If you could change one thing about Equipment/Uniform...
 

...what would it be? Would you want pants instead of knickers? A gray pinstripe shirt? No hats? Orange penalty flag? Air horn instead of whistle (wasn't that used at one time?)?

If you are a HS official would you want letters on the back of your shirt like college? Or numbers?

Nothing earth-shaking here and no right or wrong answers, just some fun fodder for off season.

I personally think the uniform is pretty good as it is, but I wouldn't mind a position letter on the back of my uniform for HS varsity games.

black knickers , easier to clean

uniform
 

I would like to see the pea whistle used the fox 40 just sounds like a basketball whistle to me

I'd like a sock change. I don't know what exactly to suggest, but something a little more generic that doesn't force me into the crappy selection we have now.

The basic uniform, I don't think, should change. Most of these suggestions are not practical, they are just change for change sake. I'm never in favor of that.

I'd also like to go to shorts in junior high games in September.

As far as the whistle goes, what's stopping you from using the pea whistle?

I'd like it if Under Armour would make a sock with the Northwestern stripe.

We can wear shorts on any game in Illinois. Although it's pretty cold by October. You'd think in Texas....

I like the black pants---I know a lot dont care for them on the NFL level, but they look sharp.

Thats about the only thing on the officials side. On the players side I would luv to see manufacturers to put the "C" on the players shirts. It makes it a bit easioer to find when doing the options for a penalty.

I like the pants also, I am getting ready to go referee a semi-pro game and it is 37 degrees and getting colder.

The pants should be an option. As we get used to seeing them
on Sundays, they may become acceptible in some form. They would
probably have to come in a different look so as to not infringe on
any NFL copyrights. I still use an Acme pea whistle !
A "C" on captain's shirts isn't practical as many team captains
change game after game. Same for the letters on the back of
official's shirts--many guys change positions.

The black pants grew on me too. I have thunder thighs so I'd love these in any weather. Knickers are just too tight on me.

For those favoring black color bottoms, are you talking wearing them all the time?
I'd hate to have to wear black in late August and even in September. (No, we do not wear shorts).

I gotta feeling that the NFL has a lock on that style of uniform anyway, meaning it might not be permitted to filter down to the NCAA or NFHS levels without some big buck$ being made by someone and that wouldn't be the officials.

I would like to see a better sock. One easier to clean and one that looks the same on all officials. Some have so much white showing it's hard to tell if there are any stripes at all.

Careful with asking for position plackets. You'll either have to buy a lot of shirts or find a way to move the PP around based on weather conditions or worse yet if you work multiple positions on different days.

Maybe take the collar off the shirts like
 

basketball did.

A black shell type windpant with either no stripe, white piping, or multiple stripe a la adidas. The NFL pant with that wider white stripe truly makes it look like prison pants. I would also want the pants gathered at the ankles with elastic instead of open.

If that doesn't fly, make the knickers down to the ankle like baseball wears now and then just skip the officials stocking/hose.

A pullover type shell jacket, similar to the NFL's new LS shirt, in a striped pattern, that would be wind and water proof.

great post...I completely agree, I am in the same predicament, I guess I could just drop 30 pounds though

Aside from playing sports as a kid I was also a BMX racer. I used to ride my single speek BMX bikes ridiculous mileages every day. It was during those years that my thigh's grew huge. With that said I could stand to drop 30. lol

I think if pants became part of the uniform you could vary the construction material depending on the season. The pant for the warmer games could be a really lightweight material that doesn't get hot. The pant for the cold games could be fleece lined and waterproof. I just want a little room to layer underneath. For me layering with knickers just isn't an option.

In Vermont we would love to have a shirt that would be waterproof and warm. Knickers should be the same although I would be in favor of the black pants like in the NFL; I threw away two white pair from last year because they would get clean any more. We play in mud up here.

The more I think about it; I'd say changes will probably
be coming soon as a result of the new NFL gear !!

I'd like to see changes in the fabric used to make the uniforms. I'd really like to have the moisture wicking fabric and insulated fabric such as Reebok's Play Dry or Play Warm. Nike and UA also make similar fabrics.

I'd also allow wearing of heavier jackets or pullovers (NFL style) for very cold weather.

I'd be willing to bet that the NFL pant experiment failed. I doubt they will be back next year and won't catch on (for a lot of reasons) at the lower levels.

Care to expand on your statements above?

How exactly did the pant experiment fail? I've read nothing about the pants being discontinued next year. If the officials on the field like the pants then I'd wager they will be hanging around.

I didn't say I knew what would happen, I said "I'd bet." I think the experiment failed because 1) they looked hideous and 2) there weren't very many crews that wore them.

I would like to see shorts removed from the uniform list. The specification is so loose and so many officials look awful in them.

Honigs cotton shirt is a step in the right direction. Polyester shirts are hot. Golfers pretty much wear cotton and they are in the hot sun all day.

Forget the black pants worn by the NFL unless you are going to bowl after the football game. Would like to see knickers that allow layers underneath for cold weather.

Not anymore. They are by and large going toward the poly microfiber shirts, and in many cases, pants too. Poly isn't hot; its the old style double knit polyester that's hot. Try the Officials Choice shirts or the Cliff Keen ones. You will take back every (well, almost every) nasty thing you ever said about polyester.

Trust me!

Don't take the collar off. It looks geeky without a collar. Don't go to black pants. It reminds me of flag football. As for cold, I wear underarmor on top and long johns below. No problem.

I'd suggest a red flag for afternoon games late in the fall on what looks like wheatfields! As a kid, I remember red flags in the games.

I'd outlaw the blue bags. They are hard to see on green fields. Whoever came up with that idea was looking to make a buck. I am not into fads.

I would outlaw any trim or stripes or non-white colors on the shoes. I think those things look CHEAP and make the official look unprofessional. If we are to wear a "uniform", then the entire crew should wear the identical UNIFORM, including the shoes.

I think the uniform looks sharp as it is. Only problem is keeping the pants white.

Oxy Clean does wonders for the knickers. I use a bit with a regular wash. For those extremely muddy days, soak the knickers in Oxy Clean, then wash with Oxy Clean and detergent.

Oxy clean works great when I do the White hat; but most of the time I'm in the middle with the Big Eaters and it is huge difference on how clean you can stay. We work on fields that include all sports including football; after rain at the end of the season they are big mud pits. On the plus side you can pick a lot of worms at night.

I couldn't have said it better Ed. I aggree totaly with all you've said :D

BTW I'm one of thoes officials who look awful in shorts:eek:

Thanks Ed!

Ha! Sounds familiar - I never was involved in competitive racing, but I rode a series of old 20-inch BMX bikes EVERYWHERE. (Including, by the way, to my first officiating gigs as an umpire at the local Little League.) Stop riding when I got to college, but then I took up fencing, so I'm in exactly the same boat as you (extra 30 pounds and all).

It is entirely possible that I look awful in shorts, too. But the lacrosse uniform is pretty much exactly the football uniform, except that we wear shorts (and the socks are solid black at the top instead of striped). It's so much more comfortable that I would be very happy if they became generally accepted. Somehow, though, I don't see it happening.

I vote all former BMX'ers (racers or just kids who lived on their BMX bikes) are all given amnesty from wearing knickers because we tend to have huge legs and usually get fat after we quit riding. lol

I don't really have an opinion either way on position plackets. However, I know that Honig's sells Velcro that you can sew on to the placket and the shirt.

Honestly, I've never understood the reasoning behind position plackets on the back. If they want to put it on the front shirt pocket so a coach can know he's yelling at the right guy [/wink], then that's fine. But for the most part, the only people that really care which side the HL/LJ is on or how the defensive backfield is configured already know who goes where.

Flag
 

Why doesn't NASO or someone make it mandatory to sew a US flag on all uniforms? Think it would be a great move, and I know many already have it on their shirts.

While velcro works, the few ties I've seen it used the placket looked bunched up and in my opinion looked like crap.
Double stick carpet tape actually worked better then velcro.

I do have an opinion on NFHS officials wearing plackets, and that would be I would not want to see it as a requirement.

Well, NASO doesn't really have the authority to make anybody do anything - they're mostly an educational and support organization, and to my knowledge they don't do assigning and aren't "in charge" of any officials' associations.

As for the flags... I've never really seen the connection between sports and patriotism, other than the tendency of the masses towards blind loyalty. Our association wears flags, so I wear one proudly. (Well, except that it's on the back of the uniform, which is just stupid. It should either be over the pocket or on the left sleeve.) But if our association didn't wear flags, it wouldn't bother me any.

If you are going to wear a flag on your sleeve, you should know there is a specific flag for each sleeve. The field of stars should be closest to your heart so if you wear the flag on your left sleeve, the flag would appear as normal. If you wear it on your right sleeve, the flag would appear "backwards" since the star field is in the upper right corner. Our state has us where our patches on the left sleeve so our flag is on the right sleeve. We get comments all the time that our flag is on backwards, but I tell them I bought them directly from the American Legion and that is how they told me to wear it. I've noticed the same is true of any military person I see.

I vote that flags be taken off ALL officiating uniforms. I'm as patriotic as they come, and I'd rather not deal with it. It causes problems with crews in all sports.

The "new" look with the flag on the right sleeve facing backward looks terrible and in my opinion, is disrespectful. The field of blue should be in the upper left, as you're facing it.
Located on the pocket (over the heart) is the best location.

There is nothing disrespectful with having the field of stars facing forward, that is how the flag should be oriented if it is worn on that side.

See Air Force One:

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/air-force-one-1.jpg

The same concept applies to uniforms.

How do you feel about seeing a flag flying on a pole when the wind is blowing right to left? In case you didn't notice, the union of the flag will be in the upper right.

Look at the photo of the plane, if the union was not on the right it would appear that the flag would be flying with the stripes side attached to the pole.

Also I do not see why flag patches should be displayed on the uniforms of players or officials of any sport. What is the connection between sports officials and patritoism?

You have it right - the ex-military guys in our association all agree, stars forward. (They also complain about having flags on our backs.) The looking "backwards" thing is why I said left sleeve in my previous post.

We have ours on the right sleeve because we are supposed to put our state patch on the left sleeve (at least that's what I've been told).