Be the Referee: Defensive Holding
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Director of Brand Management
October 6, 2026
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 – Defensive Holding - Listen
Team A has the ball on their own 20-yard line and its 4th-and-15. They decide to go for it. The quarterback drops back to pass and is sacked at his 15-yard line, a five-yard loss.
But during the play, Team B – the defense – is flagged for holding an eligible wide receiver.
How is the penalty administered?
- Is it 4th-and-5 from Team A’s 30?
- Is it 4th-and-10 from Team A’s 25?
- Is it 1st-and-10 from Team A’s 30?
- Or is it 1st-and-10 from Team A’s 25?
If you said it is 4th-and-5 from Team A’s 30 – you are correct.
Defensive holding is a 10-yard penalty from the previous spot – which was the 20-yard line. Team A now has possession at the 30, needing to get to the 35 for first down.
Previous 2026-27 editions
Sept. 29: Minimum Number of Volleyball Players - Listen
Sept 22: Soccer Changes - Listen
Sept: 15: Dead Ball Penalty - Listen
Sept. 8: Libero Ejected - Listen
Sept. 1: Soccer Foul After Shot on Goal - Listen
Aug. 25: Fumble Out of Bounds - Listen
Be the Referee: Competitive Cheer Inversion
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Director of Brand Management
February 19, 2025
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 – Competitive Cheer Inversion - Listen
A competitive cheer scenario for you today:
An inversion is a stunt where the top person, or flyer, is in an upside-down position at any point while being supported by bases or spotters.
When is it allowed to have a temporary loss of contact with the inverted flyer?
- When transitioning to a double-based sponge with both feet of the flyer in the hands of the bases?
- When transitioning to a cradle?
- When transiting to a stunt at shoulder level or below where both feet of the flyer are in the hands of the bases?
- Or – all of the these are allowed?
If you said all of those are allowed – you got it right!
Previous 2024-25 Editions
Feb. 18: Ice Hockey Delay of Game - Listen
Feb. 11: Ski Helmets - Listen
Feb. 4: Wrestling In Bounds or Out? - Listen
Jan. 21: Block or Charge? - Listen
Jan. 14: Out of Bounds, In Play - Listen
Jan. 7: Wrestling Scoring - Listen
Dec. 17: Bowling Ball Rules - Listen
Dec. 10: Neck Laceration Protector - Listen
Dec. 3: Basketball Goaltending - Listen
Nov. 26: 11-Player Finals Replay - Listen
Nov. 19: 8-Player vs. 11-Player Football - Listen
Nov. 12: Back Row Setter - Listen
Nov. 5: Football OT - Listen
Oct. 29: Officials Registration - Listen
Oct. 22: Volleyball Serve - Listen
Oct. 15: "You Make the Call" - Soccer Offside - Listen
Oct. 8: Roughing the Passer - Listen
Oct. 1: Abnormal Course Condition - Listen
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