Did you see that? (Winter begins)

November 27, 2012

Fall has ended and winter has begun. And every Monday we'll post here some of the most headline-worthy results and major news coming from all over our state. 

Hockey, Upper Peninsula bowling, gymnastics, Upper Peninsula swimming and diving and competitive cheer all are underway, although the majority of competitions in the latter four take place after the start of the new year. Girls basketball, Lower Peninsula swimming and diving and bowling all begin this week. 

And next week sees the starts of the rest: boys basketball, boys and girls skiing and wrestling. 

We're busy populating MHSAA.com with schedules for all sports and especially basketball, and will display every score that comes in for any sport. Anyone can enter scores by simply registering on the site. Feel free to give us a hand, and keeping tuning in to Second Half for more features, rankings and the like all winter long. 

Be the Referee: Soccer Penalty Kick

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

September 16, 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 Penalty Kick - Listen

We have a soccer “You Make the Call” for you today.

A player is lined up to take a penalty kick. His shot gets past the keeper and hits the post, rebounding back to him. Since the keeper dove to stop the shot, he has a wide-open net, and calmly sends his second attempt straight to the back of the net.

Good goal?

It is not. After a penalty kick is taken, the kicker can only play the ball again after the goalie or another player touches it. A ball kicked off the post and directly back to the original kicker cannot be played.

In this instance, the goal is not awarded, and the defending team is given an indirect free kick at the spot of the infraction.

If the original P-K had glanced off the keeper first, then hit the post and back to the original kicker who scored, then it would have counted.

Previous 2025-26 editions

Sept. 9: Forward Fumble - Listen
Sept. 2: Field Hockey Basics - Listen
Aug. 26: Golf Ball Bounces Out - Listen