Be the Referee: Pitcher Arm Care

June 8, 2015

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains how the 30 out-limit rule works to keep baseball pitchers' arms healthy.

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 - Pitcher Arm Care - Listen

Health and safety continues to be the major focus of the MHSAA. One rule that is geared directly to player safety is our baseball pitching limitation rule of 30 outs.

The 30-out rule limits the number of innings, or outs, that a pitcher can throw in both a given day as well as over a period within a week. 

We want to make sure that high school coaches are not overusing their pitchers; that they are finding that safe area, to where arms have the ability to recover after a player has pitched a certain number of outs, allowing the body to recover so that player can have a safe and enjoyable season.

Past editions
June 1 - Bat Safety - Listen
May 25 - Balks - Listen
May 18 - Baseball Pace of Play - Listen
May 11 - Fair or Foul Ball? - Listen
May 4 - Non-Glare Helmets - Listen
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

2023 Officials Awards Recognize Nearly 400, Including Norris & Paulson Honorees

By Jon Ross
MHSAA Director of Broadcast Properties

August 7, 2023

This year's Officials Awards & Alumni Banquet recognized 397 officials who celebrated a milestone year of MHSAA registration during 2022-23, plus honored a highly-respected mentor and a young official with a tremendous future in the avocation.

Longtime Jackson-area official Chuck Walters was named the Vern L. Norris Award honoree for his decades of service not just on the field but recruiting and helping to retain officials. Recent Mackinaw City graduate Madison Smith received the Randy Paulson Legacy Award and has officiated junior varsity basketball and volleyball over the last year as part of the MHSAA Legacy Program.

This year's honorees included 24 officials with 50 years of service, along with 36 officials with 45 years, and a 40-year award has been presented to 51 officials. In addition, 110 officials with 30 years and 176 officials with 20 years of registration were honored.