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MHSA(Q&)A: NFL official Ronald J. Winter

July 19, 2012

By Brian Spencer
Second Half

Kalamazoo's Ron Winter has officiated in the National Football League for nearly two decades, and became a referee in 1999. But long before he joined the highest level of the game, he got his start on Michigan's high school fields.

Winter has officiated that sport at all three levels and also high school and college basketball. He's also served as a source of knowledge for officials around the state -- and an example for those hoping to start at the high school level and climb to the pros.

Winter remains registered as an MHSAA official, as he's been for 42 years. An associate professor emeritus of human performance and health education at Western Michigan University, Winter was appointed earlier this month to serve a two-year term on the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports. The council focuses on increasing physical activity and health improvements.

He served on the WMU faculty first beginning in 1969 and then again from 1992-2008. Winter earned bachelor and master's degrees at Michigan State University.

Did you play any sports in high school or college?

I played football, basketball, baseball, and track in high school. However, once I got to Michigan State University, I started playing lacrosse. A couple guys that lived near me played lacrosse and asked me to come out to throw the ball around. After throwing with them a couple times they asked me to come out for the team. I ended up playing lacrosse for MSU for four years.

How did you decide to choose football as the sport you would officiate?

I started officiating as a student at MSU in their intramural program, officiating touch football and basketball. The next logical step was to then officiate in the high school leagues. From there, I began to proceed to all the different levels.

Are there specific requirements for becoming an NFL official?

The biggest requirement is experience. The progression that I went through went like this:

After officiating high school games, I went to the MIAA (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association). They (MIAA) were looking for people that had 3-5 years of experience at the high school level. From there I went to the Mid-Continent conference. I wasn’t able to go to the Mid-American Conference because I was employed at Western Michigan University.

From there I went to the Big Ten. The Big Ten was looking for people with 5 to 10 years of experience in high school and people that had experience at different positions as an official. I ended up officiating in as a Big Ten football official for 10 years and a Big Ten basketball official for 15 years. I then submitted an application to the National Football League. Coincidentally, the NFL was scouting officials, and had followed me for four years before they finally asked me to be a part of the staff. The NFL decides on who they want to pursue through recommendations and personal interest. They look for personality traits as well as how (officials) carry themselves through different situations.

What has been your favorite level to officiate; High school, college or professional?

I enjoyed officiating all of them, but for different reasons.

I found high school to be the most fascinating because it’s all about the kids; they are playing the game for the love of the game. That is the purest sense of the sport. I loved being involved with kids simply because they love the game.

I found the Big Ten to be most exciting because of the kind of atmosphere that exists on a Big Ten campus on a Saturday afternoon. It’s electric. You don’t get that same sense or the same feel on Sunday afternoon in a pro stadium.  

I found the NFL to be most intense. The NFL really has three or four different levels of play during the season. There is preseason play, the first third of the season, the second third of the season, and the last five games of the season.  Each level is ramped up another notch as the season progresses. Playoffs are entirely different all together. In terms of the intensity and pure speed of the game, there is nothing like the NFL playoffs.

How important is getting along with your fellow officials on the field?

It’s imperatively important if you want to have a smooth and well-run game. This doesn’t mean that you have to buddy-buddy off the field, but on the field you have to be committed to one goal. We spend two or three hours on meetings Saturday afternoon to go over rules tests, tape, and more to prepare for the next game (and) to get over rough patches that develop on a personal level in a previous week.  I need to know that the other six guys are focused and thinking about football like me. Everyone has to have confidence in one another. We spend plenty of time on Saturday to get to the point that we need to on Sunday.

What has been the most exciting game you’ve officiated?

I’ve been in plenty of exciting games from NFL playoff games, to the first Orange Bowl game, to the Rose Bowl, to the Division III Hope vs. Calvin basketball game, to when Indiana played Purdue in basketball.  All of them were incredible to be a part of. During the Indiana vs. Purdue game, the arena was electric. The players, coaches, fans were intense. Everybody is totally focused on the game. Each coach had a tremendous respect for one another. Neither one wanted to show up or embarrass their counterpart. This game wasn’t that drastically different at the Division III level, however. The intensity of both was very similar. 

Are there games that you get excited to officiate more than others, presently?

Not in terms of specific teams. It really just depends on the circumstances, of course. Pittsburgh vs. Baltimore is an intense game. The Jets vs. Patriots game is great. There are clearly rivalries that are very exciting to be a part of. The level of play and intensity of the athletes in the NFL is unmatched and can provide excitement every week.

What is the most difficult aspect of being a NFL official?

I would say that preparation and being able to maintain intensity on the field on Sunday are key aspects. The preparation is difficult because it’s time-consuming.  It is a misconception that we simply show up on Sunday to work the game. By the time Sunday rolls around, I’ve spent over 20 hours during the week trying to prepare for a Sunday game. It isn’t hard in terms of physical labor, but difficult in terms of a time commitment. You have to have an understanding family to be in the occupational field that I am in. 

Do you have any advice for aspiring officials who hope to make it to the league?

Practice, practice, practice. Be able to work any game at any level and get as much experience as you can.  Be a good partner on the field.  It takes time; it isn’t something that just happens. Like anything else, it takes practicing your trade to be able to make it to the top level.

Goodrich’s Jakoby Lagat (24) followed the block of teammate Chase Burnett during their team’s Division 4 Semifinal win over Harper Woods.

1st & Goal: 2024 11-Player Semifinals Review

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

November 25, 2024

Of 16 teams that earned trips Saturday to this weekend’s MHSAA 11-Player Football Finals, eight will be returning to Ford Field for at least the second season in a row – with a repeat Division 8 championship game leading off the upcoming lineup.

MI Student AidNotable as well, four schools earned an opportunity to play on the season’s final day for the first time – and those are just some of the storylines to catch up on during a quick week that will conclude the MHSAA’s 2023 Fall season.

We’ll be back with a preview of all eight championship games Wednesday evening. For now, see all 16 Semifinals at a glance:

(Note: Highlights from Saturday's 8-Player Finals will be included in a final football championship "Review" next week.)

Division 1

HEADLINER Hudsonville 27, Rochester Adams 7 Hudsonville (12-1) will play for a championship for the first time since 2005. The Eagles broke away with 20 unanswered points after the teams went into halftime tied. Adams finished 10-3, reaching double digit wins for the third time in four years. Click for more from the Grand Rapids Press.

HEADLINER Detroit Cass Tech 17, Detroit Catholic Central 14 Cass Tech (11-2) will make the one-mile Finals trip for the first time since 2016 after handing Detroit Catholic Central (12-1) its only defeat this season. Alex Graham returned the opening kickoff for a Technicians score, and they held off the Shamrocks late with a Corey Sadler interception and blocked field goal attempt. Click for more from the Detroit Free Press.

Division 2

HEADLINER Byron Center 41, East Lansing 14 Byron Center (12-1) advanced to a championship game for the first time with a stunning defensive performance – stopping a Trojans offense averaging 38 points per game – and on the legs of quarterback Landon Tungate, who ran for six touchdowns. East Lansing finished 9-4. Click for more from FOX 17.

HEADLINER Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 28, Birmingham Groves 27 (OT) Groves scored first in overtime, but St. Mary’s (10-3) stopped a 2-point conversion try and then scored and made the extra point to earn a first Finals trip since 2016. Groves was playing in its fourth Semifinal over the last nine years and finished 12-1. Click for more from the Oakland Press.

Division 3

HEADLINER Zeeland West 32, DeWitt 20 West (12-1) was able to slow down one of the most productive offenses in MHSAA history, holding the Panthers (12-1) to nearly 37 points below their season average to reach Ford Field for the first time since 2015. DeWitt did finish its season with 702 points, good for seventh all-time, with its final 54 ppg average ranking eighth. Click for more from the Holland Sentinel.

HEADLINER Detroit Martin Luther King 35, Mason 14 The Crusaders (10-3) avenged last season’s Semifinal loss to Mason to earn a return to Ford Field for the seventh time in nine seasons. Mason finished 10-3 this fall, and a combined 45-8 over quarterback Cason Carswell’s four seasons on varsity. Click for more from MLIVE-Detroit.

Division 4

HEADLINER Niles 62, Grand Rapids South Christian 30 Niles will carry its longest playoff run ever into the season’s final weekend after putting up its most points this season. South Christian scored first, but the Vikings (12-1) took a 38-14 led into halftime and denied the Sailors (8-5) what would have been a third-straight trip to Ford Field. Click for more from the Niles Daily Star.

HEADLINER Goodrich 28, Harper Woods 14 In another 2023 Semifinal rematch, Goodrich also avenged by defeating the reigning Division 4 champion. Standout running back Chase Burnett scored three times to help send the Martians (12-1) back to Ford Field for the second time in three seasons. Harper Woods finished 9-4. Click for more from the Flint Journal.

Division 5

HEADLINER Frankenmuth 42, Grand Rapids Catholic Central 35 In their fourth playoff matchup over the last five seasons, Frankenmuth (13-0) was able to get past its nemesis for the first time taking at one point a 28-7 lead before holding off the Cougars’ comeback attempt. Frankenmuth had three rushers reach 100 yards, while quarterback Odin Spencer threw for 390 and three scores for GRCC (8-5). Click for more from the Saginaw News.

HEADLINER Pontiac Notre Dame Prep 49, Flat Rock 7 Notre Dame Prep (11-1) earned its first trip to the Finals with the latest of several impressive performances this fall. Most notably, the Fighting Irish stopped a Flat Rock offense averaging 43 points per game, while putting up 49 against a defense that was giving up only 13. The Rams finished their second-straight Semifinals season at 10-3. Click for more from the Oakland Press.

Division 6

HEADLINER Lansing Catholic 34, Boyne City 22 Quarterback Alex Fernandez starred again, leading Lansing Catholic (10-3) back to Ford Field for the first time since 2021 but third time over the last six seasons. Boyne City capped its longest playoff season in a decade at 10-3. Click for more from WLNS.

HEADLINER Jackson Lumen Christi 35, Marine City 6 Lumen Christi (12-1) will finish its season at Ford Field for the third straight and seventh time over the last nine seasons. Kadale Williams ran for four touchdowns, including three of at least 60 yards. Marine City (10-3) was averaging 45 points per game before the Titans defense posted its third single-digit performance of the playoffs. Click for more from WILX.

Division 7

HEADLINER Millington 35, North Muskegon 28 Millington (12-0) earned its first championship game berth, beginning to pull away during the closing seconds of the first half on a hook-and-ladder touchdown pass and then holding off North Muskegon’s comeback attempt at the end. The Norsemen finished their second-straight Semifinals season at 11-2. Click for more from the Saginaw News.

HEADLINER Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central 38, Schoolcraft 7 It was quite a weekend for Monroe St. Mary, as the volleyball team won its first Finals championship since 2020 and the football team advanced to Ford Field for the first time since 2019. The Falcons (13-0) did so in part by locking down a Schoolcraft offense that averaged nearly 37 points per game entering the weekend. The Eagles finished 11-2. Click for more from the Monroe News.

Division 8

HEADLINER Beal City 17, Fowler 16 Beal City (11-2) has proven tough to overtake in close games this month as the Aggies claimed their third in a row by seven points or fewer – and actually fourth of the season with their two losses also by just four points apiece. Beal will return to Ford Field for the first time since 2021, while Fowler ended its first Semifinal run since 2019 at 12-1. Click for more from the Mount Pleasant Morning Sun.

HEADLINER Riverview Gabriel Richad 36, Decatur 30 Gabriel Richard earned its first trip to the Finals with big days from senior Joey Calhoun and junior Derek Lesko. Calhoun scored three touchdowns and Lesko twice with two interceptions as the Pioneers held of Decatur (11-2), which completed its best season since 2002 with two losses by a combined 14 points. Click for more from the Southgate News-Herald.

MHSAA.com's weekly “1st & Goal” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Click to connect with MI Student Aid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.

PHOTO Goodrich’s Jakoby Lagat (24) followed the block of teammate Chase Burnett during their team’s Division 4 Semifinal win over Harper Woods. (Photo by Terry Lyons.)