People respond to how you dress. If you show up with the right attire, jersey tucked in, clean, professional, you will have done a lot for your credibility and game management before the game has even started. If you show up in orange shorts and mismatched socks, coaches and players will take notice.
A lot of referees coordinate what color you’ll wear hours before the game. This is usually the center referee’s responsibility. You should bring both jerseys because you never know what situation may arise that requires the need to change especially if it’s a double-header game.
Buying uniform apparel
At most GBSOA meetings, you can either talk to the booking agent or one of the GBSOA board members who will redirect you on where to buy jerseys and uniform apparel. You can also go online to https://smittyapparel.com/ and put in the zip-code of your location to find local Smitty authorized dealers in Birmingham and Pelham.
Jerseys
Jerseys are to be from Smitty Official’s Apparel. Most referees wear long-sleeve due the the spring weather. They come in either green or orange color.
- Long sleeve under shirts with short-sleeve jerseys is discouraged.
- Long-sleeve under shirts with long-sleeve jerseys is highly encouraged to keep professional appearances.
- The sleeve lengths of the jerseys between referees do not have to match.
- Try to be accommodating if there’s a clash of kits incident but follow the laws of the NFHS rules book.
Bottoms, Socks and Shoes
The official apparel states that you wear the black shorts and socks provided by Smitty Official Apparel. However, due the weather during the Spring season, many referees choose to wear athletic sport pants from brands such as Reebok, Under Armor, Nike and such.
- Can wear either black shorts or black athletic pants with the black socks.
- Black pants must have minimal, dark, small logo or no logos.
- The socks themselves are black in nature with white strips at the top.
- Shoes must all black or nearly black in color. It’s okay if they have white logo or accent markings.
Later in State play-offs and finals, the dress code is a more strict.
Headgear, gloves and other gear
- Referees may wear a black beanie with a non-distracting design.
- Gloves must be black or mostly black in design.
- Referees must wear rain-related gear such as coats under the jersey.
Wearing the right gear, as in any job, lets people know you’re taking it serious. While you won’t be stopped from wearing red gloves on a cold, frigid day as you’ll need them to stay warm, it is highly encouraged that bringing black-related gear goes a long way in presentation, professionalism and keeping a sharp image.
Unacceptable equipment
Equipment to bring
Besides your uniform, you should bring your regular gear, even if you are an assistant referee. You may never know when the center referee cannot continue and you will need to take their place.
- Whistle
- Red and yellow cards
- Writing booklet with pen
- Digital watch
That way, should the unfortunate need to arise ever come, you’ll be prepared at moment’s notice and add that much more credibility in just presentation.