Be the Referee: Pop-Up Onside Kicks
August 31, 2017
This week, "Be the Referee" with MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains an onside kicking technique no longer allowed as the second of a three-part series on football rules changes for 2017.
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 – Pop-Up Onside Kicks - Listen
One of the most exciting plays is the onside kick, which has turned the tide around in many games.
In the interest of safety, national high school rules this year have eliminated the onside kick where the ball is kicked with great force off the tee into the ground, generating a pop-up ball, which creates a dangerous recovery situation.
This kind of pop-up kick will immediately be blown dead by the officials, and a five-yard penalty will be assessed to the kicking team.
Onside kicks which are dribbled along the ground, hitting at least twice, are still legal by rule; and the kicker can still pooch kick the ball straight up into the air off the tee.
But the pop-up kick which hits the ground first, and bounces only once is no longer a playable ball.
Past editions
August 24: Blindside Blocks - Listen
Be the Referee: Baseball Pitch Count
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
May 7, 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 – Baseball Pitch Count - Listen
Do you know the pitch count limits for high school baseball in Michigan?
- If a pitcher throws 25 pitches or less, he can throw again the next day with no rest.
- If 26 to 50 pitches are thrown, one day of rest is required.
- 51 to 75 pitches require two days of rest.
- And throwing 76 or more pitches requires three days of rest.
The maximum pitch count for one day is 105 pitches. But if pitch number 105 occurs during the middle of an at-bat, the pitcher can finish that at-bat, but then must be taken out.
Teams are required to track all pitch counts and indicate before a game who is ineligible to pitch that day.
In the postseason, a neutral person tracks the pitch count. If a violation occurs, the pitcher becomes ineligible, and his team forfeits the game he pitched in.
Previous Editions
April 30: Boys Lacrosse Helmets - Listen
April 23: Softball Interference - Listen
April 16: Soccer Red Card - Listen
April 9: Batted Baseball Hits Runner - Listen
March 12: Basketball Replay - Listen
March 5: Hockey Officials - Listen
Feb. 27: Less Than 5 - Listen
Feb. 20: Air Ball - Listen
Feb. 13: Hockey Penalties - Listen
Jan. 30: Wrestling Tiebreakers - Listen
Jan. 23: Wrestling Technology - Listen
Jan. 9: 3 Seconds - Listen
Dec. 19: Unsuspecting Hockey Hits - Listen
Dec. 12: No More One-And-Ones - Listen
Nov. 21: Football Finals Replay - Listen
Nov. 14: Volleyball Unplayable Areas - Listen
Nov. 7: Pass/Kick Off Crossbar - Listen
Oct. 31: Cross Country Interference - Listen
Oct. 24: Soccer Overtime - Listen
Oct. 17: Tennis Spin - Listen
Oct. 10: Blocked Kick - Listen
Oct. 3: Volleyball Double & Lift - Listen
Sept. 26: Registration Process - Listen
Sept. 20: Animal Interference - Listen
Sept. 13: Feet Rule on Soccer Throw-In - Listen
Sept. 6: Volleyball Jewelry - Listen
Aug. 30: Football Rules Similarities - Listen
Aug. 23: Football Rules Differences - Listen