Be the Referee: Switching Sides
By
Sam Davis
MHSAA Director of Officials
September 6, 2022
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 – Switching Sides - Listen
In volleyball, a rules modification that came about during COVID has been instated as a permanent change - with overwhelming support from coaches and officials.
Previously, teams would switch sides after each set, sometimes creating a traffic jam as players and coaches move benches from side to side. Unless there is a clear competitive advantage, there is no switching now. Coaches like having a dedicated home bench and the improved pace of the match.
Things that would necessitate teams switching would be less serving room on one end of the court, a window on one side with the sun shining in, or an overhead obstruction on one end.
It’s up to the official to determine if an advantage exists and if teams will switch at the end of each set – or stay on the same side for the entirety of the match.
Previous Editions:
Aug. 30: Play Clock - Listen
Aug. 23: Intentional Grounding Change - Listen
Be the Referee: Baseball Pitch Count
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
May 7, 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 – Baseball Pitch Count - Listen
Do you know the pitch count limits for high school baseball in Michigan?
- If a pitcher throws 25 pitches or less, he can throw again the next day with no rest.
- If 26 to 50 pitches are thrown, one day of rest is required.
- 51 to 75 pitches require two days of rest.
- And throwing 76 or more pitches requires three days of rest.
The maximum pitch count for one day is 105 pitches. But if pitch number 105 occurs during the middle of an at-bat, the pitcher can finish that at-bat, but then must be taken out.
Teams are required to track all pitch counts and indicate before a game who is ineligible to pitch that day.
In the postseason, a neutral person tracks the pitch count. If a violation occurs, the pitcher becomes ineligible, and his team forfeits the game he pitched in.
Previous Editions
April 30: Boys Lacrosse Helmets - Listen
April 23: Softball Interference - Listen
April 16: Soccer Red Card - Listen
April 9: Batted Baseball Hits Runner - Listen
March 12: Basketball Replay - Listen
March 5: Hockey Officials - Listen
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