullover, or vest, with an IAABO logo, or a Little Corner of Connecticut board logo. Common sense dictates that some afternoon assignments may require officials to arrive in uniform, or in work clothes. Middle school sites may lack secure dressing areas, and may not have shower facilities available.

For most high school games, where secure dressing areas, and showers, are available, officials should not come dressed in uniform, and should not come dressed in sneakers, work boots, jeans, T-shirts, etc. It looks bad, and reflects poorly on our Little Corner of Connecticut board. On court, the official’s uniform should be clean, pants pressed, all black shoes shined, jacket unwrinkled, and the official should be well groomed. Officials should shower after the game and should not leave wearing a uniform. Doing so could give the impression that the official wants to “get in, get out, and get paid”, which is not the impression that Little Corner of Connecticut board officials want to present. Officials should leave the game site together. Even in this day in age when everyone has a cell phone, and many have some type of “road assistance”, it’s not fun sitting in a cold car, in a lonely parking lot, with a dead battery, or a flat tire, waiting for help to arrive.

Originally Posted by just another ref

11. If everybody else where you are does it, it must be all right.

Which is not only true for #11, but for almost anything in officiating.

"All politics is local." (Former Speaker of the U.S. House Tip O'Neill, 1935)

"The siesto, or afternoon's nap of Italy, my most dear and reverend Father, would not have alarmed you so much, if you had recollected, that when we are at Rome, we should do as the Romans do." (Pope Clement XIV, 1777)

Hey just another ref: Why didn't you make this post in my "belt" thread? I was pinned down. No way out. I could have used some backup.

Originally Posted by just another ref

98% of the officials here come to the game dressed and ready to work.

Wow. It's a 180° turn here in my little corner of Connecticut. In high school games, 98% come in street clothes, change into their uniform, shower after the game, and get back into their street clothes. It's a much lower percentage in middle school game. Most middle schools around here don't have dressing facilities for officials. For recreation, travel, AAU, etc. 99.9% come in their uniform, ready to go.

Originally Posted by just another ref

If everybody else where you are does it, it must be all right.

Wait a minute? I recall my mother saying something about everybody jumping off the Empire State Building. It was fifty years ago. What was it that she told me?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Welpe

I wear a wedding band as do most guys I work with who are married.

I have no problem with wedding bands, however, due to safety reasons, back when I was married, it came off, and was strapped to my watch, in my bag, back in the locker room, during games.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Way back before I retired from teaching, and before I won my in independence with a divorce decree, I was passing the gymnasium on the way out of the school and noticed the boys team shooting around. I decided to show off and take a few shots with the guys, while I was wearing my wedding band. I was only half paying attention when one of my students passed me the ball and caught the pass with my fingers extended, which jammed the fingers. I woke up the next morning with a very swollen ring finger. I showed the injury to the school nurse as soon as I got to school. The wedding band was acting like tourniquet, cutting off circulation to the finger, and because of the swelling, we couldn't get the ring off. We were on our way to the metal shop to get the ring cut off, but decided to stop by the cafeteria kitchen first. Luckily, a little butter on my finger helped to get the ring off.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Moosie74

Tie and jacket for varsity.

Wow? Back when I started, thirty-two years ago, it was encouraged, but not dictated, that we wear ties, but never jackets. We've evolved since then to business casual.

[APG]

Billy...multiple quote function is your friend.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by APG

Billy...multiple quote function is your friend.

I mean really!!!

Peace

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Moosie74

A couple of years ago our association got multiple complaints of officials for middle school games wearing jeans, tracksuits, etc to the game site and the athletic directors and coaches did not like it.

Business casual should be the minimum for Jr High games, tie and jacket for varsity.

Here, high school games, business casual. Although one can get away with wearing jeans to Freshman and JV games. Varsity games, business casual at minimum.
Middle school games, they jeans are fine.

Track suits, sweat pants, shredded and holey jeans? Not at any level.

Below MS level and off season, I'm showing up dressed (with my shirt in my bag).

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by APG

Billy...multiple quote function is your friend.

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I mean really!!!

Check out the times. And the edit times. As I read through the different posts in the thread, scrolling back several times (I do read everybody's posts thoroughly), I came up with different ideas. Or ... I'm artificially increasing my post count to eventually became an esteemed member. Take your pick.

JRutledge: Nice list. Good points for discussion, especially since we're heading into the season. Thanks for sharing.

[BillyMac]

Seriously. For those of you that don't shower, and change back into your street clothes, after a Friday night high school game, please don't sit on the bar stool next to me.

[Stat-Man]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

This was from a Referee Magazine article. I wanted to see if some disagreed or had comments on any of them. The article was more elaborate, but I wanted to see what people felt here. I have an issue with a couple of these on some level, but not by much.

9. Wearing jewelry.
10. Wearing inappropriate clothes to the game.
11. Arriving at game already dressed.

I had a partner this winter who told me I couldn't wear my medic alert bracelet. I reminded him that if we have to follow the same rules as players (his own words), I'd be permitted to tape it down, which I did for my MS games today. When my renewal comes up, I might look into the necklace-based version now that I'm officiating.

As for changing at a game site:

• HS JV - Change on-site.
• HS 9th Grade - If I can arrive in enough time, I'll change on-site. Otherwise, I'll wear my pants and change into my stripes and shoes on-site.
• MS/CYO - Most schools around here have no facilities for officials, so I go fully dressed aside from shoes, which I change into on-site.

[WhistlesAndStripes]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

While there may be a few exceptions in some other areas somewhere out in the boondocks, I agree with you.

Whistles & Stripes: Well said. Where were you on my earlier thread? I really could have used some backup.

I was reading along, enjoying my popcorn.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Stat-Man

I had a partner this winter who told me I couldn't wear my medic alert bracelet. I reminded him that if we have to follow the same rules as players (his own words), I'd be permitted to tape it down, which I did for my MS games today. When my renewal comes up, I might look into the necklace-based version now that I'm officiating.

First of all that is just plain stupid. No common sense.

Peace

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Adam

Here, high school games, business casual. Although one can get away with wearing jeans to Freshman and JV games. Varsity games, business casual at minimum.
Middle school games, they jeans are fine.

Track suits, sweat pants, shredded and holey jeans? Not at any level.

Below MS level and off season, I'm showing up dressed (with my shirt in my bag).

Saturday morning games (usually JV or Sophomore B) are the only days that you see it common for people to show up in anything less then standard. The key is getting there on time, but still assignors do not want people to show up dressed. Keep in mind when I say this, that means you could come in parts of your uniform under clothes, but you do not tell everyone you have your uniform on by wearing black pants or officiating shoes. So a "track suit" might be what some wear.

I do not work MS or JH games anymore, most of the time people are there as a body to make money. No one cares about those games and what you wear here honestly. People who assign those games also have little association with high school games and many would not care what their requirements are. I just know when I worked those games I came in other clothes then my uniform. And if I worked a game today I still would show up in regular clothes.

Peace