Be the Referee: Hockey Officials

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

March 5, 2024

Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.

Below is this week's segment – Hockey Officials - Listen

Throughout the high school hockey season, you are used to seeing three officials on the ice. But starting in the Quarterfinal round, four officials are used. The four-person system utilizes two referees and two linesmen. And that’s used for quarters, semis and the Finals.

This system allows for more coverage. The two referees can concentrate on penalties and other rules. The two linesmen's primary duties are offsides and icing. 

The move to four officials allows for more consistent coverage of the fastest game in the MHSAA. And like we do in other sports, the best officials are chosen for the final rounds.

Previous Editions

Feb. 27: Less Than 5 - Listen
Feb. 20: Air Ball - Listen
Feb. 13: Hockey Penalties - Listen
Jan. 30: Wrestling Tiebreakers - Listen
Jan. 23: Wrestling Technology - Listen
Jan. 9: 3 Seconds - Listen
Dec. 19: Unsuspecting Hockey Hits - Listen
Dec. 12: No More One-And-Ones - Listen
Nov. 21: Football Finals Replay - Listen
Nov. 14: Volleyball Unplayable Areas - Listen
Nov. 7: Pass/Kick Off Crossbar - Listen
Oct. 31: Cross Country Interference - Listen
Oct. 24: Soccer Overtime - Listen
Oct. 17: Tennis Spin - Listen
Oct. 10: Blocked Kick - Listen
Oct. 3: Volleyball Double & Lift - Listen
Sept. 26: Registration Process - Listen
Sept. 20: Animal Interference - Listen
Sept. 13: Feet Rule on Soccer Throw-In - Listen
Sept. 6: Volleyball Jewelry - Listen
Aug. 30: Football Rules Similarities - Listen
Aug. 23: Football Rules Differences - Listen

Be the Referee: Back Row Setter

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

November 12, 2024

Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.

Below is this week's segment – Back Row Setter - Listen

We’re on the volleyball court for today’s “You Make the Call.”

Team A serves the ball over net. Team B’s number 9 passes, or bumps the ball up toward the net, where number 2 tips it over for a point.

But number 2 is a back row setter and moved to the front row on the serve.

Is this a legal play?

If you said it depends … you are correct.

A back row setter can move to the front row and play the ball over the net as long as the entire ball is NOT above the net.

If the ball is completely above the net, then the back row setter is not allowed to play it over the net from the front row.

Previous 2024-25 Editions

Nov. 5: Football OT - Listen
Oct. 29: Officials Registration - Listen
Oct. 22: Volleyball Serve - Listen
Oct. 15: "You Make the Call"
- Soccer Offside - Listen
Oct. 8: Roughing the Passer - Listen
Oct. 1: Abnormal Course Condition - Listen
Sept. 25: Tennis Nets - Listen
Sept. 18:
 Libero - Listen
Sept. 10:
 Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen