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The Official View: Official Thanks
By
Brent Rice
MHSAA Assistant Director
September 13, 2021
A return to the start of another school year means a return to school sports contests – and what separates those contests from simply being kids playing a pick-up game is the attendance of assigned officials.
The steady declining trend of MHSAA registered officials was accelerated last year in the complicated world of facemasks, testing and late cancellations, when the MHSAA lost nearly 15 percent from its previous year’s ranks. Now that we have returned to some (relative) normalcy, it’s more important than ever to recognize those officials who allowed athletes to play a season last year and to welcome back those who had to take the season off.
A new program being instituted in Detroit’s Catholic High School League does just that. This year, CHSL schools will be presenting officials throughout the season with “thank you” cards to express their gratitude for the dedication and hard work these individuals provide to ensure students have an opportunity to compete.
These gestures of appreciation serve to retain officials by recognizing how important they are to the game, and to recruit new officials by showing that officiating is an honorable avocation that allows them to serve the community and stay in athletics.
The MHSAA will be rolling out a new Game Day Ambassadors Program in Spring 2022 which will include similar ideas for increasing the morale of officials and developing long-lasting, cooperative relationships between schools and officials. Some of the ways outlined include:
► “Thank an Official” events where the team and spectators recognize the officials in their community.
► Adding alternative “compensation” to officials by occasionally providing promotional items, small gift certificates from local businesses and eateries, and snacks and refreshments in the locker room.
► Presenting mid-game sportsmanship PSAs.
► Regularly reviewing officials game fees to ensure that officials are being fairly paid for their work.
The most surefire way to recruit and retain officials is to treat them with respect. The No. 1 reason given for individuals leaving officiating is negative behavior and treatment by adult spectators and coaches. These folks that give up their time to officiate school contests do so by scheduling around their day jobs, family commitments and other personal responsibilities. They are required to make real-time, split-second decisions in a world filled with zoomed in and slow-motion video, social media and camera phones at every turn, but without the luxury of replay review. And in the end, they aren’t paid nearly the amount as their college and professional counterparts.
Maintaining reasonable perspective and expectations is a core value in educational athletics … and it should be with the officials as well.
Thank you, MHSAA officials, for your commitment to school sports, and thank you to the Catholic League and others willing to acknowledge the same.
It’s Official!
Postseason Assignments: A number of changes have been instituted for postseason consideration over the past few years. Notably this year, officials in most sports must opt into tournament consideration. This means officials this season for football, soccer and volleyball must submit their availability in the MHSAA website – otherwise the default is that they are unavailable. This is in addition to other postseason requirements such as completion of the rules meeting, the tournament exam and submission of the official’s regular-season schedule through the MHSAA website. These requirements are due by Sept. 15 for soccer and volleyball, Sept. 22 for football and Oct. 6 for girls swimming & diving.
Officials Review Committee: The Officials Review Committee is scheduled to convene the first week of October to discuss issues and make proposals. Agenda items this year include volleyball and swim uniforms, video review, officials fees, sport committees including officials, registration fee deadlines and the basketball District officials assignment process. An update on these subjects will be provided in next month’s Official View.
Know Your Rules
VOLLEYBALL Team A’s server steps on the end line before contacting the ball in her serve. As she makes contact with the ball, CB (center back) and RB (right back) on Team R are overlapping.
Ruling: When the server illegally contacts the ball while in contact with the floor on the end line, the ball remains dead. Even though Team R is out of position on the play, the ball never became live, and so the foot fault is enforced and it is a loss of rally/point against Team A.
It’s Your Call
FOOTBALL This month’s It’s Your Call comes on a play from the gridiron. As Team A’s lead blocker comes around the end, Team B’s No. 17 moves up to take him on at the A 32-yard line. The ballcarrier is sprung for another eight or nine yards before being tackled. What’s the call?
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The Official View: Congrats & Transitions
By
Brent Rice
MHSAA Assistant Director
December 3, 2018
By Brent Rice
MHSAA Assistant Director
Winter is upon us at the MHSAA, and as we switch up seasons we salute the many who contributed to fall’s championship events and preview changes on the way for the MHSAA Officials Program.
It’s Official!
Transitions: As we transition from the fall to winter sports seasons, it is fitting that we discuss some expected changes in the MHSAA Officials Program. Proposals are being developed and sent to the Representative Council to resolve a number of issues – and additional changes are expected over the coming year. The goal of these changes is to provide MHSAA member schools with the most competent and qualified officials to choose from for regular-season contests, to improve sportsmanship amongst staff, students and spectators; and to increase the compensation and benefits that come with being registered as an official with the MHSAA.
To ensure that our member schools have access to the best and brightest officials, new education and accountability standards are being put in place. Also included will be cost-effective options for training – recognizing and featuring quality camps/clinics around the state and the development of a formal mentorship program.
Improving sportsmanship continues to be a priority of the MHSAA and the Officials Program. This cannot be addressed solely by the schools and the Association. The officials are the first line of defense in ensuring good sportsmanship. We are developing a “Personal Attack” policy that will assist and support officials in the implementation of corrective decision-making when necessary. Additionally, we are developing an “Official Thanks” campaign that recognizes and shows appreciation for the officials of MHSAA contests. The Game Day Ambassador Program is another initiative designed to put a face with the names of the officials for our schools and to provide schools with resources that explain what minimal efforts can be made to improve the officials’ experience.
Finally, benefits and compensation are being reviewed, and increases are due. We are evaluating the best way to increase compensation for postseason tournaments and what other benefits of registration would provide value to MHSAA officials. If you have ideas for incentives or additions you think would be beneficial to our officials, please let me know at [email protected].
Postseason Tournament Consideration: Winter Rules Meetings and Rules Tests for tournament consideration are due by Dec. 13, 2018. Make certain to complete all of these requirements, along with the submission of your schedules, to ensure you are eligible to officiate this postseason.
‘Official View’ Submissions: Winter officials – we need more submitted photos and stories showing all sides of officiating. If you have pictures of you and your fellow officials that can offer an inside look into the officiating world, please send them to [email protected]. We need a picture (or two) and the who, what, when and where. The more interesting the photo/story, the better.
We also continue to request “Official of the Month” nominations. If you have someone you think represents the MHSAA and the Officials Program well (and is a Winter sport official), send the official’s information and a brief note letting us know why you are making the recommendation.
Thank You: Thank you to all of the officials who responded to questions regarding proposed changes in the registration benefits and format. The information was very useful for us in determining what is in the best interests of all MHSAA-registered officials in regards to security, education, training and value.
For those who didn’t receive a request for feedback, don’t worry. No decisions have been finalized, and we will be sure to keep you posted of changes moving forward.
Rule of the Week
BASKETBALL With three seconds remaining on the clock and the game tied, A1 is attempting a throw-in from B’s end line. As A1 holds the ball over the plane of the end line, B1 quickly grabs the ball from A1 and lays it into the basket as time expires.
Ruling: Two points for Team B. The basket counts, and the game is over.
It’s Your Call
WRESTLING This week’s clip shows a wrestler secure a single-leg trap. Then, as it appears he has an easy opportunity to trip the other leg for a takedown, he picks up his opponent and slams him to the mat. What’s the call?
Last IYC Ruling: The last “It’s Your Call” clip showed a backrow player in volleyball land in front of the attack line following a successful jump attack from behind the line. Because the player’s feet leapt from a position established behind the attack line, this attack is a legal back row attack. (Click to see video.)
Official View: Congratulations!
We want to take a quick moment to recognize and thank the officials assigned to our fall postseason tournament Finals. We received very good feedback about the quality and consistency of officiating during our entire postseason. Your efforts are appreciated, and we understand that without your commitment and sacrifices, we could not host such tremendous events for our member schools and student-athletes.
Here are the Finals officials assigned for each fall sport:
Cross Country: Nick Marshall, Pete Norman, Lynn Kettlehut, Myles Cleverly, Dar Devereaux, Theo Nash, Doug Kelly, Erika Rafkin, Dan Bentschneider, Eldon Dean, Jim Davoe, Ray Drysdale, Jim Cleverly, Paul Matson, Lew Clingman, Rudy Godfriodt, Kathy Hutfilz, Brian Macomber, Wayne McDonald, Kathy Schollar, Ozzie Hashley, Geri Jackson, Lou Miramonti, Bertha Smiley, Dan Johnson, Dennis Whitehead, Kim Spalsbury, Autumn Cleverly, Greg Bishop, John Goebel, Chuck Janke, Marty Lynn, Tate Tatro, Rich Vitale, Jim Loria, Michael Raffin, John Brown, Marty Crane, Becky Norman
8-Player Football: Brad Austin, Joel Barnes, Paul Binder, John Carideo, Anthony Immel, Jack Miles, Joel Mitrzyk, David Paananen, Mark Pieniozek, Joseph Strong.
11-Player Football: Trent Anderson, Kurt Ballien, Robert Barrett, Ron Blevins II, Paul Boehms, Luther Bradley, Edgard Cazal, Lakelvert Cosby, Gillie David, Christopher Dickerson, Todd Dunlap, Donta Favors, Denny Ferguson, Jeffery Flynn, Timothy Frosch, Nicholas Gayan, Darin Gilbert Sr., Todd Gooding, Allen Hebden, Kevin Hughes, Steven Johnson, Darin Kelly, Ryan Kelly, Robert King, Carl Knoop, Patrick Lane, Adam Leyton, Mario Marana, Scott Maurer, Allen Noles, Brent Novak, Justin Paluch, Dee Jay Paquette, Steve Pearce, Bradley Peet Sr., Charles Phillipson, David Radke, Daniel Renner, Lawrence Roberts, Wally Rose, Jeff Rowley, John Schweihofer, Terry Scrivener, Brian Smith, Shane Smith, Randy Straub, Kevin Sullivan, Thomas Sumner, Johnnie Tanner, Nathan Taylor, Jason Towe, Chad Vanderstelt, Eric VanHevel, Max Warriner, Gregory Waun, Thomas Wolford.
Volleyball: Augusto Dumlao, Lawrence Freeman, John Martin, Penny McDonald, Matthew Preston, Luke Reynolds, Lawrence Ross, Todd Stamm.
Boys Soccer: Bradley Barlog, Branden Bennett, Carter Brochu, Conlan Campbell, Justin Cartwright, Thomas Coatoam, James DeBrabander, Bruce Falberg, Ashley Fromson, Richard Gilbert, Andrew Hoard, Pietro Loria, Alexander Plum, Timothy Reed, Robert Scudder, Andrey Vinarov.
Girls Swimming & Diving: Susan Barthold, Dennis Betts, Steven Bredeweg, John Cast, Paul Chaffee, James Chapman, Raymond Cranston, Timothy Eastman, Brian Foust, Jerry Kelley, John Leidlein Jr., Raymond Martin, James McPartlin, Steven Smale, Brad Susterka, Maynard Timm, Michael Torrey, Larry Wegener.