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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
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Be the Referee: Overtime Differences
November 1, 2018
This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains how high school football overtime differs from extra play at the college level.
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 – Overtime Differences - Listen
There are a few differences in high school football overtime compared to college games.
During overtime in high school football, each team begins its offensive series 1st-and-Goal from the 10- yard line as opposed to 1st–and-10 at the 25. The only way a team can pick up a first down is on a roughing foul – roughing the passer, the holder, the center or the kicker.
A lost fumble or intercepted pass ends a team’s offensive series, (and on) a try for an extra point following a touchdown, the defense cannot return the ball for a score. And unlike college football, there is never a requirement that a team go for a 2-point conversion. What is common between the two levels is that each team gets one timeout per overtime, and unused timeouts don’t carry over from regulation or from overtimes.
Past editions
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