Be the Referee: You Make the Call

December 20, 2018

This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis offers up a basketball "You Make the Call" scenario concerning the backboard.

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 – Basketball: You Make the Call - Listen

Let’s test your knowledge of high school basketball rules with this “You Make the Call ..."

An offensive player stops dribbling on the end line immediately behind the backboard. Double-teamed, the player throws the ball into the air. The ball travels over the backboard, where a teammate flies down the lane to grab it and score on a thunderous tomahawk jam.

You make the call. Is this legal?

The sides, the bottom and the top of the backboard are always in play. Anything supporting the backboard, like brackets and wires, are always out of bounds. The ball can even travel behind the backboard at any time – even between wires and brackets – and still be in play if it doesn’t touch anything. But, the ball may never pass over the top of a rectangular backboard in either direction.

This is a violation, and the ball is turned over to the other team.

Past editions

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: Losing a Shoe

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

November 4, 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 – Losing a Shoe - Listen

In cross country, all runners must start the race wearing two shoes. But how many must they have on at the end of the race?

If a runner loses one – or both – shoes during the course of the race, they are not required to stop and put it back on. If your shoe gets stepped on and comes off, or if you run through a muddy portion of the course and lose a shoe, you can continue on.

A runner can finish the race with both, one, or no shoes. But the race must be started with two.

And as to what makes up a shoe – it must have two parts, an upper and a lower, such as a sole and a fastenable top portion.

You would not be able to start a race wearing just socks or slippers.

Previous 2025-26 editions

Oct. 28: Unusual Soccer Goals - Listen
Oct. 21: Field Hockey Penalty Stroke - Listen
Oct. 14: Tennis Double Hit - Listen
Oct. 7: Safety in Football - Listen
Sept. 30: Field Hockey Substitution - Listen
Sept 23: Multiple Contacts in Volleyball - Listen
Sept. 16: Soccer Penalty Kick - Listen
Sept. 9: Forward Fumble - Listen
Sept. 2: Field Hockey Basics - Listen
Aug. 26: Golf Ball Bounces Out - Listen