MHSA(Q&)A: Official Lyle Berry
May 7, 2012
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Rockford’s Lyle Berry Berry received the MHSAA’s Vern L. Norris Award on Saturday for his contributions to officiating, mentoring and officials’ education.
An educator and official beginning in 1960, he also has officiated cross country and basketball, and has been a long-time member of both the West Michigan Officials Association and the Association of Track Officials of Michigan – having served both as president and rules chairman.
Berry also coached football for 36 years, with 32 at the high school level at Tawas, Farwell, Wayland and Wyoming Godwin Heights before spending four seasons as an assistant at Grand Rapids Community College. He was a head coach for 27 of those high school seasons, and was inducted into the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Michigan High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2008.
What keeps you coming back?
Just working with the kids, basically. There was a time, a turning point, when I did not know if it was as ego thing or an obsession. At some point, it was just a thing I wanted to do. It became so much fun, I didn't want to quit.
What was that turning point?
Ten or 12 years in officiating, I was in the process of building a career and wanting to take the next step each time. I got to the point where I was doing varsity basketball, and I got established there and wanted to move to the college ranks. And I did that. But 12 or 13 year in, there was a Grand Rapids City League game that went to double overtime. The two teams were undefeated at the halfway point (of the season), and it was a tight ballgame. After the game, we used to stand in front of the scoring table waiting for the books to get finalized. I looked over and saw the coach from the losing team talking to his kids, and the next thing we know, a few of them are coming over toward me. I’m thinking “Oh boy; here we go.” But the kids came up and said their coach wanted to make sure (they) congratulated (us) on a job well done. And the next thing out of their mouths was, “Wow, was that a great game?” And that’s where they left it. They said thanks and left. I thought I would’ve worked that night for nothing. And it just went from there.
What do you enjoy most about officiating?
It’s being with the kids more than anything. I do college track, high school track and junior high track, and some of the most fun situations are with the junior high kids. … Those kids either don’t know what’s going on, or keep you hopping, keep you on your toes. Being around them, it helps keep me a little young.”
You’ve been a teacher, coach and official. Are there similarities among the three?
All three blend together really well. You get to look at coaching as having the ability to teach kids how to have fun, and officiating you look at as watching kids have fun. Those two things go hand in hand. And teaching, of course; I was in the physical education field and I’d see all these kids and athletes who I’d eventually be coaching. Being around them all the time was just a bonus.
Is recruiting officials tougher now than it was in the past?
It’s a little bit tougher now. At the banquet the other night, there were only seven or eight 50-year people. Ten or 15 years ago, we didn’t even have a 50-yard award. And when that came in I thought it would be great because there would be a lot in that class. Last year I got my 50, and there were only 12 or 13 of us. The 40-45 (year) class had only 20 or 25. It just seems like the numbers are dwindling. You don’t see the commitment to carry on.
You see the same thing in coaching. I coached football 36 years, and you don’t see that. You see coaches get out after 10 or 12 years, burned out. I don’t know what the situation is causing that, but it’s definitely getting hard.
What advice do you give to young officials?
At this point in time, I’m working in the O-K Conference as a basketball observer of officials. Over the last six or seven years, I’d gotten 10-15 young guys. I like to go watch the JV, the freshmen guys, talk to them at halftime or after the game, like having a mini clinic with them. I encourage them to go. Last year I saw a dozen of those guys move on to the varsity ranks. Basically, I just tell them just to stay with it. And when the opportunity comes, you’ve got to jump in with both feet.
PHOTO: (Below) Lyle Berry speaks to the audience during Saturday's Officials’ Awards & Alumni Banquet at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing.
Legacy Families Bolstering North's Officiating Ranks
By
Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com
March 12, 2021
When Marc Crossman was attending middle and high school at Benzie Central, he didn’t attempt a shot. He never blocked a shot either.
For that matter, the 2019 grad was never charged with a foul or a violation, nor credited with an assist.
Today, he uses the fitness he’s kept up from his track and cross country days at Benzie to call fouls and violations. And, nearly every day, he assists high school boys and girls on basketball courts all over Northern Michigan.
Crossman is one of very few young MHSAA basketball officials in the north. He is also among a handful of father-son basketball and other sports officials calling Northern Michigan home.
“I tell you what man, I was probably the most dedicated fan in high school,” he said. “I went to all the home games. All the away games, boys, girls.
“When I was in high school, I was obsessed with the game of basketball.”
Crossman did play elementary basketball. He tried out for the Huskies middle school team but wasn’t chosen.
“That was the end of my basketball career,” proclaimed Crossman, who also officiates football. “And then it started up again when I was a junior when my dad (Don) roped me into the whole legacy thing with officiating.
The MHSAA’s Legacy Student Officials Program is open to any high school student at least 14 years of age. Freshman and sophomore student officials may officiate at the junior high/middle school level only, and junior and senior student officials may officiate at any subvarsity level.
The Legacy Program pairs a student with a mentor official, which can be set up through direct contact with an official the student knows, or with help from the student’s athletic director in making contact with a local approved officials association. Lucky for Crossman, he did know someone, his father Don, an assignor for the Northern Michigan Sports Officials Association.
Don is a nine-year veteran official registered in baseball, softball, volleyball and football. He’s aware of the severe shortage of officials in general, but keenly aware most officials are closer to retiring than starting on the hard court. He’s enjoyed working with his son and assigning him with others.
He also has the good fortune of having other father-son combinations to assign. Among them are Tom and Ben Post and John and Jayden O’Hagan. Ben Post and Jayden O’Hagan also started in the Legacy Program, with Ben among the first to take part.
Tom Post has been a registered official for 48 years and honored with MHSAA Finals assignments. John O’Hagan has 36 years of basketball experience and registered for baseball and softball spanning two decades.
All of those fathers and sons indicate they enjoy working together and with other partners, but note officiating comes with some challenges.
Most come from fans and coaches rarely seeing a young referee in the crew.
“There have been a few games where the coaches just seem to get in his (Jayden’s) ear more than the experienced official,” said his father. “My fear is that Jayden — and all other referees — might one day say ‘I had enough of getting screamed at all the time and want to quit.’
“We talk to coaches, we explain their youth and that we are teaching and trying to recruit more young officials,” John O’Hagan continued. “Recruiting is difficult enough encouraging people to get registered; however, when the coaches and fans simply forget it is just a game, that we are human and we will make mistakes, their behavior can deter folks from becoming a referee.”
With ongoing support and teaching from his father and regular partner Dave Nemecek, Jayden is excited to hit the court after his days as a college student.
“My dad has taught me everything I know when it comes to the game and rules side of it,” noted the 19-year-old O’Hagan. “He’s always watching me and having me do certain things to make sure that I’m doing the best I can.
“So when there’s nights I’m just not having it or am not doing good, he makes sure to let me know,” he continued. “He always keeps me on top of my game.”
The assignor Crossman enjoys helping his son navigate the referee waters.
“It is awesome, very cool,” he said. “It is fun to see him grow. It is a challenge for me to help him grow.”
Ben Post is among a significant number of Northern Michigan referees not officiating during the current pandemic. He had been on the hard court every year since graduating from college and starting to teach at age 24 in 2004.
“I absorbed his (my father’s) officiating philosophy pretty much through osmosis, and as a result we call a pretty similar game, although I have no hope of matching his competence or consistency,” Ben Post pointed out. “My dad is most in his element while working a game, and I’ve cherished every opportunity to watch and study him in that element, first as a fan and then while working alongside him.”
The pandemic has younger northern referees like Gabriel Wise, Gabe Janowiak, Brandon Nichols, Marc Crossman and Jayden O’Hagan perhaps finding themselves in tougher assignments than they anticipated this early in their careers.
“Now you’re in it,” Don Crossman said of the opportunities taken on by the younger refs. “You’ve proved yourself on a fast track.
“You’re just one of the guys now,” he continued. “It is real exciting.”
Younger referees are becoming a welcome site nowadays for coaches and athletic directors.
“When a crew comes to the gym and there are officials of varying ages, the diversity provides credibility to the crew as a whole,” said Steve Graetz, Benzie’s athletic director.
Graetz is filled with pride when he sees the youthful Crossman on the court, especially knowing he started doing many middle school games at Benzie in the Legacy Program.
“It was a safe environment in which Marc could learn the craft,” Graetz said. “To see him now regularly officiating high school games at varying levels on a regular basis speaks as much to the hard work he has put into learning and improving as it does to the accommodating format and structure of the Legacy Program.”
Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) MHSAA officials Don Crossman, left, and his son Marc. (Middle) Ben Post, top left, with father Tom Post and son James. (Below) Jayden O’Hagan, left, and his father Jon O’Hagan. (Courtesy photos.)