Be the Referee: Concussions
September 15, 2016
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl discusses the official's role when an athlete experiences a possible concussion.
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 – Concussions - Listen
In all contact sports, the biggest issue of the day continues to be concussions. Game officials play a vital role in keeping athletes safe on the field, court, ice and mat.
While officials are never placed in the position to diagnose a possible concussion, the officials can often see when a player first becomes injured. When that possible injury is noticed by an official, all game rules require the contest be stopped and the student is evaluated by the school’s health care team.
It then becomes the call of the school to determine if the player has suffered a possible concussion. If yes, the player is out for at least the rest of that day. If no, the player can return to the contest.
Past editions
Sept 8: Equipment Covering the Knees - Listen
Sept. 1: Play Clock Experiment - Listen
Aug. 25: Clipping in the Free Blocking Zone - Listen
Be the Referee: Always 1st-and-Goal
October 3, 2018
This week, MHSAA assistant director Brent Rice explains how every series of high school football overtime in Michigan begins with 1st-and-Goal.
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 – Always 1st-and-Goal - Listen
In Michigan, football overtime for each team starts with 1st-and-goal at the 10-yard line. Other states which allow overtime to begin anywhere from the 10 to the 25-yard line, and in some of those states, you could actually pick up a first down while on offense.
But Michigan is always 1st-and-goal. Even in those situations where a dead ball foul from the end of the first team’s possession in an overtime may start the second team’s series at the 25 – it is still 1st-and-goal.
The only way a team on offense can pick up a first down in overtime is on a penalty providing yardage plus an automatic first down, and those are only the roughing calls – roughing the passer, the kicker, the holder and the long snapper.
Past editions
September 27: Unique Kickoff Option - Listen
September 20: Uncatchable Pass - Listen
September 13: Soccer Rules Change - Listen
September 6: You Make the Call: Face Guarding - Listen
August 30: 40-Second Play Clock - Listen
August 23: Football Rules Changes - Listen