Be the Referee: Illegal Attack
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Director of Brand Management
November 11, 2026
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 – Illegal Attack - Listen
A volleyball scenario for you today:
A back-row player attacks the ball from in front of the attack line and the ball is higher than the net. Is this allowed?
Sort of.
Simply being a back-row player and contacting the ball higher than the net in front of the attack line is not illegal.
Completing the attack makes it illegal.
An attack is considered complete when the ball either crosses the net completely or is legally contacted by the opponent.
The referee should wait until the attack is completed before making the call.
If this happens, the play is whistled dead for an illegal attack.
Previous 2026-27 editions
Nov. 3: Pass Interference - Listen
Oct. 27: Field Hockey Substitutions - Listen
Oct. 20: Foot Save in Volleyball - Listen
Oct. 13: Soccer Advantage - Listen
Oct. 6: Defensive Holding - Listen
Sept. 29: Minimum Number of Volleyball Players - Listen
Sept 22: Soccer Changes - Listen
Sept: 15: Dead Ball Penalty - Listen
Sept. 8: Libero Ejected - Listen
Sept. 1: Soccer Foul After Shot on Goal - Listen
Aug. 25: Fumble Out of Bounds - Listen
Be the Referee: Soccer Scoring Area Penalty
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Director of Brand Management
April 22, 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 – Soccer Scoring Area Penalty - Listen
Let’s head out to the soccer field today for a “You Make the Call.”
Team A has possession of the ball inside Team B’s penalty area. Team A’s No. 9 makes a move to free herself and has some open space to get closer before attempting a shot.
As she dribbles forward, a defender for Team B rushes in and grabs her by the shoulder in an attempt to slow her down and ruin the goal-scoring opportunity.
What’s the call?
Because the defender made no attempt to play the ball, it’s a penalty kick for Team A and a yellow card for the Team B defender.
Had she made a play at the ball, it would have been just a penalty kick with no yellow card.
Previous 2024-25 Editions
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
(Photo by Chris Mudd/National Photo Scout.)