Be the Referee: Held Ball or Traveling?
February 13, 2020
This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis offers a basketball "You Make the Call" that comes into play when defensive and offensive players wind up in a stalemate.
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 - Held Ball or Traveling - Listen
Let’s try a basketball “You Make the Call” play today. The offensive player jumps in an effort to either take a shot or make a pass. The defensive player reaches out and is able to place his or her hands on the ball to keep the offensive player from releasing it, and the offensive player returns to the floor with the ball.
You Make the Call? There was no contact, so there is no foul. Is it a traveling violation, or is it a held ball with the ball going to the team with the possession arrow in its favor?
Some old-timers out there might remember that up until about 1990, a traveling violation would have been called on this play. But the rules now call for a held ball in the situation with the possession arrow, which had just been introduced five years earlier in 1985, prevailing.
Past editions
Feb. 6: Hockey Rules Chart - Listen
Jan. 30: Cheer Safety - Listen
Jan. 23: Goaltending - Listen
Jan. 16: Wrestling Tie-Breaker - Listen
Jan. 9: Pregame Meeting - Listen
Dec. 19: Alternating Possession - Listen
Dec. 12: Ratings - Listen
Dec. 5: Video Review Success - Listen
Nov. 28: More Injury Time - Listen
Nov. 21: Football Review - Listen
Nov. 14: Sideline Safety - Listen
Nov. 7: Officials Playlist - Listen
Oct. 31: Most Important Line - Listen
Oct. 24: Automatic 1st Downs - Listen
Oct. 17: Catch Momentum - Listen
Oct. 10: Golf Rules Changes - Listen
Oct. 3: No Tackle Box - Listen
Sept. 26: You Make the Overtime Call - Listen
Sept. 19: Swimming Finishing Touch - Listen
Sept. 12: Curbing Gamesmanship By Substitution - Listen
Sept. 5: Football Safety Rules Changes - Listen
Aug. 29: 40-Second Play Clock - Listen
Be the Referee: Fixed Obstruction in Tennis
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
May 21, 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 – Fixed Obstruction in Tennis - Listen
We’re playing tennis today and due to the rain outside, we’ve moved our match to an indoor court. In the second set, after a couple of volleys, I’m forced to retreat to the back line and hit a high lob shot. Too high in fact … as the ball hits the ceiling and then comes down on my opponent’s side of the net.
What should happen next?
Should my opponent play the ball as they normally would? My shot landed on their side, so it doesn’t matter if it hit the ceiling?
Or, do I lose a point because my shot hit the ceiling?
In tennis, if a ball touches a permanent fixture, like the ceiling, before hitting the proper court, the player who hit the ball loses the point.
In this case, I lose the point since it was my shot hitting the ceiling.
Previous 2024-25 Editions
May 13: Golf Cart Path Roll - Listen
May 6: Illegal Softball Bats - Listen
April 30: Golf Relief - Listen
April 22: Soccer Scoring Area Penalty - Listen
April 15: Fair or Foul? - Listen
April 8: Girls Lacrosse New Stoppage Rule - Listen
April 1: Base Runner Interference - Listen
March 25: Pine Tar Usage - Listen
March 11: Basketball Replay - Listen
March 4: Gymnastics Deduction - Listen
Feb. 25: Competitive Cheer Inversion - Listen
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