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Be the Referee: Recruiting Officials

February 16, 2017

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl discusses the recruitment of officials and why the avocation is rewarding. 

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 – Recruiting Officials - Listen

One of the most challenging tasks for the MHSAA is the recruitment and retention of game officials and referees. In many cases, the job of the referee can be a thankless one. It’s an avocation where others expect an official to be perfect on their very first day on the job, and then improve on that performance.

Officials must be fit, knowledgeable on the rules, decisive and most importantly, have good people skills in handling competitive situations with emotional players, coaches and fans. While this can be a great challenge, many of our officials find this experience to be incredibly rewarding. There is no better feeling than to officiate a game where the rules are fairly enforced, judgment calls are made decisively and the teams involved determine the outcome of the game.

If you are interested in becoming a part of this great team, go to MHSAA.com to learn more about officiating and how to get started in this rewarding avocation.

    Past editions
    Feb. 9: Ejections - Listen
    Feb. 2: Wrestling & Technology - Listen
    Jan. 26: Post Play - Listen
    Jan. 19: Ice Hockey Overtime - Listen
    Jan. 12: Free Throw Change - Listen
    Jan. 5: Ratings - Listen
    Dec. 22: Video Review - Part 2 - Listen
    Dec. 15: Video Review - Part 1 - Listen
    Dec. 8: Registration - Part 2 - Listen
    Dec. 1: Registration - Part 1 - Listen
    Nov. 24: You Make the Call - Sleeper Play - Listen
    Nov. 17: Automatic 1st Downs - Listen
    Nov. 10: Uncatchable Pass - Listen
    Nov. 3: The Goal Line - Listen
    Oct. 27: Help Us Retain Officials - Listen
    Oct. 20: Point After Touchdown - Listen
    Oct. 13: Untimed Down - Listen
    Oct. 6: Soccer Penalty Kick Change - Listen
    Sept. 29: Preparation for Officials - Listen
    Sept 22: You Make the Call: Returning Kickoffs - Listen
    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

    Be the Referee: You Make the Call

    December 20, 2018

    This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis offers up a basketball "You Make the Call" scenario concerning the backboard.

    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: You Make the Call - Listen

    Let’s test your knowledge of high school basketball rules with this “You Make the Call ..."

    An offensive player stops dribbling on the end line immediately behind the backboard. Double-teamed, the player throws the ball into the air. The ball travels over the backboard, where a teammate flies down the lane to grab it and score on a thunderous tomahawk jam.

    You make the call. Is this legal?

    The sides, the bottom and the top of the backboard are always in play. Anything supporting the backboard, like brackets and wires, are always out of bounds. The ball can even travel behind the backboard at any time – even between wires and brackets – and still be in play if it doesn’t touch anything. But, the ball may never pass over the top of a rectangular backboard in either direction.

    This is a violation, and the ball is turned over to the other team.

    Past editions

    December 13: Basketball Uniform Safety - Listen
    December 6: Coaching Box Expansion - Listen
    November 29: Video Review, Part 2 - Listen
    November 22: Video Review, Part 1 - Listen
    November 15:     You Make the Call - Sleeper Play - Listen
    November 8:     7-Person Football Crews - Listen
    November 1: Overtime Differences - Listen
    October 25: Trickery & Communication - Listen
    October 18: Punts & Missed Field Goals - Listen
    October 11: What Officials Don't Do - Listen
    October 4: Always 1st-and-Goal - Listen
    September 27: Unique Kickoff Option - Listen
    September 20: Uncatchable Pass - Listen
    September 13: Soccer Rules Change - Listen
    September 6: You Make the Call: Face Guarding - Listen
    August 30: 40-Second Play Clock - Listen
    August 23: Football Rules Changes - Listen