Be the Referee: Hockey Penalties

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

February 6, 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 Penalties - Listen

The three most common penalties in high school hockey are tripping, slashing, and hooking. What’s the difference between them?

It’s pretty self-explanatory.

Tripping is when a player uses the stick to make another player fall.

Slashing is when a player swings the stick at another player, whether contact is made or not.

And hooking is using your stick to slow an opponent down, usually the puck handler.

Hooking differs from holding in that hooking involves the use of the stick to slow an opponent down, while holding is done with the hands.

All of these penalties – tripping, slashing, hooking and holding – will result in at least two minutes in the penalty box.

Previous Editions

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: Football OT

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

November 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 – Football OT - Listen

We’ve got a football overtime question for you today. In high school, what is the only way a defensive team can score in overtime?

  • Can they return an interception for a touchdown?
  • Can they pick up a fumble and take it back for a touchdown?

If you said yes to either of those, you’re wrong.

In overtime, if the defense gains possession of the ball – be it by fumble or interception – the play is over. There’s no advancing of the ball, and the offensive possession is over.

So back to the original question: How can the defense score in overtime? There’s only one way – via safety. And with teams starting at the 10-yard line, that would be a pretty wild play – and it would end the game with the defensive team victorious.

Previous 2024-25 Editions

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

PHOTO An officiating crew confers before this season’s Fowler/Bath varsity football game. (Photo by John Johnson.)