YMCA of the USA Competitive Swimming and Diving Fo: Uniforms for officials

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Anne Marguerite
New Member

Joined: Nov/17/2009
Location: United States
Posts: 1

Topic: Uniforms for officials
Posted: Nov/17/2009 at 9:22am

Recently several parents attended level 1 official's training. They were told that the officials uniform is now white shirt, blue pants or shorts, and white sneakers and socks. When I took level 1 training I was told the official uniform was all whites. As I am now the only level 2 official for our team they are looking to me for guidance about the uniform. The last posting on this website indicates the uniform is still all white. Has there been any change in the uniform for officials?

Anne Marguerite Green

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Ed Miller
Moderator Group

Moderator - Officials

Joined: Apr/29/2006
Location: United States
Posts: 131

Posted: Nov/24/2009 at 1:23pm

The official uniform recommended by the YMCA National Officials' Committee remains white shirts with white pants, shorts or a skirt. The YMCA National Officials' Committee is made up of senior YMCA officials from all around the country, most of whom are also senior USA-S nationally certified officials. Even though the Committee has more important issues to deal with, we did discuss the uniform issue again at our last meeting and voted unanimously to keep it as is.

However, because of the YMCA structure, the National Officials Committee can only dictate policy for the national championship meets. One local swim committee apparently believes that they cannot attract officials with the white uniform requirement, and their chair has decided to ignore the national recommendation, and a plea to him personally from the National Officials' Committee, and enforce his own policy (despite the Natioal Officials' Committee representative from that part of the country voting with the Committee to retain the white uniforms). I assume you are in that group. Hopefully, the officials in that group who still prefer white uniforms will make their feelings known to this officials' chair. For people working the national championship meets, the white uniform remains in effect, and it is encouraged for all YMCA swim meets.

Ed Miller

National Officials' Committee Chair

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rhallapp
Senior Member

Joined: Feb/27/2007
Location: United States
Posts: 45

Posted: Nov/25/2009 at 2:04pm

Ed,

In one of your other posts yesterday you reiterated that USAS officials may work YMCA meets so long as the meet referee and one other official are Y certified.

What uniform should a USAS official working a Y meet wear? I realize it's not the most pressing issue, but thanks for your response.

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Ed Miller
Moderator Group

Moderator - Officials

Joined: Apr/29/2006
Location: United States
Posts: 131

Posted: Nov/27/2009 at 3:16pm

At our national championship meets over the last several years, we have had several very senior, nationally certified USA-S officials work with us, mainly as chief judges. They have all shown up in white shorts or slacks, as appropriate. I believe that a uniform is meant to be uniform, and it causes confusion when officials are all dressed differently.

Having said that, if a USA-S official came to work a meet with us, and he/she was in blue or khaki pants, I would certainly not turn them away. But if they were planning to regularly work at YMCA meets, I would encourage them to procure white shorts, skirts or pants, and certainly if they were working at a championship meet where all the other officials were in whites.

Ed Miller

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dmcnab
New Member

Joined: Nov/30/2009
Posts: 3

Posted: Nov/30/2009 at 5:32pm

Ed,

In another thread regarding the uniform, you stated that you didn't think it was that big of deal as there were only a few posts made about the subject.

I suggest that this forum probably gets very little traffic from the "average" official. To that end, I would suggest that at all classes, for both new and renewing officials, that a poll be taken to see what the majority of officials would like.

I could be a simple form filled out by each student and returned with the instructors forms.

Then, and only then, would you have a somewhat reliable idea of what your officials want.

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Ed Miller
Moderator Group

Moderator - Officials

Joined: Apr/29/2006
Location: United States
Posts: 131

Posted: Dec/01/2009 at 10:34am

Dallas, I appreciate your input, but the Committee discussed this issue again at its July 2009 meeting and again decided not to change the uniform. The issue is dead for the time being, although the Committee will continue to consider it from time to time.

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Rules and Officials
YMCA of the USA Competitive Swimming and Diving Fo :YMCA of the USA Competitive Swimming - General :Rules and Officials

Author	Message
Anne Marguerite New Member Joined: Nov/17/2009 Location: United States Posts: 1	Topic: Uniforms for officials Posted: Nov/17/2009 at 9:22am
	Recently several parents attended level 1 official's training. They were told that the officials uniform is now white shirt, blue pants or shorts, and white sneakers and socks. When I took level 1 training I was told the official uniform was all whites. As I am now the only level 2 official for our team they are looking to me for guidance about the uniform. The last posting on this website indicates the uniform is still all white. Has there been any change in the uniform for officials?
	Anne Marguerite Green

	IP Logged

Ed Miller Moderator Group Moderator - Officials Joined: Apr/29/2006 Location: United States Posts: 131	Posted: Nov/24/2009 at 1:23pm
	The official uniform recommended by the YMCA National Officials' Committee remains white shirts with white pants, shorts or a skirt. The YMCA National Officials' Committee is made up of senior YMCA officials from all around the country, most of whom are also senior USA-S nationally certified officials. Even though the Committee has more important issues to deal with, we did discuss the uniform issue again at our last meeting and voted unanimously to keep it as is. However, because of the YMCA structure, the National Officials Committee can only dictate policy for the national championship meets. One local swim committee apparently believes that they cannot attract officials with the white uniform requirement, and their chair has decided to ignore the national recommendation, and a plea to him personally from the National Officials' Committee, and enforce his own policy (despite the Natioal Officials' Committee representative from that part of the country voting with the Committee to retain the white uniforms). I assume you are in that group. Hopefully, the officials in that group who still prefer white uniforms will make their feelings known to this officials' chair. For people working the national championship meets, the white uniform remains in effect, and it is encouraged for all YMCA swim meets. Ed Miller National Officials' Committee Chair
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rhallapp Senior Member Joined: Feb/27/2007 Location: United States Posts: 45	Posted: Nov/25/2009 at 2:04pm
	Ed, In one of your other posts yesterday you reiterated that USAS officials may work YMCA meets so long as the meet referee and one other official are Y certified. What uniform should a USAS official working a Y meet wear? I realize it's not the most pressing issue, but thanks for your response.
	IP Logged

Ed Miller Moderator Group Moderator - Officials Joined: Apr/29/2006 Location: United States Posts: 131	Posted: Nov/27/2009 at 3:16pm
	At our national championship meets over the last several years, we have had several very senior, nationally certified USA-S officials work with us, mainly as chief judges. They have all shown up in white shorts or slacks, as appropriate. I believe that a uniform is meant to be uniform, and it causes confusion when officials are all dressed differently. Having said that, if a USA-S official came to work a meet with us, and he/she was in blue or khaki pants, I would certainly not turn them away. But if they were planning to regularly work at YMCA meets, I would encourage them to procure white shorts, skirts or pants, and certainly if they were working at a championship meet where all the other officials were in whites. Ed Miller
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dmcnab New Member Joined: Nov/30/2009 Posts: 3	Posted: Nov/30/2009 at 5:32pm
	Ed, In another thread regarding the uniform, you stated that you didn't think it was that big of deal as there were only a few posts made about the subject. I suggest that this forum probably gets very little traffic from the "average" official. To that end, I would suggest that at all classes, for both new and renewing officials, that a poll be taken to see what the majority of officials would like. I could be a simple form filled out by each student and returned with the instructors forms. Then, and only then, would you have a somewhat reliable idea of what your officials want.
	IP Logged

Ed Miller Moderator Group Moderator - Officials Joined: Apr/29/2006 Location: United States Posts: 131	Posted: Dec/01/2009 at 10:34am
	Dallas, I appreciate your input, but the Committee discussed this issue again at its July 2009 meeting and again decided not to change the uniform. The issue is dead for the time being, although the Committee will continue to consider it from time to time. Ed
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