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: 11/6/23

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

November 6, 2023

1. GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY Two individual champions repeated, Romeo won its first team title and Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Rachel Forsyth ran a record race for the ages at the Lower Peninsula Girls Cross Country Finals – MHSAA.com

2. BOYS SOCCER Troy Athens’ overtime win in Division 1 capped a championship day that saw Grand Rapids Christian, Hudsonville Unity Christian and Muskegon Western Michigan Christian also claim Finals titles – MHSAA.com

3. BOYS CROSS COUNTRY Ada Forest Hills Eastern and Traverse City St. Francis were first-time team champions and Freeland’s TJ Hansen set a race record during the Lower Peninsula Boys Cross Country Finals – MHSAA.com

4. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Jenison – No. 3 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – repeated as Ottawa-Kent Conference Red Meet champion led by record-setter Sophia Umstead – FOX 17

5. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Zeeland was followed by LPD3 No. 5 Holland Christian at the top of the O-K Rainbow championship event – Holland Sentinel

6. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD1 top-ranked Ann Arbor Pioneer was first and No. 6 Saline second at the Southeastern Conference Red Meet – Saline Post

7. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Fraser edged Romeo by seven points to win the Macomb Area Conference White Meet – Macomb Daily

8. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Bay City John Glenn continued its undefeated run in Independent Swim Conference championship meets with its 18th victory – Bay City Times

9. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING LPD2 No. 3 Midland Dow ran its Saginaw Valley League championship meet streak to three with a dominating performance – Midland Daily News

10. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Traverse City claimed a third-straight Coastal Conference championship – Traverse City Record-Eagle