Be the Referee: Football Targeting
August 22, 2014
The series features MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl's insights on officiating. These weekly messages can be heard on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the school year on The Drive With Jack Ebling on WVFN-AM, East Lansing.
Below is this week's segment:
"Be The Referee"
Aug. 25 - Targeting - Listen
Today we are going to talk about one of the new rules changes for this fall’s high school football season, targeting. This is yet another example of player safety being the number one priority in our game.
Targeting deals with getting the “head” out of the game of football. Many times when you will see a targeting foul is when a player will use the top or the crown of his helmet to launch or propel himself into an opposing player, making that helmet to helmet contact, which can be so dangerous for both players involved.
When a targeting foul happens, the officials, if they judge it to be flagrant, can not only enforce a 15-yard penalty but also can eject the offending player.
Be the Referee: Avoiding the Tag
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
May 14, 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 – Avoiding the Tag - Listen
We’re on the baseball diamond today where we’ve got a runner on second with one out.
The batter hits a ground ball that gets through the infield and the runner makes the turn at third, attempting to score. The throw comes in ahead of him, and as he nears home plate he dives head-first over the catcher, avoiding the tag, and touches home plate.
Is this legal?
It is not.
Runners are not required to slide. They can jump or hurdle a fielder if the fielder is lying on the ground. And they can jump over an outstretched arm attempting to make a tag. But diving over a fielder is illegal. The runner is out.
If no contact is made between the runner and fielder, the ball remains live, unless interference is called. If contact is made, the ball becomes dead.
Previous Editions
May 7: Baseball Pitch Count - Listen
April 30: Boys Lacrosse Helmets - Listen
April 23: Softball Interference - Listen
April 16: Soccer Red Card - Listen
April 9: Batted Baseball Hits Runner - Listen
March 12: Basketball Replay - Listen
March 5: Hockey Officials - Listen
Feb. 27: Less Than 5 - Listen
Feb. 20: Air Ball - Listen
Feb. 13: Hockey Penalties - Listen
Jan. 30: Wrestling Tiebreakers - Listen
Jan. 23: Wrestling Technology - Listen
Jan. 9: 3 Seconds - Listen
Dec. 19: Unsuspecting Hockey Hits - Listen
Dec. 12: No More One-And-Ones - Listen
Nov. 21: Football Finals Replay - Listen
Nov. 14: Volleyball Unplayable Areas - Listen
Nov. 7: Pass/Kick Off Crossbar - Listen
Oct. 31: Cross Country Interference - Listen
Oct. 24: Soccer Overtime - Listen
Oct. 17: Tennis Spin - Listen
Oct. 10: Blocked Kick - Listen
Oct. 3: Volleyball Double & Lift - Listen
Sept. 26: Registration Process - Listen
Sept. 20: Animal Interference - Listen
Sept. 13: Feet Rule on Soccer Throw-In - Listen
Sept. 6: Volleyball Jewelry - Listen
Aug. 30: Football Rules Similarities - Listen
Aug. 23: Football Rules Differences - Listen
(PHOTOS by Gary Shook.)