SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums SCHSSCA Uniform Question

I was talking with a fellow coach today and he asked me a uniform question that I wasn't sure of. I figured that I would post it and see what I can get from other coaches that may know the answer. Here is the question:

Why do we, as soccer teams, wear white jerseys at home and dark jerseys on the road? Football does the opposite.

His reasoning behind the question is the new jersey rule that we are all affected by today. He went out and bought new uniforms and was able to spend more money on customized away uniforms due to the "plainness" of the home uniforms. He went on to say that home fans will not be able to see the new uniforms because he wears white at home.

Other than the fact that NFHS states that we wear white at home and dark jerseys on the road, why do we wear white jerseys at home and dark jerseys on the road?

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

I was always told "back in the day" that when you went on a road trip you may wear same jersey a few games without a wash.

The rule was put in place so that a team does not show up with a like color to the home team and make it difficult to distinguish between the two teams. I am a referee, i worked a HS game this year where the home team contacted the visiting coach/team and asked if the away team would wear white. Guess what, the visiting team agreed so that the home team could wear there new jerseys at home. Just a thought. Referees do not care what team is what color, just that they are different but it becomes difficult when you have two dark colored teams playing on a field that is not well lite for soccer. Food for thought.

not sure where the "white at home" originated from, basketball and baseball is common to wear white at home, but football is the opposite.

I am sure I will get a correction but Real Madrid is the only international big club I can think of that is known for their white kit.

Different leagues, different sports, different rules. In some sports -- soccer being one -- you'll even see hoops or stripes. Most high-level clubs even have third kits, presumably to avoid any/all color similarities. Though I suspect it's more of a marketing ploy.
Given limited budgets in H.S., it should simply be an agreed-upon standard: i.e., white home, dark away, or vice versa.
And, FWIW, home teams should ALWAYS bring BOTH, in the event a "road" team shows up with the wrong unis.