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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: Deciding the Game

    March 2, 2017

    This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl discusses why officials must make calls even in the final moments of a close game during tournament time.

    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 – Deciding the Game - Listen

    Every American sports fan knows when the calendar turns to March, it’s time to start thinking about basketball tournament games.

    With all of the pundits out there talking about the matchups and who may advance on the brackets, the comment gets made every single year that we simply hope the players decide the outcome of every game – and not a referee’s call.

    The fact of the matter is that in the last 10 seconds of a tied game, when a player drives down the lane and gets hit and get knocked to the floor, an official has to make that foul call because the players did decide the outcome of that game. For the officials to simply swallow their whistles and let one team break the rules for a clear advantage is not letting those players decide the outcome.

      Past editions
      Feb. 23: Pitch Counts - Listen
      Feb. 16: Recruiting Officials - Listen
      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