Be the Referee: Preparation for Officials
October 23, 2014
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains how officials prepare for Friday nights, just like those playing the games and cheering them on.
"Be the Referee" is designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating and to recruit officials. The segment can be heard on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the school year on The Drive With Jack Ebling on WVFN-AM, East Lansing.
Below is this week's segment - Preparation for Officials - Listen
Football is a game of preparation. During the week, the teams involved, the cheerleading squads and members of the marching band put in a great deal of work to be ready for Friday night. Officials are no different.
All across the state on Monday nights, referees attend local association meetings where they review film from the previous week’s games, talk about rules, coverages and mechanics, so that our team of officials are just as prepared and ready to go as the teams playing each and every Friday night.
In addition to Friday nights, many officials also work freshman and junior varsity games on Thursday, and often will work games on the weekend - whether they be small college all the way down to youth games - to give those young people on the field the best officiating possible.
Past editions
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: Returning Kickoffs
September 22, 2016
Every football game starts with a kickoff, and our "You Make The Call" series will start with the same play for 2016.
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 – You Make the Call: Returning Kickoffs - Listen
Every football game starts with a kickoff, and our 'You Make The Call' series will start with the same play for 2016.
The kicker kicks the ball high and deep off the tee, and the return man – three yards deep in his own end zone – catches the kick in the air, and now starts to head upfield to try and gain yards. Under high school rules, is the legal?
Believe it or not, the answer is no. Under high school rules, whether it’s a kickoff or a punt, once the ball breaks the plane of the goal line, the ball is dead and it becomes a touchback, with the offense taking over, first and 10, on the 20-yard line.
College and professional players can return kicks from the end zone; high school players cannot.
Past editions
Sept. 15: Concussions - Listen
Sept 8: Equipment Covering the Knees - Listen
Sept. 1: Play Clock Experiment - Listen
Aug. 25: Clipping in the Free Blocking Zone - Listen