Question About Coaches Attire at Games

[MattF]

I'm puzzled about how dressed up the coaches are at games and what this seeming protocol/tradition is about. Coach Auriemma wears a jacket and tie and the female coaches--on UConn and so many other teams-- are dressed to the nines, including high heels, which are so damaging for the spine and legs. In this day of increased awareness about sexism and sex-role stereotypes, how is it that these female authority figures are modeling a highly feminized, almost stereotypic, stylishness to amazing female athletes. Are they saying: you can be as aggressive, heroic, athletic and fiercely competitive on the court and in practice, but this is how you should appear when not in those contexts? I'd appreciate any thoughts, observations and insights on this matter.

 

[Nuyoika]

I'm puzzled about how dressed up the coaches are at games and what this seeming protocol/tradition is about. Coach Auriemma wears a jacket and tie and the female coaches--on UConn and so many other teams-- are dressed to the nines, including high heels, which are so damaging for the spine and legs. In this day of increased awareness about sexism and sex-role stereotypes, how is it that these female authority figures are modeling a highly feminized, almost stereotypic, stylishness to amazing female athletes. Are they saying: you can be as aggressive, heroic, athletic and fiercely competitive on the court and in practice, but this is how you should appear when not in those contexts? I'd appreciate any thoughts, observations and insights on this matter.

They are on National TV, representing a University that pays them at least 6 figures, touting the best athletes and putting the best product on the floor in terms of WCBB .... I'd be dressed to the nines too. Nothing wrong with looking like you belong at the top.

 

[Orangutan]

I did a little research. Apparently Billy Donovan had to wear a suit and tie at Florida per university policy. But I assume for the most part that coaches are free to wear whatever they choose and are conforming to the tradition of being "dressed up" on the sidelines however they see fit.

I know that Niele Ivey and Muffet McGraw sometimes tweet about enjoying shopping for gameday outfits, so I assume they wear what they wear because they like it. Not because they are trying to prove a point of some kind.

The one that gets me is Pokey Chatman. She always wears heels on the sidelines but she looks so uncomfortable in them and she always takes them off and switches shoes before going to the locker room at halftime. I guess she tlikes the look of heels but hates actually walking in them?

 

[ochoopsfan]

I will take Lou Carneseca's sweaters any day of the week!!

 

[j66kicker]

The one that gets me is Pokey Chatman. She always wears heels on the sidelines but she looks so uncomfortable in them and she always takes them off and switches shoes before going to the locker room at halftime. I guess she likes the look of heels but hates actually walking in them?

I thought that was true of all women who wear high heels....? Silly custom IMO - aren't there any stylish 'sensible shoes'?

 

[Millenial23]

Just a personal choice I'd say... Heels are still the traditional dressy footwear for women and for some reason it seems like athletes in particular like to wear them. I personally rarely wear heels, even to work.

 

[Millenial23]

Somewhat related, and don't murder me for this, but I think the SNY make-up people always put way too much on Kara!!

 

[Zorro]

Kim is in a class by herself!!

 

[lne001]

And then there was Tom Hodges, Morehead State (since fired). Any publicity is good publicity, I guess.

 

[meyers7]

I'm puzzled about how dressed up the coaches are at games and what this seeming protocol/tradition is about. Coach Auriemma wears a jacket and tie and the female coaches--on UConn and so many other teams-- are dressed to the nines, including high heels, which are so damaging for the spine and legs. In this day of increased awareness about sexism and sex-role stereotypes, how is it that these female authority figures are modeling a highly feminized, almost stereotypic, stylishness to amazing female athletes. Are they saying: you can be as aggressive, heroic, athletic and fiercely competitive on the court and in practice, but this is how you should appear when not in those contexts? I'd appreciate any thoughts, observations and insights on this matter.

Way better than being like baseball where the manager and coaches wear the same uniform as the players.

 

[Kibitzer]

All through the football season I watched most coaches wear a strip about 1" wide and 2' long down the center of their back. And a 6-sided patch pocket (zipper in center) on left sleeve.. I wouldn't mention it here but I saw the same items on the windbreaker of a men's bb coach (Oakland vs. Val-po). Can anyone explain this?

 

[AndyCT]

I'm puzzled about how dressed up the coaches are at games and what this seeming protocol/tradition is about. Coach Auriemma wears a jacket and tie and the female coaches--on UConn and so many other teams-- are dressed to the nines, including high heels, which are so damaging for the spine and legs. In this day of increased awareness about sexism and sex-role stereotypes, how is it that these female authority figures are modeling a highly feminized, almost stereotypic, stylishness to amazing female athletes. Are they saying: you can be as aggressive, heroic, athletic and fiercely competitive on the court and in practice, but this is how you should appear when not in those contexts? I'd appreciate any thoughts, observations and insights on this matter.

Actually this year Geno seems to have dropped the tie….

I’m not sure what the issue is exactly? Is it that the assistants all dress like women, or that all the staff dresses formally? Historically, dressing formally is a way of showing respect for the event and for the participants, whether it be a wedding, a funeral, a Broadway show, or a sporting event. To show up looking like you just rolled out of bed or were working on the car is to be disrespectful to the game and to the players.

Traditionally coaches at the college and professional levels – except for baseball – had always dressed in that fashion, at that formal level, for games. Over the last couple of decades football has devolved from that standard but the image of former Giants coaches Tom Laundry with his fedora or Vince Lombardi, always dressed “to the nines”, are iconic (those two may also have had some additional success after leaving New York. Everyone does. Think “Bill Belichick”).

How should they dress? Sweat suits? Gender-neutral potato sacks? Those DEVO coveralls complete with the flower-pot hats? By the way, I’ve got to believe that if Shea wore a DEVO suit she would still be the fiercest looking person in the building.

 

[j66kicker]

Larry Brown's regular game coaching attire while coaching the ABA Denver Nuggets

 

[Checkmate]

And then there was Tom Hodges, Morehead State (since fired). Any publicity is good publicity, I guess.

He and the assistants should have been fired for those clown suits alone.

 

[CocoHusky]

In this day of increased awareness about sexism and sex-role stereotypes, how is it that these female authority figures are modeling a highly feminized, almost stereotypic, stylishness to amazing female athletes. Are they saying: you can be as aggressive, heroic, athletic and fiercely competitive on the court and in practice, but this is how you should appear when not in those contexts?

I'm sorry, were you asking something about amazingly stylish female authority figures in heels? I approve!

 

[Carnac]

And then there was Tom Hodges, Morehead State (since fired). Any publicity is good publicity, I guess.

Any way you turn his outfit, it's hard on the eyes. I'm not hating, but all he needs is the red nose, glasses and size 20 shoes to complete his ensemble.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Any way you turn his outfit, it's hard on the eyes. I'm not hating, but all he needs is the red nose, glasses and size 20 shoes to complete his ensemble.

I was looking for a jester's hat on the bench.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

All through the football season I watched most coaches wear a strip about 1" wide and 2' long down the center of their back. And a 6-sided patch pocket (zipper in center) on left sleeve.. I wouldn't mention it here but I saw the same items on the windbreaker of a men's bb coach (Oakland vs. Val-po). Can anyone explain this?

Nike's annual "official" coaches attire. Although you are mixing the jacket thing (had the funny patch pocket) with the back of the shirt (the inexplicable strip down the back).

This has been going on for years, each year Nike changes up the "standard" clothing for coaches. One year the shirts had a black pattern near the sleeves that made me think the arms came out of claws.

In the end, it is all about a new design to sell to the fans (usually the next year). Same purpose of throwback uniforms.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I'm puzzled about how dressed up the coaches are at games and what this seeming protocol/tradition is about. Coach Auriemma wears a jacket and tie and the female coaches--on UConn and so many other teams-- are dressed to the nines, including high heels, which are so damaging for the spine and legs. In this day of increased awareness about sexism and sex-role stereotypes, how is it that these female authority figures are modeling a highly feminized, almost stereotypic, stylishness to amazing female athletes. Are they saying: you can be as aggressive, heroic, athletic and fiercely competitive on the court and in practice, but this is how you should appear when not in those contexts? I'd appreciate any thoughts, observations and insights on this matter.

Not all are. Coach Butts here at Arizona wears a black suit (for one special game, a tux) and sneakers. The sneakers are her trademark. Coach Rubio, our WVB coach, wears ratty looking sports-jackets over open striped dress shirts, although VB coaches tend to be somewhat more casual.

Walz at Louisville wears really odd checkered shirts (no tie). Coach Bruno wears logo'd shirts (so do some other coaches).
Last I checked, Coach Huggins on the men's side wears sweatsuits.

So it isn't 100% consistent and it isn't mandated by the NCAA.

 

[jennyo70]

Walz has two traits that, I believe, alter his dress code. He has a stutter. This was apparently why it took him a while to get a head coaching gig. No one would give him a chance with the increased media and talking gigs he would have to Regularly participate in. As a result he does not where anything around his neck, no ties and does not button his shirt all the way up, it is too constricting.
He is also colorblind. While I think his patterned ( checkered) shirts are fine, I suspect his choice in this style is somehow related to his being colorblind

 

[meyers7]

Walz has two traits that, I believe, alter his dress code. He has a stutter. This was apparently why it took him a while to get a head coaching gig. No one would give him a chance with the increased media and talking gigs he would have to Regularly participate in. As a result he does not where anything around his neck, no ties and does not button his shirt all the way up, it is too constricting.
He is also colorblind. While I think his patterned ( checkered) shirts are fine, I suspect his choice in this style is somehow related to his being colorblind

He pretty much just wears Louisville colors though. So don't know if being colorblind has anything to do with it.

 

[CocoHusky]

Walz has two traits that, I believe, alter his dress code. He has a stutter. This was apparently why it took him a while to get a head coaching gig. No one would give him a chance with the increased media and talking gigs he would have to Regularly participate in. As a result he does not where anything around his neck, no ties and does not button his shirt all the way up, it is too constricting.
He is also colorblind. While I think his patterned ( checkered) shirts are fine, I suspect his choice in this style is somehow related to his being colorblind

Regardless if he's colorblind or not he should have someone in his life that says "NO! Not that! Come on Man, You are going to be on TV!"

 

[Pete]

The WVA men's coach doesn't wear a suit. He wears sweats and sneakers

 

[OldAlum]

Guys have it easier as nobody notices if they wear the same suit several times!
Of course the women coaches and staff are entitled to wear whatever they feel shows respect to the game and represents themselves well. I am a little surprised at the formality of some outfits. It is a sporting event and IMO a sportier outfit than a pencil skirt and stilettos seems more appropriate. But nobody cares about my opinion on their clothes! Hey, I guess it is a bit athletic to be able to walk on a basketball court in some of those heels
What does seem odd is when the women athletic trainers etc choose a tight skirt and heels and then have to struggle to get down on the floor to attend an injured player or stretch out a cramp.

 

[UcMiami]

At Uconn it has always seemed that CD is the ring leader of the fashion choices - she loves clothes and shopping and I think it rubs off on the others including the trainer.
Men's coaching attire was pretty consistently formal through the sixties, but the choices have broadened out and the formality is now a personal choice. I have no trouble with that. And I have no trouble with women coaches choosing whatever they want as well.

We all have different interpretations of 'feminism' but to be it comes down to having personal choice and not being constrained by other opinions (male or female) of what is 'acceptable'. If the situation calls for 'formality' then dress formally but whether you choose dress, skirt, or slacks is none of my business.

Having completely relaxed the rules for coaching attire that means men and women can make their own choices - track suit to three piece suit and tie or high fashion dress.

As an aside on the corporate influence on coaching wear - the famous cut off hoodie that patrols the Patriots sideline was Belichick's reaction to being told by the NFL office that he had to wear official logo apparel on the sideline. He did, but he made a few alterations in an act of defiance. (He actually appears to have ended that fashion choice (I think after the official clothing line came out with a version of cut-off hoodie to stock in stores.)