Be the Referee: Blindside Blocks
August 24, 2017
This week, "Be the Referee" with MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl returns with the first of a three-part series on football rules changes for 2017, this one on blindside blocking.
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 – Blindside Blocks - Listen
We're going to start the new school year with a three-part series on football rule changes.
There may be no hit in football that generates more "ohs" and “ahs" than the blindside hit. It's also one of the most dangerous hits in the game.
The defensive player in pursuit of the runner, who does not have a reasonable opportunity to see the oncoming blocker, is considered defenseless. In keeping with putting player safety first, national rules now allow blocking from the blindside only when contact is initiated with the hands – achieving the same effect without all the contact.
That big blindside hit will now result in a 15-yard penalty and possible ejection from the game.
Next week, we'll look at changes to rules covering onside kicks.
Be the Referee: Swim Finishing Touch
September 19, 2019
This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains a new rule in swimming that allows for more flexibility when determining when a competitor has finished a race.
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 - Swimming Finishing Touch - Listen
There’s a swimmer-friendly rules change being made in that sport this season. The definition of a legal finish has been changed to allow a competitor to touch any part of the finish end of the lane.
Previously, a swimmer had to contact the touch pad for a legal finish. The touch rule has also been changed to apply during relay races – where prior to this season only the final swimmer had to touch the finish end of the pool.
While the changes may provide some flexibility for swimmers, it does put additional responsibility on lane judges and back-up hand timers to be ready for those occurrences when a swimmer does not contact the touch pad.
Sept. 12: Curbing Gamesmanship By Substitution - Listen
Sept. 5: Football Safety Rules Changes - Listen
Aug. 29: 40-Second Play Clock - Listen