Be the Referee: Ice Hockey Safe & Sound

January 11, 2018

In this week's edition, assistant director Mark Uyl notes how rules changes have helped make one of the most exciting high school sports safer.

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 – Ice Hockey Safe & Sound - Listen

Perhaps the fastest and most exciting sport at the high school level continues to be played on ice during the winter, and that’s the ice hockey program here in Michigan.

Over the last decade, this is a sport that has had a number of rules changes. These recent changes have attempted to keep the freewheeling, wide-open style of play as part of the game, but yet eliminating a lot of the unnecessary and unneeded physical contact.

These new rules have really encouraged players, when going below the goal line or into the corner, that all hits must be made to an opponent from the front. That the old days of the hit-from-behind, knocking that player head first into the boards and glass have been eliminated.

Past editions
January 4: Why No Shot Clock - Listen
December 21: Coaches Responsible for Equipment - Listen
December 14: Mentoring New Officials - Listen
December 7: Dive on the Floor - Listen
November 30: Wrestling Weight Monitoring - Listen
November 23: Ejections - Listen
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: Soccer Referee in Play?

By Sam Davis
MHSAA Director of Officials

April 18, 2023

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 – Soccer Referee in Play? - Listen

In soccer – the home team attempts a pass, but the ball deflects off the referee and right into the path of an away team forward who has a clear run at the goal. What should happen next?

a) Play continues – referees are in play and part of the game.
b) Stop play and award an indirect free kick to the home team.
c) Stop play and give a drop ball to the team that last touched the ball prior to hitting the referee – the home team in this example.
d) Or, award a drop ball to the team that benefitted from the deflection.

The correct answer is a drop ball to the home team.

If a ball hits a referee that starts a promising attack, changes possession, or goes directly into goal, play should stop and re-start with a drop ball to the team that last touched the ball.

Previous Editions:

April 11: Softball Strikeout - Listen
March 14: Basketball Instant Replay - Listen
March 7: Hockey Overtime - Listen
Feb. 28: Baker Bowling - Listen
Feb. 21: Ski Finish - Listen
Feb. 14: Swimming Touchpads - Listen
Feb. 7: In or Out-of-Bounds in Wrestling - Listen
Jan. 31: Over the Back - Listen
Jan. 24: Competitive Cheer Judges - Listen
Jan. 17: More Lines - Listen
Jan. 10: On the Line - Listen
Jan. 3: Basketball Measurements - Listen
Dec. 13: Pregame Dunks - Listen
Dec. 6: Gymnastics Judges - Listen
Nov. 22: Football Finals Replay - Listen
Nov. 15: Back Row Illegal Blocker - Listen
Nov. 8: Swim Turn Judges - Listen
Nov. 1: Soccer Referee Jersey Colors - Listen
Oct. 25: Cross Country Tie-Breaker - Listen
Oct. 18: Soccer Shootouts - Listen
Oct. 11: Safety in End ZoneListen
Oct. 4: Football Overtime Penalty - Listen
Sept. 27: Kickoff Goal - Listen
Sept. 20: Soccer Timing - Listen
Sept. 13: Volleyball Replays - Listen
Sept. 6: Switching Sides - Listen
Aug. 30: Play Clock - Listen
Aug. 23: Intentional Grounding Change
- Listen