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: 10/19/23

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

October 19, 2023

1. BOYS SOCCER Plainwell downed No. 2 Richland Gull Lake 2-1 to claim a Division 2 District title – Kalamazoo Gazette

2. BOYS SOCCER No. 7 Oxford claimed its first District title since 2014 with a 3-2 win over No. 8 Clarkston in Division 1 – Oakland Press

3. CROSS COUNTRY The Shepherd girls and Gladwin boys – the latter ranked No. 14 in Lower Peninsula Division 2 – finished Jack Pine Conference title runs, Shepherd for its 14th-straight league title – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

4. VOLLEYBALL Madison Heights Lamphere finished a repeat run in the Macomb Area Conference Silver with a four-set win over Warren Mott – C&G Newspapers

5. BOYS SOCCER No. 11 Kingsford claimed a Division 3 District championship with a 5-1 win over Grayling – Iron Mountain Daily News

6. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD1 No. 13 Davison girls and No. 10 Bay City Western boys won the Saginaw Valley League championship races – Midland Daily News

7. BOYS SOCCER No. 8 Alma claimed a Division 3 District title with a 2-1 win over Traverse City Christian – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

8. CROSS COUNTRY Breckenridge swept the Mid-State Activities Conference championships at the final league jamboree, the LPD4 No. 11 girls team clinching for the second-straight year. The Breckenridge boys are an honorable mention in LPD4 – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun

9. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD2 No. 5 Zeeland East girls and Zeeland West boys repeated as Ottawa-Kent Conference Green champions – Holland Sentinel

10. BOYS SOCCER Manistee advanced to a Division 3 District Final with a 3-1 win over Whitehall – CatchMark SportsNet