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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: Calling Intentional Fouls

    February 1, 2018

    In this week's edition, assistant director Mark Uyl discusses when basketball officials should call an intentional foul.

    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 – Calling Intentional Fouls - Listen

    At the end of any close basketball game, it’s an accepted part of basketball strategy for the team that’s behind to foul and send the team in the lead to the foul line.

    This year there is a point of emphasis nationally dealing with intentional fouls. Intentional fouls should be called whenever a player obviously neutralizes an opponent’s obvious advantage, or when contact occurs with an opponent who is clearly not in the play, or when that contact is not an attempt to play the ball.

    Certainly excessive contact remains as one of the types of intentional fouls. A team merely trying to foul on purpose does not make it an intentional foul.

    Past editions
    January 25: Points at the Edge of the Mat - Listen
    January 18: Behavior Warning - Listen
    January 11: Ice Hockey Safe & Sound - Listen
    January 4: Why No Shot Clock - Listen
    December 21: Coaches Responsible for Equipment - Listen
    December 14: Mentoring New Officials - Listen
    December 7: Dive on the Floor - Listen
    November 30: Wrestling Weight Monitoring - Listen
    November 23: Ejections - Listen
    November 16: Toughest Call - Listen
    November 9: Hurdling - Listen
    November 2: The Survey Says - Listen
    October 26: Helmet Comes Off -     Listen
    October 19: Goal Line Rules - Listen
    October 12: No 1st-Year Fee - Listen
    October 5: Athletic Empty Nesters - Listen
     September 28: Misunderstood Football Rules: Kicking - Listen
    September 21: Preparation for Officials - Listen
    September 14: Always Stay Registered - Listen
    September 7: Other Football Rules Changes - Listen
    August 31: Pop-Up Onside Kicks - Listen
    August 24: Blindside Blocks - Listen