“What’s the elastic thing on your wrist?” Steve Bailey, a friend and retired football official with over 35 years experience says he’s been asked that question many times over the years. It’s a common question from interested fans — and football fans have inquiring minds. Football officials in all levels of the game, from pee wee games on Saturday morning to NFL on Sunday afternoon, use an interesting assortment of tools.
When I lived and worked games in South Louisiana, an important component of my equipment bag was a small aerosol can of spray defogger for my eyeglasses. Rarely did a game go by that atmospheric conditions on a fall Friday night did not result in my glasses fogging up. Once I discovered this product, my problem was solved. I purchased it in a scuba diving equipment shop and still use it in the mountains of North Carolina.
Every official carries a pencil and amazingly, after 13 seasons, I’ve never lost a pencil on the field during a game. We use them to make notes about the game on our game card. We track time outs, unsportsmanlike penalties, down, distance, and ball position at the end of a quarter and of course, the score. After a torrential downpour disintegrated my paper game card one night, I switched to a reusable plastic card on which a pencil can easily be used. Much better and waterproof!
What do I carry onto the field in my pockets? The game card and pencil are in my shirt pocket. In my pants pockets are: a regular cotton handkerchief, an extra penalty marker (flag), lip balm, and a silver dollar for the coin toss. (Umpires often carry a coin as well in case the referee forgets his.) When I moved from back judge to referee, a close friend who collects coins gave me an older silver dollar. It has President Eisenhower on one side and the American Eagle with wings spread on the other. Another friend gave me a “Walking Liberty” silver dollar. I use it as a back up, but cherish it more as a keepsake.
Article comments
1 - Christian
Before we head out on the field before a game, we usually do a check-through to make sure we all have everything with us.
- Flag
- Spare Flag
- Bean bag
- Spare Bean bag
- Something to write with
- Something to write on
- Spare something to write with
- Down marker
- Whistle
- Spare Whistle
- Coin for the coin toss for the R and U.
- Hat (there've been a few times where you're on your way to the field when you realise you've forgot your hat on the coat hook in the changing room)
Quick check-through to make sure eveyone's got their proper kit.