Be the Referee: Ejections

November 24, 2017

In this week's edition, assistant director Mark Uyl discusses the penalties that come with a player or coach ejection. 

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 – Ejections - Listen

Good sportsmanship is at the foundation of what high school sports is all about. Whenever a coach or player is ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct or behavior, that individual is suspended for the rest of that day of competition.

In some sports, that means that they’re done for the rest of that game on that day; or in sports where there are doubleheaders or tournament play involved, the person is disqualified from that entire day of competition.

The rule then also requires that the coach or player is ineligible for the subsequent day of competition, essentially being a one-day suspension for anyone who is ejected. 

Past editions
November 16: Toughest Call - Listen
November 9: Hurdling - Listen
November 2: The Survey Says - Listen
October 26: Helmet Comes Off -
 Listen
October 19: Goal Line Rules - Listen
October 12: No 1st-Year Fee - Listen
October 5: Athletic Empty Nesters - Listen
September 28: Misunderstood Football Rules: Kicking - Listen
September 21: Preparation for Officials - Listen
September 14: Always Stay Registered - Listen
September 7: Other Football Rules Changes - Listen
August 31: Pop-Up Onside Kicks - Listen
August 24: Blindside Blocks - Listen

Be the Referee: Spearing

September 3, 2015

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains the expanded definition of spearing added for football this season. 

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 - Spearing - Listen



One of the new changes to the high school football rules for this year is an expanded definition of spearing an opponent with the helmet. With all the attention on player safety and reducing the head-to-head collisions between players, this new definition of illegal helmet contact will better help officials, coaches, players and fans with what is illegal and must be penalized by rule. 

Simply put, a spearing foul has taken place when any player hits an opponent with the crown, or top portion, of his helmet as the first point of contact. These fouls where contact has been initiated by a player first with the crown of the helmet must be called and enforced consistently throughout the season.

Past editions:
Aug. 27: Missed Field Goal - Listen