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: 9/14/17

September 14, 2017

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

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

Today's Top 10

1. Boys Tennis: Lower Peninsula Division 2 No. 2 Midland Dow won 21 of 24 matches at the Midweek Classic, downing No. 4 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, No. 7 Detroit U-D Jesuit and Flushing – Midland Daily News

2. Volleyball: Class B honorable mention Kingsley remained undefeated, downing Class D No. 2 Leland in three sets in Northwest Conference play – Traverse City Record-Eagle

3. Cross Country: The Pittsford girls (LPD4 No. 12) and Battle Creek St. Philip (LPD4 No. 3) boys claimed titles at the Wildcat Jamboree; Pittsford’s girls had the winner and five of the top 20 – Hillsdale Daily News

4. Girls Golf: New Boston Huron improved to 11-0 this season with a 59-stroke win over Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central – Southgate News Herald

5. Girls Golf: Sturgis also continued an impressive streak with its seventh straight jamboree win in the Wolverine Conference, this time by 13 strokes – JoeInsider.com

6. Girls Golf: LP Division 2 No. 3 St. Joseph claimed its third Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference West jamboree win, shooting a 180 to finish 17 strokes ahead of the field – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

7. Cross Country: Bear Lake swept races at the second West Michigan D jamboree; the girls are No. 10 in LPD4 and the boys are ranked No. 2 – Manistee News Advocate

8. Girls Golf: Portland moved into a three-way tie for first in the Capital Area Activities Conference White with a nine-stroke jamboree win – Ionia Sentinel-Standard

9. Volleyball: Cadillac, a Class B semifinalist last season, took a big step in the Big North Conference by coming back to down Petoskey in five sets – Cadillac News

10. Volleyball: Gwinn broke out in the first set with a 13-0 lead and went on to sweep Manistique – Marquette Mining Journal