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

    Championship Official, Longtime Mentor Walters Named 2023 Norris Honoree

    By Geoff Kimmerly
    MHSAA.com senior editor

    June 30, 2023

    From volunteering to umpire slowpitch softball to officiating at last season’s 11-Player Football Finals at Ford Field, Jackson’s Chuck D. Walters has enjoyed every step of the climb over 44 years as a Michigan High School Athletic Association-registered official.

    As a revered and beloved trainer, mentor and recruiter of officials, he’s also dedicated decades to providing opportunities to the next generations of officials in his community.

    For especially his work in nurturing others in the avocation, Walters has been selected as this year’s MHSAA Vern L. Norris Award honoree.

    The Norris Award is presented annually to a veteran official who has been active in a local officials association, has mentored other officials, and has been involved in officials’ education. It is named for Vern L. Norris, who served as executive director of the MHSAA from 1978-86 and was well-respected by officials on the state and national levels.

    Chuck WaltersWalters has registered to officiate MHSAA football again this fall, which will begin his 45th year of refereeing or umpiring school sports. He’s a member of the Jackson Area Officials Association, Kalamazoo Officials Association and Southeast Michigan Sports Officials organization, and he has served as a football and baseball trainer in the JAOA while also working more than 100 MHSAA postseason games in those sports including six football and two baseball Finals.

    “Chuck Walters is one of the best people I’ve known through officiating. He’s been a leader and mentor for hundreds of officials in the Jackson area over many years,” said MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl, who also is a longtime football and baseball official at the high school and college levels. “Chuck is the epitome of what the Vern Norris Award is meant to honor.”

    Walters was a three-sport athlete at East Jackson High School – playing football, basketball and baseball – and upon graduating in 1965 took a job with Chrysler at its Proving Grounds in Chelsea. While later coaching his son Chuck in youth baseball, Walters put on a slowpitch softball tournament to benefit the local Little League association – and umpired the bases at those games to help save money so more could go to the organization.

    From there, he began filling a need locally for youth umpires. Relationships built in baseball turned into working subvaristy football. After his son graduated from Napoleon, Walters’ Friday nights opened up and he filled that personal sports void by beginning a long and successful career in varsity football as well. He first registered for two years at the start of the 1970s, and returned to register without pause beginning with the 1981-82 school year.

    In addition to working youth and high school athletes, Walters has umpired college baseball primarily at the Division II, III and NAIA levels but also in the Big Ten Conference and Mid-American Conference. He also served 35 years as the volunteer clock operator at Napoleon High School basketball games – his current football crew includes multiple former Napoleon athletes or coaches.  

    Among recommendations for this Norris Award came a letter from his entire crew and another noting Walters continues to mentor 14 current officials while always seeking to introduce opportunities to others.

    “I used to go to a lot of college football meetings just to stay current, and they’d talk about this and that and my head would be spinning forever,” Walters said. “We have four new officials in our area starting football this fall, and I know their heads will be spinning when we talk about this and that. My focus will be to get those new officials’ feet on the ground, get them (progressing) step by step by step. Once they get that passion to officiate whatever sport it might be, they just take off.”

    Walters received the Al Cotton Award in 2013 from the Jackson Citizen Patriot for his contributions to Jackson-area sports, and was named to the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan (BCAM) Hall of Fame in 2021 as a “friend of basketball” for his hundreds of games operating the clock.

    Walters and his high school sweetheart Judy have been married 57 years, and they have adult children Stacy and Chuck. Walters retired from Chrysler after 32 years and has a car restoration business.

    Previous recipients

    1992 – Ted Wilson, East Detroit
    1993 – Fred Briggs, Burton
    1994 – Joe Brodie, Flat Rock
    1995 – Jim Massar, Flint
    1996 – Jim Lamoreaux, St. Ignace
    1997 – Ken Myllyla, Escanaba
    1998 – Blake Hagman, Kalamazoo
    1999 – Richard Kalahar, Jackson
    2000 – Barb Beckett, Traverse City; Karl Newingham, Bay City
    2001 – Herb Lipschultz, Kalamazoo
    2002 – Robert Scholie, Hancock
    2003 – Ron Nagy, Hazel Par
    2004 – Carl Van Heck, Grand Rapids 
    2005 – Bruce Moss, Alma
    2006 – Jeanne Skinner, Grand Rapids
    2007 – Terry Wakeley, Grayling
    2008 – Will Lynch, Honor
    2009 – James Danhoff, Richland
    2010 – John Juday Sr., Petoskey
    2011 – Robert Williams, Redford
    2012 – Lyle Berry, Rockford
    2013 – Tom Minter, Okemos
    2014 – Hugh R. Jewell, West Bloomfield
    2015 – Sam Davis, Lansing 
    2016 – Linda Hoover, Marshall
    2017 – Michael Gentry, Shelby Township
    2018 – Jill Baker-Cooley, Big Rapids
    2019 – David Buck, St. Joseph
    2020 – Hugh Matson, Saginaw
    2021 – Lewis Clingman, Grand Rapids
    2022 – Pat Hayes, Birmingham

    MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
    20, 30, 40, 45 & 50-YEAR OFFICIALS

    The officials on this list are receiving their 20, 30, 40, 45 and 50-year service awards.

    20-YEAR OFFICIALS

    Allegan – Joseph Munn
    Allen Park – James Murdoch
    Ann Arbor – Shawna Lorch

    Bad Axe – Gary Krause
    Bannister – Clyde English
    Baraga – Scott Koski
    Battle Creek – Lonzo Warren
    Bay City – Jason Ruple
    Bay City – David Szczypka
    Belleville – Michael McCormick
    Big Rapids – Marty Shaffer
    Blissfield – Steven Babbitt
    Bloomfield Township – Richard Dylewski
    Bloomfield Village – Maynard Timm
    Bridgman – Shane Peters
    Brimley – George Jones
    Bronson – Brian Case
    Bronson – Kevin Gardner
    Brownstown Township – Charles Monette
    Byron Center – Michael Jager

    Cadillac – Demetrio Rojas-Cruz
    Chassell – Robert Fay
    Chassell – Shana Ruotsala
    Chesterfield – Paul McBride
    Clarkston – Jamie Rykse
    Clarksville – Michael Burgess
    Clinton Township – Mark Carney
    Clinton Township – Keith Justice
    Clinton Township – Brad Thomas
    Commerce Township – Robert Foss
    Constantine – Jerry Burgess
    Cottrellville – Grant Harris

    Dearborn Heights – Abasi Sanders
    Detroit – Cozette Ealy
    Detroit – Cedric Green
    Detroit – Delonda Little
    Detroit – William Pugh
    DeWitt – Mark Kellogg
    DeWitt – Adam Miller
    Dorr – Dan Heasley

    East Lansing – Eric McGaugh

    Farmington hills – Kevin Cleveland
    Fenton – Paula McAllister
    Flint – Rozier Looney
    Frankenmuth – Matthew Krause
    Freeland – Nick Horn
    Fremont – Kevin Holmberg

    Gaylord – Michael Switalski
    Gobles – Randy Hood
    Grand Blanc – Josh Dean
    Grand Blanc – Anthony Klinck
    Grand Blanc – David Clement
    Grand Ledge – Brian Gorman
    Grand Rapids – Marc Davis
    Grand Rapids – Timothy Gildner
    Grand Rapids – Lloyd Kilgore
    Grand Rapids – Fritz Owen
    Grand Rapids – Debra Rambow
    Grand Rapids – James Stokes
    Grand Rapids – Michael Underwood
    Grand Rapids – Randy Wilson
    Grosse Ile – Michael Szczechowski
    Grosse Pointe Woods – Douglas Bohannon

    Harbor Beach – Jill Fuller
    Harrison Township – Kimberly Broski
    Hart – Chris Romero
    Haslett – Scott Bradley
    Haslett – Casey Kern
    Hastings – Fred Koning
    Highland – Jason Zimmerman
    Holland – Jayson Dibble
    Holt – Andrew Hoard
    Honor – Matt Olson
    Horton – Jerry Waddington
    Houghton – Gregg Richards
    Howell – Anthony Vella
    Howell – Nathan Thompson
    Hudsonville – Roberto Ortega-Ramos

    Ionia – April Holman
    Ironwood – Guy Trier

    Jackson – Tracy Boyers
    Jackson – Troy Fairbanks
    Jackson – Daniel Garrison
    Jackson – Jim Miller
    Jackson – Bernard Nabozny
    Jackson – Douglas Richardson
    Jenison – Alfred Kennedy

    Kalamazoo – Jill Lansky
    Kentwood – Andrew Terrien
    Kentwood – Rus Tien

    Lansing – Oscar Castaneda
    Lansing – Steve Crowley
    Lansing – Terry Harris
    Lansing – Arthur Lilly
    Lansing – Keith Rhodabeck
    Lansing – Cameron Rodgers
    Lathrup Village – Gerald Jones
    Livonia – Scott Racer

    Macomb – Don Kalpin
    Macomb – Terry Prince
    Manistique – Joseph Crowder
    Manistique – Howard Parmentier
    Marlette – Chris Storm
    Marquette – John Schultz
    Marshall – James Dyer
    Marshall – Eric Earl
    Marysville – John Schweihofer
    Mason – Ammahad Wnaikau
    Memphis – Steven Gray
    Merrill – Malena Marr
    Michigan City – Larry Jordan
    Middleville – Darrin Oliver
    Midland – Thomas Coatoam
    Midland – Alan Huntress
    Milan – Jill Hargrove
    Milan – Michael St. John
    Milford – Jeffrey Garvin
    Milford – Larry Walters
    Mt. Pleasant – Jeff Siler
    Muskegon – Robert Koekkoek

    Niles – Cory Gowen
    Niles – Glenn Kimmerly
    Northville – Doug Doyle

    Ortonville – Laurel Kobe

    Perrysburg – Gregg Becker
    Petersburg – Mike Faunce
    Pickford – Marc Andrzejak
    Pontiac – Wanda Clayton
    Port Austin – Andrew Preston
    Portage – Phillip Baker
    Portage – Jeff Kirkman
    Portage – Mike Lauraine
    Portage – Michael Northuis

    Reed City – Aaron Keup
    Riverview – Gregory Drewno
    Rochester – Avoki Omekanda
    Rochester Hills – Michael Timko
    Rochester Hills – Terry Zangkas
    Royal Oak – Linda Mariani

    Saginaw – Richard Moody
    Saginaw – Charles Smith
    Schoolcraft – Nathan DeMaso
    Schoolcraft – Reid Jones
    South Haven – Ken Dietz
    South Haven – Douglas Jones
    South Lyon – Elisabeth Tyzo-DePaulis
    St. Clair Shores – Chad Kelly
    Sterling Heights – Robert Hornik
    Sterling Heights – Patrick Radaj
    Sterling Heights – Erik Schneider
    Sterling Heights – Ernest Sciullo
    Sterling Heights – Terry Sheen
    Stevensville – Thomas Rivette
    Stevensville – Douglas Wegscheid
    Swartz Creek – Andrew Palovich

    Tecumseh – Eryn Stamper
    Temperance – Larry Nocella
    Traverse City – Jeffrey Brunner
    Traverse City – Jason Meriwether
    Traverse City – Thomas Spencer
    Trenton – Brian Hill
    Trenton – Kevin McMillion
    Troy – Glenn Craze
    Troy – Patrick Grady
    Twin Lake – Mike Vanderstelt

    Utica – Edward Kotulski

    Wallace – Terry Unti
    Walled Lake – Terry Prickett
    Warren – Arthur Lynn
    Wayland – Joseph Kramer
    West Bloomfield – Ilya Beltser
    West Branch – Howard Hanft
    White Lake – Gregory Waun
    Williamston – Kelli Hart
    Wixom – Cuba Gregory
    Wyoming – Kelli Polinskey

    30-YEAR OFFICIALS

    Allen – Kent Sanborn
    Allen Park – Mark Klein
    Alpena – Robert Centala
    Alto – Bene Benedict

    Bad Axe – Brent Wehner
    Baroda – Chris Falak
    Battle Creek – John Crumb
    Bay City – Stephen Linton
    Bay City – Scott Packard
    Bay City – Joseph Pietryga
    Bessemer – James Trcka
    Brooklyn – Gregg Wonderly

    Caledonia – Stacy Smith
    Center Line – Scott Manteuffel
    Charlotte – Val Nelson
    Chelsea – Eric VanHevel
    Chesterfield – Anthony Mancina
    Clinton Township – Barbara Laird
    Clinton Township – Scott Walendowski
    Comstock Park – Kathy Felty

    Davison – James Edgar
    Dearborn – Gloria Joseph
    Dearborn Heights – Rick Ballnik
    Detroit – Joyce Smith
    Dowagiac – Scott Stewart

    East Lansing – Brent Sorg
    Eaton Rapids – Wesley Collins
    Essexville – Mark Gentle

    Farmington Hills – Robert Dobson
    Fenton – Paul White
    Flat Rock – Janis Stahr
    Flint – Richard Higgins
    Flint – John Yelle
    Flushing – Jeffrey Straley
    Freeland – Terry Schmidt

    Grand Blanc – Bernadette Koenig
    Grand Blanc – Thomas Le Blanc
    Grand Blanc – Leonard Sparks
    Grand Rapids – Jacquie DeJonge
    Grand Rapids – Jeff Green
    Greenville – Darcia Kelley
    Grosse Pointe – Ryan Murphy
    Grosse Pointe Park – George Markley
    Grosse Pointe Woods – Renee Dicristofaro

    Hazel Park – Benny Holzman
    Hickory Corners – Dean Bostwick
    Holt – John Massey

    Imlay City – John Forti

    Kalamazoo – Julie Jones
    Kalamazoo – Mark Kampen
    Kingsley – David Lemmien

    Lansing – Dee Hammond
    Lansing – Robert Mccullem
    Livonia – Steve Timm

    Manchester – James Connors
    Marinette – Neil Motto
    Mason – Daniel Carmichael
    Mason – Kathy Showers
    Mattawan – John Visser
    McMillan – Anthony Immel
    Midland – Katherine Duso
    Monroe – Carolyn Peters
    Montague – Stanley Bush
    Muskegon – Jacklyn Burr
    Muskegon – Chris Calkins
    Muskegon – Dennis Danicek
    Muskegon – Randall Peters

    North Muskegon – Tony Kartes

    Ontonagon – Andrew Borseth
    Ottawa Lake – Douglas Sanders

    Paw Paw – Karla Koviak
    Perry – Thomas Montpas
    Petoskey – Mark Holland
    Pierson – Joseph Williams
    Pleasant Lake – Marty Shean
    Plymouth – Michael Rossman
    Plymouth – Richard Schmidt

    Quincy – Candace Cox

    Rapid River – Mike Pilon
    Rochester – Janette Luttenberger
    Rochester Hills – Katherine DiMeglio
    Romeo – Mary Milke
    Rossford – Steven Agler

    Saginaw – Thomas Nichols
    Saline – Todd Schultz
    Shelby – Todd Fox
    Shelby Township – Sheila Brownlee
    Shelby Township – Kristi Dean
    South Lyon – Michael Kiselis
    Sparta – Ryan Huber
    St. Clair Shores – Gary Kowalewski
    St. Joseph – Terry Myers
    St. Joseph – Dave Waaso
    Standish – Kimberly Belchak
    Stanton – Jason Petersen
    Sterling Heights – George Braund
    Sterling Heights – John Moceri

    Traverse City – Allen Hebden

    Utica – Sean Barel

    Waldron – Michael Granger
    Walled Lake – Donald Magee
    Warren – Joseph DiBucci
    Washington – Gloria Berger
    Wayne – Robert Allen
    West Bloomfield – Cynthia Tyzo
    Williamston – David Sweeney
    Wolverine – David Ashenfelter
    Wyandotte – David Shalda
    Wyoming – Stephen Hendrickson

    Yale – Perry Sutherland

    40-YEAR OFFICIALS

    Adrian – Doris Goodlock
    Allen Park – James Sombati

    Battle Creek – Corby O'Leary
    Bay City – Tony Biskup
    Buchanan – Ronald Bartz

    Cedar Springs – Dan Rypma
    Charlevoix – Daniel Ulrich
    Clark Lake – Ralph Piepkow
    Clinton Township – Patrick Crandall
    Crystal Falls – Lyle Smithson

    Detroit – Aimee Davis
    Detroit – John Leidlein
    Detroit – Richard Shalhoub

    Eastpointe – Wayne Rockensuess

    Fort Gratiot – Jeff Klausing

    Garden City – Eric Hebestreit
    Grosse Ile – Steven Vecchioni

    Hancock – Brian Rimpela
    Holland – Brent Hoitenga
    Hudsonville – Gerald Kuiper

    Jackson – Thomas Morrissey
    Jackson – Joseph Page
    Jonesville – Kirk Snyder

    Kentwood – William Meade

    Lake Orion – James Weidman
    Lansing – Daniel Kitchel
    Lapeer – Gary Oyster
    Lapeer – Scott Strickler

    Macomb Township – William Gerbe
    Mayville – Gary Libka
    Midland – Bradley Crampton

    Newaygo – Clinton Abbott

    Ray – David Hines
    Reed City – David Erler
    Republic – Paul Price
    Rockford – Carl Knoop
    Rogers City – Karl Grambau
    Roseville – Mario Soresi

    Saginaw – Michael Mayers
    Saginaw – Richard Welzein
    Saginaw – Dennis Wildey
    Sand Creek – Jack Sager
    Sault Ste. Marie – Dale Cryderman
    St. Clair Shores – Gerald Garcia
    St. Joseph – Bruce Molineaux
    Swartz Creek – James Loria

    Temperance – Michael Bitz
    Traverse City – Barbara Beckett

    Walled Lake – Nicholas Lesnau
    Waters – Rick Sehl

    Ypsilanti – Jerry Kelley

    45-YEAR OFFICIALS

    Alpena – Scott MacKenzie

    Berkley – Charles Tyrrell
    Boyne City – Peter Moss
    Bronson – Randy Houtz
    Brown City – Curt Lowe
    Buchanan – Larry Monsma
    Burton – Thomas Rau

    Cheboygan – Peter Stempky
    Conklin – Gary Meerman

    East Lansing – Bruce Heeder

    Flint – Joseph Johnson
    Flushing – David Cowden
    Fowler – Dean Schrauben
    Frankfort – Peter Olson

    Grand Rapids – Todd VandenAkker

    Haslett – Heidi Doherty
    Holland – Craig Kuipers
    Houghton – Roy Britz

    Iron Mountain – Robert Barkle

    Jenison – James Kerbel

    Lake Isabella – James Novar
    Linden – John Cross

    Madison Heights – Joseph Marcinkowski
    Muskegon Heights – Johnny Robinson

    Oxford – Donald Maskill

    Plymouth – Charles Hempel
    Portage – Richard Bird
    Portage – Robert Burch
    Posen – Donna Couture
    Prescott – Charles Wren

    Roseville – Robert Iwasko

    Shelby Township – Michael Gentry
    South Bend – Dale Matteson
    South Lyon – Dan Riggs

    Taylor – Clayton Conner

    Warren – Vern Rottmann

    50-YEAR OFFICIALS

    Adrian – Gary Laskowsky
    Ann Arbor – Michael Parsons

    Canton – David Mattingly
    Caseville – Daniel Korbutt

    DeWitt – Raymond Barnes

    Fenton – Hewitt Judson
    Fruitport – David Fisher

    Kalamazoo – David Turley

    Livonia – Steven Boyak
    Livonia – John Dunn
    Ludington – Roger Chappel

    Marlette – Jerry Sauder
    Marquette – Gene Aho

    Ontonagon – John Gravier

    Palmetto – Donald Bourdon

    Rodney – Jeffrey Greene
    Rogers City – Michael Grulke

    Saginaw – Richard Havercroft
    South Haven – Robert Linderman
    South Lyon – Richard Gibson
    Stevensville – Bruce Arter

    Traverse City – Tom Post

    West Bloomfield – Anthony Magni
    Whitehall – Chuck Hulce

    PHOTO Chuck Walters officiates this past season's Division 5 Final.