Be the Referee: Trickery & Communication
October 24, 2018
This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains a key piece of communication that takes place between football referees and coaches during pregame.
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 – Trickery & Communication - Listen
One of the long-time strategies in the game of football is deception. It has lots of other names, and most often goes these days by the name of trickery. Catching an opponent off-guard can break a game wide open. But catching the officiating crew off-guard is something you don’t want to have happen or else your big play may be blown dead inadvertently.
That’s why during the pre-game meeting the officiating crew has with each head coach, one of the questions that will be asked is – “Coach, do you have any trick plays we should be watching for?” And coaches, who are usually tight lipped about a lot of their strategies, will be very open and describe in detail anything fancy that’s in the playbook for that game.
This type of communication gets coaches and officials on the same page and ensures that when trickery comes visiting, only the opponents are surprised.
Past editions
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
Be the Referee: Volleyball Double & Lift
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
October 3, 2023
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 – Volleyball Double & Lift - Listen
You’re sitting at a volleyball match and hear parents in the stands yell “Double!” or “Lift!”
What do those terms mean, and why are they yelling them?
Double refers to double contact. That’s when a player hits the ball twice in a row or if the ball touches two parts of the player’s body in succession. If a setter hits the ball with one hand then the other – even if immediate, it’s a double. She needs to set with both hands at the same time.
A lift is when the player, typically a setter, has prolonged contact with the ball that results in throwing or re-directing the ball back into play. The ball doesn’t rebound off the player's fingers or hands, but is directed by the player.
The official on the stand at the net is in the best position to notice these fouls.
Previous Editions
Sept. 26: Registration Process - Listen
Sept. 20: Animal Interference - Listen
Sept. 13: Feet Rule on Soccer Throw-In - Listen
Sept. 6: Volleyball Jewelry - Listen
Aug. 30: Football Rules Similarities - Listen
Aug. 23: Football Rules Differences - Listen
(PHOTO by Gary Shook.)