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: 5/8/26
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
May 8, 2026
1. GIRLS TENNIS Midland claimed its first league championship since 1996, finishing a point ahead of Lower Peninsula Division 2 No. 9 Dow to claim the Saginaw Valley League title – Midland Daily News
2. BASEBALL Division 1 top-ranked Rochester Adams clinched a share of the Oakland Activities Association Red title with a 3-1 win over No. 3 Oxford – Oakland Press
3. GIRLS SOCCER Division 1 No. 15 Milford clinched the Lakes Valley Conference championship with a 1-0 win over Walled Lake Northern – Oakland Press
4. TRACK & FIELD The LPD3 No. 4 Kingsley girls and Charlevoix boys won Northern Shores Conference titles – Traverse City Record-Eagle
5. BASEBALL Division 4 top-ranked Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart swept Division 2 No. 12 Freeland – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
6. BASEBALL Madison Heights Madison downed Clinton Township Clintondale 6-1 to stay in the Macomb Area Conference Bronze title race – Macomb Daily
7. SOFTBALL Allen Park finished a sweep of Brownstown Woodhaven 14-8 – Southgate News-Herald
8. GIRLS SOCCER Division 3 No. 12 Freeland shut out Bay City John Glenn 4-0 – WNEM
9. BASEBALL Division 1 No. 6 Romeo held on to defeat Clinton Township Chippewa Valley 6-5 – Macomb Daily
10. BASEBALL Cadillac and Petoskey split, Cadillac winning 5-4 and Petoskey 6-0 – Cadillac News