Be the Referee: YMTC - Face Guarding

September 6, 2018

In this week's edition, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis takes us through a "You Make the Call" scenario regarding football face guarding.

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 – You Make the Call: Face Guarding - Listen

Let’s check out your knowledge of high school football rules with a “you make the call.”

The quarterback drops back to pass, and his intended receiver gets a step on the cornerback. As the ball approaches the receiver, the defensive player sticks his hands and arms out in front of the receiver’s face without contact. The receiver loses sight of the ball, and the pass falls to the ground.

What’s the call?

A national high school playing rule instituted last year removed the penalty for face guarding without contact. The change brought high school football rules in line with collegiate and professional rules. The pass is incomplete and there is no flag for defensive pass interference.

Past editions

August 30: 40-Second Play Clock - Listen
August 23: Football Rules Changes - Listen

Be the Referee: Abnormal Course Condition

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

October 1, 2024

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 – Abnormal Course Condition - Listen

We’re on the golf course today and our approach into 18 has gone from bad to worse. Or has it?

Our shot lands in a puddle, in the middle of a bunker, which certainly isn’t good. But because water in a bunker is an abnormal course condition, we’re allowed free relief.

We’re able to go to the nearest spot of relief, no closer to the hole, and drop within a club’s length of that spot while still playing from the bunker.

Or relief can be taken outside of the bunker, no closer to the hole, and within line of the shot – but a penalty stroke is added.

So you have two options if you find water inside a bunker; only one requires you to take a penalty stroke.

Of course the best course of action is to avoid the bunkers all together!

Previous 2024-25 Editions

Sept. 25: Tennis Nets - Listen
Sept. 18:
 Libero - Listen
Sept. 10:
 Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen