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
Performance of the Week: Pickford's Talya Schreiber
October 24, 2025
Talya Schreiber ♦ Pickford
Senior ♦ Cross Country
The Panthers' distance star capped her high school cross country career Saturday by winning her third-straight Upper Peninsula Division 3 Finals championship and obliterating her race record time clocking an 18:31.6 at Pictured Rocks Golf Course in Munising. That time outpaced her record run last year by more than 17 seconds and also would rank as the second-fastest in both UP Division 2 and Division 1 Finals histories.
Schreiber dominated throughout her season, finishing first in 11 races, third once and fourth once, and while making several trips to face downstate competition. She finished first at the Portage Central Early Bird Invitational on Aug. 15 and also first in the Division 4 race at the Oct. 4 Portage Invitational, where she bested the field by 30 seconds. She placed third in the Division 1-2 Gold race at the Veterans Serving Veterans Invitational in Cadillac and fourth in the Elite race at the Shepherd BLUEJAY Invitational while running a personal-record 17:46.5 against some of the Lower Peninsula's fastest runners. She also this spring led Pickford to its first track & field UP Finals championship since 2007, winning the 800, 1,600, 3,200 and leading off the winning 3,200 relay in Division 3.
@mhsaasports 🏃♀️➡️POW: Talya Schreiber #pickford #crosscountry #highschoolsports #performanceoftheweek #MHSAA ♬ Bright and fun upbeat pops, Kids, Animals, Pets, Fun, Cute, Happy, Playful, Upbeat(1465232) - SAKUMAMATATA
@mhsaasports 🏃♀️➡️POW: Talya Schreiber #funfacts #tiktalk #performanceoftheweek #highschoolsports #MHSAA ♬ Girly and cute synth pop - SAKUMAMATATA
Follow the MHSAA on TikTok.
MHSAA.com's "Performance of the Week" features 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 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
Previous 2025-26 honorees
Oct. 16: Avery Manning, Dexter golf - Report
Oct. 9: Brady Van Laecke, Hudsonville football - Report
Oct. 2: Sarah Giroux, Flat Rock volleyball - Report
Sept. 25: Sam Schumacher, Portage Central tennis - Report
Sept. 18: Kaylee Mitzel, Saline field hockey - Report
Sept. 11: Natasza Dudek, Ann Arbor Pioneer cross country - Report
Sept. 4: Kate Posey, Big Rapids golf - Report
PHOTO Pickford's Talya Schreiber rounds a curve during last Saturday's Upper Peninsula Division 3 Final. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)