Be the Referee: No Replay on Diamonds
April 14, 2016
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains how instant replay works, or rather doesn't work, in high school baseball and softball.
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 - Baseball/Softball Replay - Listen
When watching a major league baseball game today, it’s hard to go through an entire game without at least one play going to instant replay.
At the amateur levels – in both high school baseball and high school softball – there is zero use of instant replay by game officials to make any decisions. In other words, at the high school level, the umpires are the sole judge of any judgment or playing rule call that happens during the course of the game.
Even if teams or parents are videotaping part of the game, that footage can never be used to confirm, overturn, or even review any umpire call.
Past editions:
March 24: Use of the Monitor - Listen
March 17: Block/Charge - Listen
March 10: Ball Stuck on the Rim - Listen
March 3: Three Seconds - Listen
Feb. 25: Deciding the Game - Listen
Feb. 18 : Cheer Safety - Listen
Feb. 11: Primary Areas - Listen
Feb. 4: Block/Charge Calls - Listen
Jan. 28: Dive on the Floor - Listen
Jan. 21: Hockey Officials' Options - Listen
Jan. 14: Recruiting Officials - Listen
Jan. 7: Wrestling Weight Monitoring - Listen
Dec. 31: Respect for Referees - Listen
Dec. 24: Basketball Instant Replay - Listen
Dec. 17: Basketball Communication - Listen
Dec. 10: Basketball Excessive Contact - Listen
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: Ratings
December 12, 2019
This week, MHSAA assistant director Brent Rice explains the process by which schools are able to rate the officials who work their competitions.
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 - Ratings - Listen
Just about every sports fan, at one time or another, has left a game wondering, "How do the officials get evaluated or graded for their performance during a game?"
At the high school level, the MHSAA has the school rating system to where following each game, both teams submit a rating for the official’s work. The rating is then sent to the MHSAA Office and compiled over a three-year period. An official then has a rating average, and the schools can also indicate areas for improvement or growth that they deem are appropriate.
Those rating numbers then help to determine what officials are used in postseason play.
Past editions
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