The Official View: It's In Our Blood
By
Brent Rice
MHSAA Assistant Director
September 10, 2019
By Brent Rice
MHSAA Assistant Director
Some have said that officiating has to be in your blood.
The avocation runs through the veins of nearly 10,000 officials in this state, and “The Official View” returns this week not only to inform those valuable contributors to school sports, but also to provide an inside look at some of the people wearing the stripes – including a daughter who has followed her dad onto the court.
It’s Official!
The MHSAA Officials Guidebook is the main source for rules and regulations and policies and procedures to which MHSAA Registered Officials are to adhere. For the first time in several years, the document has been updated and revised for clarification and the removal of redundancies. It also has a new look and format that will hopefully make it easier for officials to read and review. The updated Guidebook can be found by CLICKING HERE.
Officials Bulletins for the fall season have started. Check out your specific officials sports page for this and more. You can find documents, helpful links and sport-specific information. CLICK HERE.
Rule of the Week
VOLLEYBALL After the first set comes to a close, the coach approaches the officials’ table and removes the lineup sheet to prepare the lineup for the next set.
Ruling: This move is legal … between sets. However, the lineup sheet, along with the roster sheet, must remain at the officials’ table throughout each set.
It’s Your Call
FOOTBALL This week’s clip questions the legality of a block. In the video, No. 64 in white immediately at the snap cut blocks No. 54 in blue.
Is this a legal block? What’s the call?
Official View: A Family Tradition
Interested in getting a job before she headed off to college, Frankenmuth native Megan Jarlock noticed it was difficult to find one that fit around her busy schedule and that could give her the level of saving (or spending) money she sought.
She started officiating at the suggestion of her dad, Mark, who has served as an MHSAA official for nearly 20 years himself. Mark informed Megan she could make twice as much per hour officiating as she could working in traditional college-student jobs, and she could determine for herself what games she did and didn’t want to accept.
Besides the side cash and schedule convenience, officiating provides Megan additional benefits as well. Megan is able to remain around sports she loves, stay active and keep healthy and happy. She officiates volleyball in the fall and basketball in the winter, and has even done some softball in the spring. The most important thing, though, is that she gets to officiate with her dad.
“I am also very lucky to have my dad by my side to help me learn and grow as an official and a person,” says Megan.
One of the best parts of working with her dad is the car rides, where they have a chance to catch up on each other’s busy lives. And like a lot of mentor officials, Mark often takes his daughter out to dinner after the game to discuss things she did well and areas she can improve. She is grateful for the ability to share time with her dad, both doing what they love.
Of her dad and experience, Megan said, “He is a great sports official, but an even better father and role model. I’m really enjoying being an official, and these are the moments with my family that I will remember for the rest of my life.”
PHOTO: Megan Jarlock and her dad, Mark, prepare to work an MHSAA contest. (Photo provided by the Jarlock family.)
The Official View: Winter Wonderland
By
Brent Rice
MHSAA Assistant Director
November 12, 2018
By Brent Rice
MHSAA Assistant Director
In this week’s “Official View” we explain the important of insurance and offer a brief primer on how the MHSAA helps officials stay covered.
We also work through some rule scenarios in football, volleyball and swimming and take a look at a few of the wintery scenes braved not only by teams on the field and fans in the stands but officials in stripes as well.
It’s Official!
Most officials will go their entire lives without needing to utilize insurance coverage for something that occurred while officiating. In the often rough-and-tough world of school sports, though, the need for officials to protect themselves on and off the field has never been greater. While officiating is not considered a dangerous avocation, officials should prepare themselves for those one-in-a-million situations.
There are a variety of coverage options out there for officials, ranging from medical and loss of income coverage due to injuries sustained while officiating to liability coverage and legal fees. Officials, individually and through their associations, can purchase increased coverages that suit their needs.
The MHSAA continues to look out for the best interests of our registered officials in this area and in other ways. When officials annually register with the MHSAA, they are included in both a comprehensive liability plan and catastrophic medical coverage for incidents that occur during MHSAA contests. Major injuries due to officiating are rare, but it is nice to have the security that you’re covered in the event of some tragic event. Though the few lawsuits that officials are a party to are often summarily dismissed, the MHSAA’s liability coverage kicks in at dollar one, including any legal fees or attorney retainers.
We will be seeking your feedback in how we can best serve these interests as they pertain to increased insurance coverage, training and development and providing additional useful resources. We thank you for your input and continued commitment and dedication to the MHSAA and the Officials Program.
Rule of the Week
FOOTBALL It’s 4th-and-8 on Team K’s 35-yard line. R1 signals for a fair catch at Team R’s 40-yard line. R1 muffs the punt, and the ball is picked up by K5 at Team R’s 35. With no one else around, K5 runs into his end zone for an apparent touchdown.
Ruling: The ball is dead at the moment the muffed kick is possessed by Team K. The ball cannot be advanced. It will be 1st-and-10 for Team K on R’s 35.
It’s Your Call
VOLLEYBALL This week’s clip shows a back row player for Team S making a back row attack and then landing on the attack line. What’s the call?
Last Week’s IYC Ruling: Last week’s video shows a swimmer drifting into the lane divider before ultimately finishing first in the meet. This incidental contact with the lane divider is legal since she did not grab ahold or otherwise use the divider to pull herself through the water. (Click to see last week's video.)
Official View: Reffing in a Winter Wonderland
The first day of winter is scheduled for Dec. 21, but you wouldn’t know that by the weather from this past weekend’s football games.
Snow covered most of the state Friday and Saturday, even causing some teams to play in a couple of inches of the falling white stuff. Just like our teams, the officials braved the cold and flurries to ensure another great week of MHSAA football.
The top photo shows Thirlby Field during the Division 6 Regional Final between Traverse City St. Francis and Kingley.
The photo above and to the right is from the 8-Player Semifinal between host Rapid River and Cedarville. The crew, from left: Joel Mitrzyk, Mark Pieniozek, Jan Viliquette, Paul Binder and David Paananen.