Logo

Be the Referee: Kick Returns

October 1, 2015

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains the difference in high school kick return rules from those in the college and professional games. 

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 - Kick Returns - Listen



One of the biggest differences in high school football rules and those in college and pro deal with kick returns. In the high school game, once a kick (a punt or kickoff) breaks the plane of the goal line, the ball is dead and a touchback is awarded. 


The key is the position of the ball … if it breaks the plane of the goal line, it is a touchback. It does not matter where the feet of the returner are located. That is why the longest kick return possible under high school rules is 99 yards.

Past editions:
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

A Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central player bumps a volleyball near the net during the 2015 Class C Final.

Be the Referee: Back Row Setter

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

November 12, 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 – Back Row Setter - Listen

We’re on the volleyball court for today’s “You Make the Call.”

Team A serves the ball over net. Team B’s number 9 passes, or bumps the ball up toward the net, where number 2 tips it over for a point.

But number 2 is a back row setter and moved to the front row on the serve.

Is this a legal play?

If you said it depends … you are correct.

A back row setter can move to the front row and play the ball over the net as long as the entire ball is NOT above the net.

If the ball is completely above the net, then the back row setter is not allowed to play it over the net from the front row.

Previous 2024-25 Editions

Nov. 5: Football OT - Listen
Oct. 29: Officials Registration - Listen
Oct. 22: Volleyball Serve - Listen
Oct. 15: "You Make the Call" - Soccer Offside - Listen
Oct. 8: Roughing the Passer - Listen
Oct. 1: Abnormal Course Condition - Listen
Sept. 25: Tennis Nets - Listen
Sept. 18: Libero - Listen
Sept. 10: Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen