Be the Referee: Non-Glare Helmets

May 7, 2015

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains why high-glare helmets are prohibited for softball and baseball.

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 - Non-Glare Helmets - Listen

A new rule change this year in high school baseball and high school softball deals with helmets.

As many of us sat around over the holidays watching various college football bowl games, we saw what we often call the “Oregon Effect” – teams wearing a very shiny, high gloss helmet to try and catch a kid’s attention with the wow factor. 

In both baseball and softball, these high glare-high gloss helmets can be a safety issue, where the sun can reflect off a batter’s or baserunner’s helmet, or even a catcher’s helmet, which could create a safety issue for those kids playing defense. These high gloss helmets are no longer legal starting with this season.

Past editions
April 27 - Vern L. Norris Award - Listen
March 23 - Deciding the Game - Listen
March 16 - Block/Charge Call - Listen
March 9 - Dive on the Floor - Listen
March 2 - Primary Areas - Listen
Feb. 23 - Too Much TV - Listen
Feb. 16 - Video Clip Library - Listen
Feb. 9 - Cheer Safety - Listen
Feb. 2 - Basketball PA Announcers - Listen
Jan. 26 - Wrestling Health Concerns - Listen
Jan. 19 - Basketball Physical Contact -
 Listen
Jan. 12 - Video Review Part 2 - Listen
Dec. 29 - Video Review Part 1 - Listen
Dec. 17 - Registration Part 2 - Listen
Dec. 10 - Registration Part 1 - Listen
Dec. 3 - Legacy Program - Listen
Nov. 26 - Sideline Management - Listen
Nov. 19 - 7-Person Mechanics - Listen
Nov. 12 - Blocking Below the Waist - Listen
Nov. 5 - Tournament Selection - Listen
Oct. 29 - Uncatchable Pass - Listen
Oct. 22 - Preparation for Officials - Listen
Oct. 15 - Automatic First Downs - Listen
Oct. 8 - Officials & Injuries - Listen
Oct. 1 - Overtime - Listen
Sept. 25 - Field Goals - Listen
Sept. 18 - Tackle Box - Listen
Sept. 11 - Pass Interference - Listen
Aug. 25 - Targeting - Listen

Be the Referee: Basketball Instant Replay

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

March 14, 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 – Basketball Instant Replay - Listen

When watching a college or NBA game, the last two minutes of the game can seem like it takes forever, especially in recent years where more and more judgment calls made by officials are subject to instant replay.

At the high school level, video is not used to make a ruling or confirm or overturn a call made during the course of the contest. The only time video review is used in basketball at the high school level is at the MHSAA Semifinal and Final games.

In these games, video review can be used only to determine if a shot was released in time at the end of the fourth quarter or overtime or if that shot was a 2-point or 3-point field goal attempt.

The MHSAA believes that this very limited use of replay in these games at the very end of the tournament series in boys and girls basketball is the right call.

Previous Editions:

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