Be the Referee: Under the Bus
March 16, 2017
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains why officials are not the correct target for criticism when a basketball game gets chippy or sloppy.
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 – Under the Bus - Listen
It seems whenever a high school game breaks down in a negative way, the coaches, players, fans, and school administrators quickly blame the officials. It’s easy to take out aggression on these nameless, faceless, almost inanimate objects.
But sloppy or chippy play is on the coaches to control – not the officials – as they simply call what happens. Fans up in the stands then quickly follow the lead of their coach berating the officials, thinking they are so well versed in the art of officiating – but often don’t have the guts to put on the stripes themselves. Officials aren’t perfect, but often they have to clean up messes created by others during the game – the people who should really be thrown under the bus.
Past editions
March 9: Hockey Hits - Listen
March 2: Deciding the Game - Listen
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
500 Attend 'Officiate Michigan Day II'
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
August 4, 2018
LANSING – More than 500 Michigan officials, from beginners to veterans with decades of experience, gathered Saturday at the Lansing Center for “Officiate Michigan Day II” – an opportunity to learn and train with experts in the avocation and share their passion for playing an irreplaceable role in high school sports.
They were greeted by MHSAA Executive Director and past College World Series baseball umpire Mark Uyl, and sent forth at the conclusion by retired wrestling official James C. McCloughan, who received the Medal of Honor in 2017 for his military service in Vietnam as a combat medic with the U.S. Army.
In between, attendees took in multiple sport-specific training sessions. Lunchtime panels provided opportunities to learn and interact on a number of topics, from effective communication to training and mentoring new officials.
“I hope to get a lot of things from a lot of experienced officials,” said Lansing’s Ken Black Jr., a first-year official, as he prepared to dive into the day’s opportunities. “This is my first year doing it, and I want to digest everything they have to say and go from there.”
The first Officiate Michigan Day was conducted in July 2013 as part of the run-up to the National Association of Sports Officials conference in Grand Rapids. NASO will bring its conference back to Michigan in 2021, with Officiate Michigan Day III to be part of those festivities.
Below are a pair of videos from Saturday’s event. The first gives a few glances at what attendees experienced – including a session with recently-hired MHSAA coordinator of officials Brent Rice – and also includes comments from officials explaining why they made the trip.
The second video shows the final minute of McCloughan’s closing, where he salutes veterans in attendance and gives a special musical tribute.
Also, click to see more photos from our Officiate Michigan Day II gallery.
PHOTOS: (Top) Instructor Dave Uyl, far right, presents during Saturday’s Officiate Michigan Day II. (Middle) From left, Rachael Stringer, Margaret Domka, Jeff Servinski and Lamont Simpson explain “Climbing the Ladder” of the officiating ranks. (Photos by John Johnson.) VIDEOS by Jeremy Sampson (top) and John Johnson.