Be the Referee: Wrestling Weight Safety

January 7, 2016

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains how the weight monitoring program helps keep Michigan's high school wrestlers healthy and safe.

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 - Wrestling Weight Monitoring - Listen

It has often been said that wrestling is the toughest and most grueling six minutes in all of sports. It is a sport that requires great dedication, discipline and conditioning from those kids that step onto the mat.

One of the most important parts of the high school wrestling program in Michigan is the weight monitoring program. Prior to the season, every wrestler undergoes a body composition test where the body fat percentage of each student is determined. Based on that data, a minimum weight and weight class is established for every participant.

This data provides a safe and healthy plan for kids that wish to drop weight and move down to a lower weight class as a wrestler can never lose more than 1.5 percent of their body weight in a given week. This program has made wrestling a safer and healthier sport for every single wrestler in the state of Michigan. 

Past editions:
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: Punts & Missed FGs

October 18, 2018

This week, MHSAA assistant director Brent Rice explains how high school rules differ from collegiate and professional when it comes to these kick scenarios.

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 – Punts & Missed Field Goals - Listen

One of the differences between high school football rules and rules at the collegiate and professional levels deals with punts and missed field goals.

Essentially, the place kick is treated like a punt as it relates to team possession from the goal line and out of bounds. If either goes out of bounds from inside the field of play, the defensive team takes possession at that spot. If either goes into the end zone, the defensive team may not return the kick.

And a missed field goal in high school that goes into or through the end zone, resulting in a touchback, has the defense taking over, first and 10, at their own 20, regardless of the previous spot.

Past editions

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