Be the Referee: Registration - Part 1
December 1, 2016
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl begins explaining the process for becoming a registered high school official.
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 – Registration - Part 1 - Listen
Today we are going to talk about how a person becomes an MHSAA registered official. Depending on the sport, that could mean a referee, umpire or judge.
The first step in the process is to contact the MHSAA and identify the sport or sports in which a person wants to become an official. The next step is to complete the MHSAA Officials Guidebook Exam.
The Officials Guidebook covers some of the basic elements and procedures that are necessary in becoming a sports official. Things such as game assignments, payment of game fees, playing rules and ejection protocols are covered in this first step of the process.
Past editions
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: Safety in End Zone
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 11, 2022
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 – Safety in End Zone - Listen
Team A has the ball on its own 3-yard line – facing a 4th-and-10. The quarterback drops back into the end zone, and just before he’s about to be sacked, he throws the ball away.
Out comes the flag for intentional grounding – which would give the defense two points and force Team A to kick off. But the coach of the team on defense would rather decline the penalty and take over at the 3-yard line. Can he do that?
Not exactly.
While he can decline the penalty, the result of the play is the same. A safety for the defense. If the penalty is accepted, the enforcement is from the end zone resulting in a safety. Incomplete illegal passes end the play where the pass is made, so even if the penalty is declined, it’s a safety because the play ended behind the goal line.
Previous Editions:
Oct. 4: Football Overtime Penalty - Listen
Sept. 27: Kickoff Goal - Listen
Sept. 20: Soccer Timing - Listen
Sept. 13: Volleyball Replays - Listen
Sept. 6: Switching Sides - Listen
Aug. 30: Play Clock - Listen
Aug. 23: Intentional Grounding Change - Listen