NJFOA - "No shorts"
 

I just returned from a meeting and found out that our main rules maker for NJ Football Officials has made a new rule that shorts cannot be worn at any level of play. This did not go over well in this meeting. How do you guys feel? What are the uniform rules in your area?

We have no such rule where I live and many officials wear shorts from time to time. I just personally think that wearing shorts looks stupid and I never want to wear them and I never have at any HS game. I do not see any college or pro wearing shorts during those games on TV in very hot conditions. If you want to be cool, is this not what the short sleeves are for?

Peace

Here is our league rules.

Varsity, JV and Freshman - shorts for scrimmmages only.
Pop Warner, no shorts after October 1st.

Yeah its hot, but the players work in the heat all week, I think I can do it for 2 hours.

We do shorts for Spring Games, if any, and scrimmages only.

I think some of, if not all, the Saturday pee-wee (anything lower than Jr. Hi.) games most of the guys I work with do allows shorts. If our chapter allowed shorts in, say, jr. high games as a crew option, I doubt anyone I work with would take them up on it. The problem is shorts differ much more than knickers do. Last night in the spring game I worked, all 5 of us had on differing shorts, and for the most part, it was pretty obvious. Then you get into things like sock lengths and stuff like that.

So, You guys all going commando?:) Oops, you mean the OTHER shorts.

No shorts for anything. And I can't imagine that it gets much hotter in New Jersey than here in Missouri. Maybe a little more humid, but probably not much.

I saw a picture of guys working in shorts; it looks downright silly. They're wearing their entire uniform, regular official socks hiked up to the regular height, with shorts on. Com' on guys, does it really make that big of a difference? Are you really THAT much cooler?

Now the thing I would like to find out from those opposed to this new rule is, at what higher level do they see any other officials wearing shorts? NFL? Nope. NCAA? Can't remember that. I rest my case.

(sorry for the tone of the post, just saw X-men 3 and didn't like it)

Shorts can be worn at any level except varsity.

Back in CNY we could wear shorts (white with the striped knee sox)
at any level as long as the entire crew were wearing them. It did
not happen often because of the weather.
Down here in SW FL-- black shorts and white crew sox are worn
at sub-varsity level. Regular white knickers and striped sox are
the uni for varsity. The (lame) excuse is that for varsity games we
should look "professional". I'm thinking--- does that make it OK
to be "unprofessional" for the sub-varsity games ?
Personally, I don't like the looks of the black shorts/white crew sox.

Just one old official's opinion.

see other thread
 

On the "new NFL uniforms" thread, I mentioned that I had seen clips of VaTech games from the early 80's recently where the R had on white shorts and had no placket on his shirt.

What conference, if any, was VaTech in before the Big East? Apparently, they allowed shorts at the D1 level back then.

Looked pretty amateur, though.

Same in KY, when I wear shorts in lower level games, I wear black socks, not my varsity game sock up to my rear end, that does look horrible.

Wonder if that's a state thing? We got a letter from our chapter president saying that shorts would no longer be acceptable for varsity games. There was no mention of sub-varsity.

Personally, I'm not a fan of shorts anyway.

Tom, you coming up to work the flag tornament?

It is a state thing. It is an association thing. It is a crew thing. It is an individual thing.

The NF does not dictate this issue.

Peace

We had our executive board meeting, this has been an issue. The NJFOA board said that NJSIAA and the coaches association (for the state) have said that shorts look sloppy an unprofessional. Last year, we were told that shorts could be worn at Varsity Scrimmages and underclassman games but the black/white socks had to be worn. After review of that they said that guys wore to many different variations of shorts and socks. So, the NJFOA board said no shorts at any level (pop-warner/PAL doesn't count). They said anybody not doing so would not receive a play-off assignment...

So, yes it is for the whole state.

Yes I am doing the flag tournament. I thought we were teaming up?

PS- I am not a fan of shorts either.

JR,
I agree with you...We should always look our best! But I know this "new rule" will get other guys all pissed off.

I understand that, Jeff. I should have said 'statewide', refering to NJ. Tom and I are both in NJ but from different chapters.

I've heard that before...

Yes! Just verifying.

The South Jersey chapter was notified by our president on April 28 via e-mail. Our new president is a well respected, no-nonsense guy and will be strict with us (which is a very good thing). We have a couple of bad apples that insist on wearing shorts even in varsity games and that BS will definitely come to an end. Here's an excerpt of what we were told:

Went to the NJSIAA State meeting last evening in Robbinsville. New rule adopted by the NJSIAA, NO SHORTS ON ANY LEVEL, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, VARSITY, JV and FRESHMEN GAMES. THIS ALSO APPLIES TO SCIMMAGES. NO SHORTS. EVER. ANYTIME. ANYWHERE.

If you have shorts, THROW THEM AWAY. YOU CANNOT WEAR THEM. EVER. ANYTIME. ANYWHERE.

In our assoc. here in NC, we wear knickers for varsity, shorts for JV until mid October. For middle school and below, there are no hard rules. Usually shorts until the white hat for a particular game says knickers.

In Wisconsin, crews will wear shorts for varsity games. My crew makes fun of these guys on the TV highlights.

I am a crew chief and my crew will wear shorts only after I am dead and someone else takes over my crew. The same goes for winter coats or rain jackets on the field as well.

LJ,
Thanks, that was the message I got...LOL

LOL..... AMEN!

I don't like the way the shorts look either. Maybe if we had some better socks. In my association in VA we wear shorts only for scrimages. No game socks. I tried wearing a coat and rain jackets in youth games and it messed me all up. Was not comfortable at all and had trouble finding my flag and bean bags. So I only wear those things during the pregame and then hand them to a ballboy for safe keeping.