Be the Referee: Mentoring New Officials
December 14, 2017
In this week's edition, assistant director Mark Uyl emphasizes the important role played by mentors in retaining high school officials.
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 – Mentoring New Officials - Listen
The MHSAA often talks about recruiting new officials, and retaining those folks that give officiating a try. Without question, the most important part in getting a new or young official off on the right foot is the relationship with a mentor official.
For that rookie referee, it is critical that they connect with an experienced official. Even though they may not work every game with that experienced official, that person serves as a sounding board, or a mentor, someone who can give advice and feedback and suggestions for improvement over a new official’s first two or three years in the game.
Mentors are what keeps officials in the game.
Past editions
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: Hoops Officials Manual
February 20, 2020
This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis announces the addition of a new resource to assist basketball officials across the state.
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 Officials Manual - Listen
High School basketball officials in Michigan have a new resource to help them better understand all aspects of their role.
The new Basketball Officials Manual is available in a hard copy format from the MHSAA Office, and can also be downloaded from the MHSAA Website for handheld device use.
The book emphasizes and promotes consistency in rules knowledge and application, theory and philosophy and mechanics and signals.
This uniform approach will help assure MHSAA member schools and teams they can rely on the same approach to officiating, regardless of where they are located in our great state.
The basketball book is the first in a series of such sports-specific manuals. A hard copy can be ordered for $10, and the PDF download is free.
Past editions
Feb. 13: Held Ball or Traveling - Listen
Feb. 6: Hockey Rules Chart - Listen
Jan. 30: Cheer Safety - Listen
Jan. 23: Goaltending - Listen
Jan. 16: Wrestling Tie-Breaker - Listen
Jan. 9: Pregame Meeting - Listen
Dec. 19: Alternating Possession - Listen
Dec. 12: Ratings - Listen
Dec. 5: Video Review Success - Listen
Nov. 28: More Injury Time - Listen
Nov. 21: Football Review - Listen
Nov. 14: Sideline Safety - Listen
Nov. 7: Officials Playlist - Listen
Oct. 31: Most Important Line - Listen
Oct. 24: Automatic 1st Downs - Listen
Oct. 17: Catch Momentum - Listen
Oct. 10: Golf Rules Changes - Listen
Oct. 3: No Tackle Box - Listen
Sept. 26: You Make the Overtime Call - Listen
Sept. 19: Swimming Finishing Touch - Listen
Sept. 12: Curbing Gamesmanship By Substitution - Listen
Sept. 5: Football Safety Rules Changes - Listen
Aug. 29: 40-Second Play Clock - Listen