Be the Referee: Excessive Contact

December 10, 2015

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains rules new this basketball season designed to limit physical contact with ball-handlers. 

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 - Basketball Excessive Contact - Listen

The game of basketball is a game of finesse and skill. The basketball playing rules' emphasis and focus for this year continue to work at getting the unnecessary rough and physical play out of basketball.

The acts that constitute a foul when committed against a ball-handler are when a defender…..a) places two hands on the ball handler; b) places an extended arm bar on the ball handler; c) places and keeps a hand on the ball handler; and d) contacts the ball handler more than once with the same hand or alternating hands.

Officials will deem these as automatic fouls, and consistent enforcement will keep the game of basketball a game of skill, not brute force. 

Past editions:
Nov. 26: Pregame Communication - Listen
Nov. 19: Trick Plays - Listen
Nov. 12: 7-Person Football Mechanics - Listen
Nov. 5: Make the Call: Personal Fouls - Listen
Oct. 29: Officials Demographics - Listen
Oct. 15: Make the Call: Intentional Grounding - Listen
Oct. 8: Playoff Selection - Listen
Oct. 1: Kick Returns - Listen
Sept. 24: Concussions - Listen
Sept. 17: Automatic First Downs - Listen
Sept. 10: Correcting a Down - Listen
Sept 3:
Spearing - Listen
Aug. 27: Missed Field Goal - Listen

Be the Referee: Deciding the Game

March 2, 2017

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl discusses why officials must make calls even in the final moments of a close game during tournament time.

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 – Deciding the Game - Listen

Every American sports fan knows when the calendar turns to March, it’s time to start thinking about basketball tournament games.

With all of the pundits out there talking about the matchups and who may advance on the brackets, the comment gets made every single year that we simply hope the players decide the outcome of every game – and not a referee’s call.

The fact of the matter is that in the last 10 seconds of a tied game, when a player drives down the lane and gets hit and get knocked to the floor, an official has to make that foul call because the players did decide the outcome of that game. For the officials to simply swallow their whistles and let one team break the rules for a clear advantage is not letting those players decide the outcome.

    Past editions
    Feb. 23: Pitch Counts - Listen
    Feb. 16: Recruiting Officials - Listen
    Feb. 9: Ejections - Listen
    Feb. 2: Wrestling & Technology - Listen
    Jan. 26: Post Play - Listen
    Jan. 19: Ice Hockey Overtime - Listen
    Jan. 12: Free Throw Change - Listen
    Jan. 5: Ratings - Listen
    Dec. 22: Video Review - Part 2 - Listen
    Dec. 15: Video Review - Part 1 - Listen
    Dec. 8: Registration - Part 2 - Listen
    Dec. 1: Registration - Part 1 - Listen
    Nov. 24: You Make the Call - Sleeper Play - Listen
    Nov. 17: Automatic 1st Downs - Listen
    Nov. 10: Uncatchable Pass - Listen
    Nov. 3: The Goal Line - Listen
    Oct. 27: Help Us Retain Officials - Listen
    Oct. 20: Point After Touchdown - Listen
    Oct. 13: Untimed Down - Listen
    Oct. 6: Soccer Penalty Kick Change - Listen
    Sept. 29: Preparation for Officials - Listen
    Sept 22: You Make the Call: Returning Kickoffs - Listen
    Sept. 15: Concussions - Listen
    Sept 8: Equipment Covering the Knees - Listen
    Sept. 1: Play Clock Experiment - Listen
    Aug. 25: Clipping in the Free Blocking Zone - Listen