Why be an Official? (Grand Rapids Press)

January 25, 2012

The Grand Rapids Press' Jane Bos tells the story of some of the most valuable, yet often-criticized people who help make our games go -- the officials enforcing the rules. 

Consider this interesting point: On a Tuesday or Friday, the O-K Conference must come up with 150 officials to work its basketball games. And it, like most if not all leagues, always is looking for more.

She also explains how another former Press sportswriter, Howie Beardsley, got into the reffing game.

Check it out:

"Why West Michigan high school referees say you should consider wearing stripes"

Today in the MHSAA: 8/27/18

August 27, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media. 

1. Cross Country: Adelyn Ackley led the Hart girls to another fast start with a championship finish ahead of Northville and Ann Arbor Pioneer at the Benzie Invitational; other notable champs included Spring Lake’s boys and McBain with a sweep of small-school titles – Athletic.net

2. Boys Tennis: Traverse City St. Francis won the Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett Invitational, defeating reigning Division 4 champion Liggett in the finale – Traverse City Record-Eagle

3. Boys Tennis: Grosse Pointe South downed Midland Dow 6-2 in a matchup of top-10 Finals finishers from 2017 – Midland Daily News

4. Volleyball: Rain forced teams to leave the “boardwalk,” but Grand Haven went inside to win the Battle on the Boardwalk for the sixth time – Grand Haven Tribune

5. Cross Country: Fowlerville’s boys won the Laingsburg Invitational with three freshmen scoring – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

6. Volleyball: Niles went 7-0 to win the Kalamazoo Loy Norrix Invitational, at one point winning 14 straight sets – Niles Daily Star

7. Volleyball: Centreville swept all five opponents in winning the East Jackson Invitational – Sturgis Journal

8. Boys Tennis: Grand Haven edged Petoskey by two points to win the Holland Invitational – Grand Haven Tribune

9. Cross Country: The Holland girls and Sparta boys won Muskegon Catholic Central Invitational titles – Holland Sentinel

10. Cross Country: Mancelona’s boys and Boyne City’s girls won Mancelona Invitational titles – Petoskey News-Review

Also of note …

Officials: Deerfield’s Bill Gomoluch, a past girls and boys basketball coach at southeastern Michigan high schools and four-time MHSAA Softball Finals official, was named the National Pro Fastpitch Umpire of the Year – Adrian Daily Telegram