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Officials signal a kick is no good.

Be the Referee: Pass/Kick Off Crossbar

By Sam Davis
MHSAA Director of Officials

November 7, 2023

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 – Pass/Kick Off Crossbar - Listen

It’s 3rd-and-goal from the 12-yard line when the quarterback throws a pass high over the middle. It goes over the out-stretched hands of the receiver, hits the crossbar of the goalposts and ricochets back toward the receiver who is able to grab it while standing in the end zone.

Is this a touchdown?

It is not. Once a pass hits the crossbar – or uprights – of the goalposts, the pass is dead. It’s an incomplete pass, and now it’s 4th-and-goal.

So … they send out the field goal unit and the kick hits an upright and also bounces back into the field of play. Is the ball returnable by either team?

Nope. Once it hits the goal post and comes back onto the field – it is a missed field goal. The defense now takes over, 1st-and-10.

Previous Editions

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

This collage shows a Referee Magazine cover made to honor football official Bob Czech, a photo of the state at the annual MHSAA Officials Awards & Alumni Banquet, and a photo of Legacy scholarship winner Owen Rottier after receiving his award..

MHSAA Officials Awards & Alumni Banquet: Photos, Video & OMD 2026.

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

April 30, 2026

More than 80 MHSAA-registered game officials were honored Saturday during the annual Officials Awards & Alumni Banquet at Kellogg Center in East Lansing.

Our MHSAA communications director emeritus John Johnson was on site, camera in hand, to capture photos of our award winners and several more attendees and honorees. Check those out by clicking here – MHSAA Officials Banquet photos – to see not only photos from this past weekend but also from 2003-19, 2024-25, and the 2013 and 2018 Officiate Michigan Day events.

Among this year’s honorees was Grand Ledge senior Owen Rottier, who received the Randy Paulson Legacy Award and scholarship. Owen has officiated both cross country and track & field as part of the Legacy Program and will study next at Lansing Community College. He’s pictured above with (from left) MHSAA executive director Mark Uyl, Mary Paulson, Rottier and MHSAA director of officiating Sam Davis.

Receiving the 36th Vern L. Norris Leadership in Officiating Award was Metro Detroit’s Robert Czech, who is in his 44th year as a registered official and also has assigned officials for more than 35 years, including currently for four Detroit-area leagues.

Referee Magazine also created a commemorative cover celebrating Czech and in advance of this summer’s Officiate Michigan Day.

OMD 2026 will be July 25 at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, followed by the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) Summit from July 26-28.

For information on registration and details on both events, check out the Officiate Michigan Day page.