Be the Referee: Registration - Part 2

December 18, 2014

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl continues last week's explanation of the steps to becoming an MHSAA registered official.

"Be the Referee" is designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating and to recruit officials. The segment can be heard on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the school year on The Drive With Jack Ebling on WVFN-AM, East Lansing.  

Below is this week's segment - Registration Part 2 - Listen

Today we are going to build on last week’s segment which dealt with how a person becomes an MHSAA Registered Official.

Once a person completes the first step in the process – passing the basic Officiating Exam through the MHSAA Office, the next step is to get that person connected with a local officials association that specializes in that sport across our state.

These local associations are the ones that do the training – whether it’s on the court, on the field or video training – to get, for example, that person interested in basketball completely immersed in the rules, mechanics and coverages of what it takes to become a good basketball official.

Past editions
Dec. 10 - Registration Part 1 - Listen
Dec. 3 - Legacy Program - Listen
Nov. 26 - Sideline Management - Listen
Nov. 19 - 7-Person Mechanics - Listen
Nov. 12 - Blocking Below the Waist - Listen
Nov. 5 - Tournament Selection - Listen
Oct. 29 - Uncatchable Pass - Listen
Oct. 22 - Preparation for Officials - Listen
Oct. 15 - Automatic First Downs - Listen
Oct. 8 - Officials & Injuries - Listen
Oct. 1 - Overtime - Listen
Sept. 25 - Field Goals - Listen
Sept. 18 - Tackle Box - Listen
Sept. 11 - Pass Interference - Listen
Aug. 25 - Targeting - Listen

Be the Referee: Disconcerting Acts

October 8, 2020

This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains a change in football meant to reduce a form of gamesmanship at the line of scrimmage.

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 - Disconcerting Acts - Listen

Among the rules changes in high school football for the 2020-21 school year is an adjustment in the penalty assessed to the defense for disconcerting acts and sounds.

Among the gamesmanship that sometimes takes place near the line of scrimmage at the start of the play, defensive players have been known to make sounds or act in a manner which otherwise might distract an offensive player waiting for the snap signal. Previously, the most egregious of these actions would be penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct.

But beginning this year, the disconcerting act foul is a five-yard penalty. The change in the rule actually makes it more likely that this kind of behavior will be flagged, and may eventually lead to a reduction is this type of activity.

Past editions

10/1: Ball Hits Soccer Referee - Listen
9/24: Clocking the Ball from the Shotgun - Listen