Be the Referee: Boys Lacrosse Safety

May 2, 2019

In this week's "Be the Referee" installment, assistant director Brent Rice explains changes this spring in boys lacrosse that address body checks and targeting.

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 – Boys Lacrosse Safety - Listen

There are several changes in high school boys lacrosse this season that continue to address player safety.

Two involve body checks. First, a player may not initiate a legal body check that follows through into contact on an opponent’s neck or head. Also, a body check shall not be delivered to a player in a defenseless position.

The other rules changes are similar, but fall under the category of targeting. A player may not initiate targeting – taking aim at the head or neck area for the purpose of making violent contact – and a player may not target a player in a defenseless position. These changes put lacrosse in line with rules addressing similar situations in other collision sports, like football and ice hockey.

Past editions

April 25: Softball Illegal Pitch - Listen
March 21: Instant Replay in Basketball - Listen
March 14: Basket Interference - Listen
March 7: Primary Areas - Listen
February 28: Under the Bus - Listen
February 21: You Make the Call - Listen
February 14: Because They Love It - Listen
February 7: Coach/Official Communication - Listen
January 31: Backcourt Violation? - Listen
January 24: Required Hockey Equipment - Listen
January 17: You Make the Call: 10-Second Clock - Listen
January 10: Tripping in Hockey - Listen
January 3: Sliding in Basketball - Listen
December 27: Stalling in Wrestling - Listen
December 20: Basketball: You Make the Call - Listen
December 13: Basketball Uniform Safety - Listen
December 6: Coaching Box Expansion - Listen
November 29: Video Review, Part 2 - Listen
November 22: Video Review, Part 1 - Listen
November 15: You Make the Call - Sleeper Play - Listen
November 8: 7-Person Football Crews - Listen
November 1: Overtime Differences - Listen
October 25: Trickery & Communication - Listen
October 18: Punts & Missed Field Goals - Listen
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

Be the Referee: Softball Base Runner Interference

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

April 23, 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 – Softball Interference - Listen

We’re on the softball diamond today, and we’ve got runners on the corners with one out. The batter hits a pop-up in foul territory near the first base line. The runner on first interferes with the first baseplayer attempting to make the catch. What’s the call?

  • If the pop-up is caught, both the batter and runner on first are out?
  • The batter is out and the runner on first stays at first?
  • The ball is ruled dead immediately, the runner on first is out and it’s a foul ball to the batter?
  • Or, if the pop-up is caught, the batter is out and interference is ignored?

If you said it’s an immediate dead ball – you are correct. The runner on first is ruled out for interference and the batter is charged with a foul ball.

Previous Editions

April 16: Soccer Red Card - Listen
April 9: Batted Baseball Hits Runner - Listen
March 12: Basketball Replay - Listen
March 5: Hockey Officials - Listen
Feb. 27: Less Than 5 - Listen
Feb. 20: Air Ball - Listen
Feb. 13: Hockey Penalties - Listen
Jan. 30: Wrestling Tiebreakers - Listen
Jan. 23: Wrestling Technology - Listen
Jan. 9: 3 Seconds - Listen
Dec. 19: Unsuspecting Hockey Hits - Listen
Dec. 12: No More One-And-Ones - Listen
Nov. 21: Football Finals Replay - Listen
Nov. 14: Volleyball Unplayable Areas - Listen
Nov. 7: Pass/Kick Off Crossbar - Listen
Oct. 31: Cross Country Interference - Listen
Oct. 24: Soccer Overtime - Listen
Oct. 17: Tennis Spin - Listen
Oct. 10: Blocked Kick - Listen
Oct. 3: Volleyball Double & Lift - Listen
Sept. 26: Registration Process - Listen
Sept. 20: Animal Interference - Listen
Sept. 13: Feet Rule on Soccer Throw-In - Listen
Sept. 6: Volleyball Jewelry - Listen
Aug. 30: Football Rules Similarities - Listen
Aug. 23: Football Rules Differences - Listen