Be the Referee: Use of the Monitor

March 29, 2016

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl discusses when instant replay can be used for basketball at the high school level. 

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 - Use of the Monitor - Listen

The use of instant replay is a conversation and debate that’s taking place in all levels of sport, all across the board. One thing I’ve noticed when fans are talking about college basketball is the frustration over seeing more and more times in the college game the officials going to the monitor to check a situation late in a game.

At the high school level, the monitor can only be used at the Semifinal and Final levels of the girls and boys tournament. The monitor then can only be used at the end of a fourth quarter or overtime to determine if a shot was released in time, and if that shot was a  two-point basket or a three-point basket with a potential shooter’s foot being on the line. 

Past editions:
March 17: Block/Charge - Listen
March 10: Ball Stuck on the Rim - Listen
March 3: Three Seconds - Listen
Feb. 25: Deciding the Game - Listen
Feb. 18 : Cheer Safety - Listen
Feb. 11: Primary Areas - Listen
Feb. 4: Block/Charge Calls - Listen
Jan. 28: Dive on the Floor - Listen
Jan. 21: Hockey Officials' Options - Listen
Jan. 14: Recruiting Officials - Listen
Jan. 7: Wrestling Weight Monitoring - Listen
Dec. 31: Respect for Referees - Listen
Dec. 24: Basketball Instant Replay - Listen
Dec. 17: Basketball Communication - Listen
Dec. 10: Basketball Excessive Contact - Listen
Nov. 26: Pregame Communication - Listen
Nov. 19: Trick Plays - Listen
Nov. 12: 7-Person Football Mechanics - Listen
Nov. 5: Make the Call: Personal Fouls - Listen
Oct. 29: Officials Demographics - Listen
Oct. 15: Make the Call: Intentional Grounding - Listen
Oct. 8: Playoff Selection - Listen
Oct. 1: Kick Returns - Listen
Sept. 24: Concussions - Listen
Sept. 17: Automatic First Downs - Listen
Sept. 10: Correcting a Down - Listen
Sept 3:
Spearing - Listen
Aug. 27: Missed Field Goal - Listen

Be the Referee: Pass Interference

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 2, 2021

This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains the differences in high school pass interference rules from those at the college and pro levels.

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 – Pass Interference – Listen 

One of the big differences between high school football and the college or pro game is how pass interference is called.

In high school, there is no such thing as an “uncatchable” pass. If there is illegal contact by the defender while the ball is in the air, that’s pass interference, no matter where the pass ultimately ends up.

Also – in high school – a defender can “face guard” as long as no contact is made with the receiver. That is not pass interference, even if the defender does not look back for the ball. 

Both of those interpretations differ from the college and pro game. Both (of those) levels have an uncatchable exception, and neither allows for face guarding. 

Keep that in mind the next time you think you’ve spotted pass interference at the high school level.

Previous editions

Aug. 26: Protocols and Mechanics  Listen