Dress code and uniform requirements

Through the Tomball Kings dress code and uniform requirements, we seek to promote a positive image of Kings student-athletes and to instill in each of them an awareness of and respect for the need to dress appropriately for life’s innumerable and varied occasions.

We want our student-athletes to understand that their appearance has an effect on others and the judgments that others make of them, and will play a role in the opportunities that life presents to them. In extreme cases, proper attire may be the difference between life and death. More commonly, attire will influence the outcome of interviews, presentations, and even marriage prospects.

In athletic contests appearance can be a competitive strength or weakness. As a competitive sports program, our standard of performance requires that we dress in a manner that conveys a professional appearance, strength and formidability, attention to detail, self-discipline, and respect for ourselves, our opponents, and the game of baseball.

Uniform modes

The Tomball Kings have three modes of athletic uniform attire:

• "Game attire"
• Practice attire: "Full practice attire"
• Practice attire: "Shorts"

Each of these modes of attire has a specific meaning and a definite set of items associated with it, as set forth below under "Uniform mode definitions."

Team colors

• Complete list of team colors. Our team colors are red, royal blue, navy blue, white, black, and gray.
• Primary team colors. Red, royal blue, and white are primary team colors.
• Secondary team colors. Navy blue, black, and gray are secondary team colors.
• Prohibition of non-team colors. For any of our three modes of uniform attire, players may not wear any article of clothing that contains any color other than a primary or secondary team color.

Dress code

• General requirement. Any form or mode of dress or appearance that the Director of Baseball Operations deems to be inconsistent with our dress code and uniform requirements, or Tomball Kings standards more generally, must be modified to his satisfaction.
• Hair color and facial hair. Hair must be of a natural color. Players may not be bearded, but may have a mustache that does not extend beyond the bottom of the lips. Sideburns may not extend below the bottom of the ear.
• Piercings. For player safety, skin must be free of piercings or other forms of decoration or ornamentation.
• Jewelry. Players may wear one bracelet of primary or secondary team colors on each wrist, but may not wear watches, rings, or piercings at any Tomball Kings event or with any mode of Tomball Kings uniform. This prohibition applies also to the player’s ingress to and egress from the event, while in any mode of Tomball Kings uniform.
• Always bring both game jerseys to games. High school, junior high, and 12U players should always bring both game jerseys to every game, in case it may be necessary to switch jerseys for contrast with our opponents.
• Fabric condition and care. Players may not arrive to a team event in ripped, torn, frayed, soiled, or stained jerseys, hats, or pants. With proper care, each of these items can and must be kept in clean condition.
• Shirt tails. With respect to the uniform modes “Game attire” or “full practice attire,” shirt tails must be tucked in crisply at all times. When in “Shorts,” shirt tails may be tucked in or untucked, as the player prefers.
• Arrival and departure. Irrespective of the mode of uniform attire, players must always arrive for their event fully dressed and depart in the same fashion. Players may not dress or undress in the dugout, except to change their shoes or – if directed to do so by their coach – game jerseys.
• Continuity. The conclusion of a team event does not excuse compliance with the dress code and uniform requirements. For example, a player who arrived for a JV game in game attire may not, during a subsequent varsity game, have his shirt tail untucked or wear sandals. When in any uniform mode, honor the uniform code associated with that mode. When in street clothes, however, players are most welcome to wear their Kings jerseys or hats.

Mandatory uniform items

Hats

All Kings players must have a Kings blue hat. All Kings high school players must also have a Kings white hat.

Jerseys

All Kings players must have a Kings Ready Red jersey. All Kings junior high and 12U players must also have a Kings Pre-Varsity Blue jersey. All Kings high school players must also have a Kings Varsity Blue and Kings Varsity White jersey.

Belts

All Kings players must have a royal blue baseball belt.

Pants

All Kings high school players must have white baseball pants with royal blue piping, either in full-length or knicker styles, and gray baseball practice pants with no piping, either in full length or knicker styles. All other Kings players must have white and gray pants with no piping, either in full-length or knicker styles. The leg portion of full-length game pants must be open bottom. The leg portion of gray practice pants may be open bottom or elastic banded, as the player prefers.

Shorts

All Kings players must have solid black athletic shorts.

Socks

All Kings players must have solid white athletic socks to wear with the uniform mode “Shorts.” For the uniform modes “game attire” or “full practice attire,” all Kings players must have, in solid, royal blue color, either (i) TCK Prosport Performance Tube Socks or (ii) TCK Long Sports Socks Over the Knee Pro Plus Performance socks. With knicker-style pants, socks must cover the calves completely.

Shoes

All Kings players must have rubberized cleats and turf shoes containing only team colors. These may be baseball- or soccer-style shoes. Baseball shoes with metal spikes are optional for players in junior high and high school. Players in the 12U, 10U, and 8U divisions may not wear metal spikes.

High school game shoes may be of any of the team colors, whether individually or in combination, other than red.

Players may wear athletic shoes with closed toes and heels for purposes of walking to and from a dugout or comparable facility, and then change into game or practice shoes within the dugout or facility. In no event may players wear, with any mode of uniform, sandals, “crocs,” flats, deck shoes, canvas shoes, or any other non-sports shoe.

Since we cannot predict field conditions, always have all of your baseball shoes in your baseball bag.

Recommended uniform items

We recommend that all players have sports sunglasses and sliding shorts. We also recommend white and royal blue undershirts for all high school players, with white shirts to be worn under the Varsity White jerseys and royal blue undershirts to be worn under the Varsity Blue jerseys.

Optional uniform items

Players may wear compression sleeves of a solid, team color. Pitchers may only wear solid red, royal blue, navy blue, or black compression sleeves.

Uniform mode definitions

Game attire

Full practice attire

With respect to all players, the term “full practice attire” means:

• Kings blue hat;
• Kings Ready Red jersey for high school, junior high, and 12U;
• Kings “K Blue” training shirt for 10U and 8U;
• royal blue baseball belt;
• gray baseball practice pants with no piping, either in full length or knicker styles;
• either (i) TCK Prosport Performance Tube Socks or (ii) TCK Long Sports Socks Over the Knee Pro Plus Performance socks, of solid, royal blue color; and,
• surface-appropriate baseball shoes, meeting Kings shoe specifications.

Shorts

With respect to all players, the term “shorts” is a form of practice attire and means:

• Kings blue hat;
• Kings Ready Red jersey for high school, junior high, and 12U;
• Kings “K Blue” training shirt for 10U and 8U;
• solid black athletic shorts or solid black sweat pants;
• solid white athletic socks; and,
• surface-appropriate baseball shoes, meeting Kings shoe specifications.

Safety apparel and equipment

We require players to wear protective cups for any field event and recommend sliding shorts for game attire and full practice attire.

For practices specified as batting-cages only, cups are mandatory for catchers when catching and optional for all other players.

We require batting helmets with C-flaps for every game, field practice, and batting-cage event. These must be of royal blue color. Whenever players are in any batting cage at the same time that one or more bats are in the cage, irrespective of cage location, they must wear batting helmets without exception.

We strongly recommend that players wear mouth guards, heart shields, and elbow and ankle shields.

For their own safety, all catchers must have their own throat protectors, catcher's mitts, and well-fitted chest protectors and shin guards, preferable of clam-shell design; for high school play, chest protectors must meet NOCSAE standards. Kings catcher's gear should be used for back-up purposes only.

No player under the age of fifteen may use a “donut,” “sleeve,” or other bat-weighting device.

High school players must have and use a set of resistance bands or a comparable tool for arm care prior to participation in practices or games. We strongly recommend the use of such bands for all younger players.