ASA Uniform Questions
 

I am getting ready to get ASA certified and was wondering what the uniform requirements were, shirt wise, adn hat wise. Like with the logo, without the logo, with the flag etc. I have been looking at some stuff online and just want to make sure I get the right stuff. Also any place that you would recomend to buy the stuff? I buy my basketball shirts from the officials choice, and love them. Thanks in advance!

Different tournaments may have different uniforms. Some may require the navy blue pants/shorts with the powder blue shirt, some may want the heather grey pants with the powder blue. If you intend to call tourneys, you may just want to get a pair of both colors.

Also, if you intend to call tournaments, don't get the adjustable hats. You'll need a fitted hat, so you will need to know your size.

One other thing. If you buy the lined ASA jacket from them, and you find that the zipper is on the wrong side, check the label. If it says, "Made in Pakistan," give them a call. Apparently, they had a bad batch come in from Pakistan, and they were not up to specs. I purchased a jacket recently, and mine was from that batch. The pull for the zipper was on the left, not the right. And without a doubt, the "large" was not large at all!

They gave me no problems with exchanging the jacket. Good customer service. Kudos.

I've notice that ASA (at officialgear.com) offers shirts both with and without "ASA" on the left chest. Is either (that is, with or without the logo) acceptable?

I bought shirts without the logo, thinking I could use the same shirts for both federation and ASA games. Do I need to buy another set of shirts?

That would depend on your local association, tournament directors, etc. For ASA nationals, you'll need ASA-logoed stuff. For local games, local rules apply.

Maybe you should have asked before you made a purchase. For ASA games you should wear the ASA shirt.

Yes, you're right. Thanks.

I fully intend to get an ASA logo set...I asked the question trying to see if I can get away w/just the plain shirts for the time being.

Stu, ask your local assignor or association UIC. That is whom you need to satisfy as you first start out. In our area, some associations would accept that for local league play. Some would not.

You may also want to check with fellow umpires in your association. Some associations will permit you to wear the older shirts locally and some of the older or retiring umpires will offer newly registered folks their old shirts.

We still have a few who wear the old Elbeco and the polo shirts.

I'm returning to umpiring after about a 12 year layoff. I always missed sports officiating. A change in careers has allowed me to do more things of my choosing. So I'm *not exactly* a new umpire - But I AM new to working high school games and fastpitch in general.

Let's just say I wish I could still fit into my old Elbeco. :o

While I really liked the button up Elbecos, I was never a fan of the old polos.

The old timers groused when ASA went to the 'new' pullovers - until they wore them for the first time in July!

Locally, since we work a lot of PONY tournaments where we have to wear the gray pants, we decided to make the gray our 'local' uniform. I still say that ASA will go 'all gray' within a few years...

the NYS High School association is slow and conservative - they only went to the pull overs when it was apparent that the Elbecos were becoming extinct! It is sort of understandable - a lot of the members work up in the North country - Watertown, etc, and might only work 10 games a year..but its a drag down here!


personally, I LOVE the combinations of gray/powder, and the gray/dark blue...

I was a big fan of the new pullover UNTIL I wore it in July. The Elbeco is cooler, but not at all forgiving. Meanwhile, the pullover doesn't pull out of one's pants and is quite forgiving when the umpire sweats, but does not allow proper air flow.Not a shot

God, I hope not. And I've still yet to hear a valid reason to change to gray.

[/QUOTE]

God, I hope not. And I've still yet to hear a valid reason to change to gray.[/QUOTE]

It holds up better through out the game on dusty fields. With blue pants, the dust sticks to them in 5 minutes and you look awful.