A&H

Refereeing wearing a cap

G

goiko

New Member
Level 5 Referee
Anyone got any thoughts on wearing a cap while refereeing? Never done it before, except for a 5-a-side tournament, but wondering about protecting my scalp against particularly bright sunshine in this way rather than relying on my factor 50. Might prove to be a bit awkward though, or just be frowned upon.
 
The Referee Store
As a Baldy referee never considered wearing a cap. Factor 50 does the trick.

However, if you do wear one, here is the relevant directive from the handbook:

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JamesL said:
As a Baldy referee never considered wearing a cap. Factor 50 does the trick.

However, if you do wear one, here is the relevant directive from the handbook:

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Thanks for this James. Can imagine it's easier if it's not windy! Part of my reason for asking is that I've recently applied to my bald scalp a medicating cream (Efudix) for 4 weeks on the suggestion of my GP to identify and destroy any sun damaged skin (that I wasn't aware of) which will hopefully subsequently be replaced with good skin. Still slightly sore, so thought I may mollycoddle it for the moment.
 
Mr Dean said:
I'm sure a small logo will be ok. It's difficult to find caps without logs.
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If it helps, I got one from Tesco logo-free. Didn't buy it for that reason, actually found it was more comfortable than most for me. Though I'd agree a small logo would be OK anyway
 
If you go on Amazon, you can find a runners cap that will breathe nicely and should be able to find one where the logo is also black so it is almost invisible. (That’s what I did a few years ago.)

I think how a cap is perceived is regional and local. in the US, USSF used to strongly discourage them, I think on the “doesn’t look professional” theory, as the pro refs don’t where them. (That was under the same regime that thought refs having different shirt sleeve lengths was a crime against humanity.) But the pro refs are doing a single game in a stadium. Here in sunny Southern California, if I do more than one game, I almost always wear a cap. Sure, sunscreen does a lot, but with a family history of skin cancer, I‘m protecting my face.
 
Never wore one, when i eventually bald (wife reports its thinning already!!) ill stick to factor 50 :D
But we are allowed as long as its plain if I remember!
 
As @socal lurker says, all of the local guidance allows black hats. In our high school and college rulebooks, a hat is explicitly listed as an optional part of a referee uniform.

For me, I never wear one in the middle. I just feel too hot wearing one. As an assistant, I’ll wear one if I’m doing more than one youth or high school game, or if I need it to help keep the sun out of my eyes. Many of our high school and college games are early evening starts, so we can stare into the sun a lot on fields running north and south.
 
Number 1 rule for referees is to look after the health and safety of everyone. We should never forget that it includes ourselves.

If you need a cap then wear one at grass roots is my advice. Nice if it doesn't have a logo on but if you've only got one with a logo then I'd still wear it. Look after yourself and everyone else.

I am an 🥚 but suncream does it for me. But if you need it then you need it at grass roots imo.
 
Golf clothing ranges usually have more subtle branding, I've always got a really lightweight black addidas cap in my bag. It's bloody excellent for low winter sun morning ko's
 
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