shorts or knickers
 

Our officiating organization is allowing black shorts with white socks to be worn for subvarsity games for the first time this year. Naysayers are complaining that the coaches will see this as unprofessional. For those of you who already wear shorts for subvarsity games, what, if any, are the comments and feedback from the coaches?

Here is my opinion, I hate the shorts, I think they look redicilous with the socks. In my association we wear whit shorts (which makes it even worse). On top of that the R is allowed to make the call if we wear them in Varsity, yes I said varsity games! My first game is this Friday night and I received an email from the R this morning that we will most likely be wearing shorts. I have not heard a lot from the coaches on the very few occasions I have been forced to wear then in a V game but I think it makes us look unprofessional. I am the R of a JV game Saturday morning and we will be wearing knickers.

A friday night game where the temp will be about 75-78 degrees and it will drop by half time is not hot enough in my opinion to wear shorts. Anyway, with the striped socks pulled up to my knees and the shorts just above my knee exposing about an inch or so of skin I don't see the big benefit! I'm cretinaly not that much cooler. I think shorts are OK for Little League when we wear white socks, other than that I think Knickers should be worn.

Pennsylvania outlawed shorts four years ago for any game under PIAA control. Peewee games most officials wear shorts early in the year.

In our area...... shorts are a non-issue for sub-varsity games. I have never heard any negative feedback concerning shorts. We do wear black shorts. In a varsity game it is knickers even if it is 120 degrees......

We wear shorts for scrimmages (pre-season) and pee-wee, but that's it. I'd favor a move to shorts (crew option; all must agree) for jr. high, but not HS subvarsity. One reason is I think more guys who don't work JH games now will actually work them. This is just a suspicion of mine, however.

I do not wear shorts at all during any HS game. I personally think it for the most part looks silly for HS games. I can understand if you are wearing them during youth football because everything is a little more laid back.

Peace

They both look ridiculous on my chicken legs. :)

And I think they both look ridiculous regardless (at least the type sold as "official's or umpire's shorts." Longer ones wouldn't be quite as bad.

Your profile doesn't say what state you're in, but I'm in Wisconsin and there are varsity crews that wear white shorts here. I see them on the highlights on the news while we're post-gaming at the local water hole.

It will be a cold day in hell before my crew wears shorts for a varsity game. As long as I'm the WH and the CC, we wear knickers -- 10 degrees or 110 degrees. Matter of fact, I don't OWN football shorts, so we wear knickers for freshman and JV games, too.

The state won't allow us to wear black shirts for baseball but allows shorts in varsity football games. I don't understand it.

I'm in New York and I agree with you 100%, I spoke to my crew for my Saturday morning JV game and told them we will be wearing shorts, period. I would never wear them outside of little league if it were my choice.

Huh? :confused:


We are free to wear white shorts and white knee high socks for anything other than varsity.

Kinickers are required for varsity.

Oops, sorry for the confusion, I started thinking and typing before coffee, I meant to say we will be wearing Knickers.

This battle just broke out in our assoc
 

in the last week or so.

We wear white shorts with the long OTC socks. In my current association, we wear knickers for all varsity games and can wear shorts for youth, JV, and MS ball until the first of October. We can wear shorts for varsity scrimmages.

I think the "footie" style golf socks look better with shorts than the long socks but crew style would look ok too. We wore "footies" in the first assoc. I called in and there were no problems.

Last Wed. we were alerted that knickers will now be required for JV games also. I have received conflicting info on whether that was mandated by our state association or was made up by our assigner.

Shorts
 

Here is our short policy.
Black Shorts for scrimmages.

White shorts can be worn for JV and lower games at any time

New rule for this year was voted in this year no shorts for night varsity game they are still optional for day varsity. Referee decides. (our commissioner loves wearing shorts) Last week it was 140 on the turf at kickoff for our Saturday 1pm game.

I don’t like the white shorts but am not in a position to change things so ………………..

We wear black shorts and white socks for all sub-varsity games as long as the weather permits. As it gets colder we will change to the knickers and full dress uniform. No comments good or bad from sub-varsity coaches.

I like the look with the black shorts and just plain white socks. All the shorts must be the same style, too bad where I live we still must wear the white shorts.

Varsity games are always pants.

There was an older crew in our area that worked a big game last Friday and they had shorts on and looked just terrible on TV.

It all depends on the crew. Last year we wore short half the year for varsity and most the year for JV (with the exception of the last two games). We wore the officials socks for varsity games and the ankle high ones for JV (which look far better with shorts).
This year I haven't been able to wear shorts at all.

My personal thought is that as long as everyone on the crew looks the same, its all good. I'd much prefer the white shorts and low socks myself.

Here in San Diego, CA all HS level games are in full unis. We wear shorts (with white socks, not the stripeys) for the youth games only. When you're stuck out on the field for 3 to 4 youth games, it's nice to have the shorts. And, I'm sure many will be shocked, we're even allowed to wear sunglasses.

Please note the actual question that was asked. I was curious about the way the coaches in your areas reacted or commented to shorts instead of knickers.

Here in Baton Rouge, we wear black shorts for all freshman and JV games, the only time we wear knickers is for fri night games. Coaches out here dont really care all they care about is winning.

I have never heard a coach comment either way regarding uniforms. If he has a particular beef with an official and that official looked like a slob, he might add that to his list of complaints. I have, however, heard comments about officials that have a little extra poundage and/or are out of shape.

During a game?

In Arizona, we wear black shorts with white crew length socks for all games other than Varsity. I have never heard a comment from a coach about it.

We can't wear shorts for varsity game (thank goodness) and I don't own a pair of shorts so it's always knickers for me.

You'd think that, of all places, Arizona would be one to use white shorts. :cool:

Knickers - always. Shorts - never. I don't allow my crew to wear shorts even for scrimmages. We are professionals, dress like it. As to lower level games, what makes those any less important to the participants and fans? If you dress less than professional for those games, you will be seen as less than professional. If you wanna wear shorts, go work in the yard.