Lack of effort

[deecee]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

From a recent local board newsletter:

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 local 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 the local 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 local 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 “roadside 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.

It's funny because I have seen many sharply dressed officials who didn't know a whistle from a leaf blower. I hate "perception" but I do like "reality". I agree your game uniform should be nice, and you shouldn't show up looking like a schlep, but I am a proponent for officials being rated and judged based on their ability to officiate.