Black Pants Policy for your State
 

This year Wisconsin is allowing us to wear the black football pants for the first time. In all language from the NF and the WIAA regards the pants as "foul" weather pants. In my mind and a lot of the officials in our state "foul" means cold, rainy, and muddy conditions. At our rules meeting last week the told us we had to wear long sleeve shirts or a jacket to be allowed to wear the black pants. What about that Sept night when it is 75 degrees out but were are working in a rain storm? If we want to wear the black pants we have to overheat in long sleeve or a jacket (we don't wear jackets ever don't think it looks professional). Our state is now saying they are "cold" weather pants, but on their website under Official Manual changes it says "foul" weather pants and no stipulations are made when you can and can't where the black pants.

My question for you is how does your state handle wearing the black pants (if you are allowed to at all)?

We have to wear them in cold or raining weather. That is a crew decision, no one else decides for us.

Peace

In Ohio, Black pants to be worn with long sleeve shirts only. I'm ok with that actually, I love the black pants, but I don't think they look good with short sleeve shirts.

Our huge issue in WI last year is that we had 3-4 Friday nights during the season when it rained and it was really muddy. Most of us had to throw away pairs of knickers and socks...we thought we would have the option of wearing the black pants this year for these situation no mater what week of the season it is.

This is all I am asking for...give the crew the choice...we are adults (well most of us!).

The last 4 or 5 weeks it rained before or during those games of the season. We wore the black pants all those games and I was sold. Also we are instructed to wear the long sleeves with these pants. Other than that our crew decides when we wear them.

Peace

The following was sent out by the NCHSAA in March:

The NFHS Rules Committee and NFHS Manual Committee have approved the use of the Black Pant for high school football. The NCHSAA will be endorsing use of the black pant and will phase in its use as we have done with other equipment/merchandise upgrades. Reasons for implementing use of the black pant:

1. Large volume of request from officials to go to the black pant.
2. Same cost as the knickers -- $42 to $49 based on sizing.
3. Ease in care and laundering.
4. Positive uniform appearance.

2010 Season:

1. Use of the black pants during the 2010 is optional in regular season games on or after October 15. Everyone in the crew must have the black pant for it to be used.
2. Black pants will be required for all officials that work any round of the NCHSAA State Playoffs.
3. Local association(s) has the right to mandate the black pant in the 2010 season for use on or after October 15.
4. If black pants are worn, black socks are required.

2011 Season:

1. Use of the black pants is mandatory for all regular season and State Playoff games on or after October 15.
2. Local booking agent will have the right to waive the October 15 date provision if warm weather dictates use of knickers on or after October 15.
3. If black pants are worn, black socks are required.

The approved black pant is the model offered by Honig’s, the official merchandiser of the NCHSAA. At the booking agent meeting last week, the concern was raised regarding officials who might try to manufacture their own version of the black pant and/or buy a knock-off brand online…this would cause the official to be in violation of the uniform code. In accordance with the NCHSAA Handbook, officials who are in violation of the uniform code will come under the penalty of suspension of not less than 14 days and not more than 365 days

Do you have to wear long sleeve shirts with the black pants? I don't see it stated anywhere? I guess they are leaving it up to us to use common sense when "cold weather" comes in the state of WI!

I had an email back and forth with the office on this very issue. They aren't budging. It's long sleeves or no black pants. If we don't like it, we can take it up with the Officials Advisory committee where the request (along with the black shirts for baseball) will die a quick death.

My crew, I guess, will be in long sleeves earlier this year if we have mud. I'll pull the sleeves up a bit if I get warm. I'm not ruining another pair of knickers (I went through 2 last year where I just gave up trying to clean them) on a mudder now that I have 2 pair of the black pants.

At least we can buy our pants from whomever we wish.

Black Pants
 

Goodwill"Hunting"...I totally agree with you. If everyone is the same, why can't we wear short sleeves!!!:rolleyes:

We can too. ;)

Peace

I think we will do the same thing if it rains.

Loved that movie...I think they should make a warm weather pair of black pants and totally get rid of the white knickers all together.

Kansas Supervisor's position
 

ALL-WEATHER OFFICIALS PANTS: I have had some officials contact our office asking if the KSHSAA has approved or authorized officials to wear the “all-weather” officiating pants that NFL officials can be seen wearing (I don’t know if the NCAA has authorized them at their level). The answer is that the KSHSAA Executive Board has not authorized Kansas officials to wear these all-weather pants. I recommended to the board that this not be authorized for the following reasons:

1. If they were to be approved by the Board as optional, they would essentially be then requiring all officials to purchase them. There would be enough “mixing” of crews during the season which would increase the pressure upon all officials to purchase them so that all officials would be uniform in their clothing. This would be an additional cost to officials, especially those that were just starting out. They already have to purchase a complete officiating uniform and equipment. I don’t believe adding additional costs would be necessary.

2. The fall weather in Kansas is not the same as it is in Buffalo or New York or many other states to the North, Northeast or Northwestern US. The number of nights/days when the weather is so severe that wearing of this all-weather would be justified is minimal here in Kansas.

3. Officials could purchase other undergarments for wear during adverse weather which would provide them the same type of protection as these all-weather officiating pants. These undergarments (unlike the all-weather officiating pants) could be used by the officials as undergarments with other clothing and would have more functionality than the more expensive all-weather officiating clothing.

4. I do not believe that these baggy all-weather pants presents the official in the best way – officials should present an image of a physically fit individual. I do not feel these all-weather pants put the official in the best physically fit image.

Does anyone have list of what states have approved the use of foul weather pants?