2023 Officials Awards Recognize Nearly 400, Including Norris & Paulson Honorees
By
Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties
August 7, 2023
This year's Officials Awards & Alumni Banquet recognized 397 officials who celebrated a milestone year of MHSAA registration during 2022-23, plus honored a highly-respected mentor and a young official with a tremendous future in the avocation.
Longtime Jackson-area official Chuck Walters was named the Vern L. Norris Award honoree for his decades of service not just on the field but recruiting and helping to retain officials. Recent Mackinaw City graduate Madison Smith received the Randy Paulson Legacy Award and has officiated junior varsity basketball and volleyball over the last year as part of the MHSAA Legacy Program.
This year's honorees included 24 officials with 50 years of service, along with 36 officials with 45 years, and a 40-year award has been presented to 51 officials. In addition, 110 officials with 30 years and 176 officials with 20 years of registration were honored.
Be the Referee: Football Holding
By
Sam Davis
MHSAA Director of Officials
August 27, 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 Holding - Listen
In football, it’s often said that holding happens on every play. But does it?
When an offensive player uses their hands or arms to illegally restrain a defensive player – that’s holding. This typically happens when blockers grab or pull defensive players away from their path – impeding their ability to make a play. The penalty is 10 yards from the previous spot.
Defensive players can be flagged for holding as well. That’s also a 10-yard penalty. An example of defensive holding is when a cornerback grabs a receiver to slow him down before the ball is thrown. If that same contact happens while the pass is in the air – then it’s pass interference. Defensive pass interference is a 15-yard penalty.
PHOTO A football official signals holding during a 2023 game. (Photo by Gary Shook.)