Be the Referee: Video Review - Part 1

January 8, 2015

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains the use of video replay during MHSAA tournament events. 

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 - Video Review Part 1 - Listen

Over the past decade, the biggest change in all sports at the collegiate and professional levels, has been the expanded use of instant replay – or video review – relative to officiating decisions.

At the high school level, video review is currently used in two sports – ice hockey and basketball; is only used for the final two rounds of the MHSAA Tournament - Semifinals and Finals; and is allowed in very limited circumstances.

In ice hockey, video review can be used to determine whether or not a goal has or has not been scored and if it was scored before time expires; and in basketball, as time expires in the fourth quarter or overtime, video can be used to determine if the shot has gotten off in time and if the try was a two-point or three-point attempt.

Past editions
Dec. 17 - Registration Part 2 - Listen
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: 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