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: 9/18/23

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 18, 2023

1. CROSS COUNTRY The Ann Arbor Pioneer girls – No. 3 in Lower Peninsula Division 1 – and No. 2 Brighton boys (on a tie-breaker) won Spartan Elite races at the Michigan State Spartan Invitational – Livingston Daily Press & Argus | Athletic.net

2. BOYS SOCCER Marquette traveled downstate and defeated Gaylord, Harbor Springs and Kalkaska to win the Suttons Bay Weber Invitational – Marquette Mining Journal

3. VOLLEYBALL Division 1 No. 6 Temperance Bedford improved to 30-1 with a championship at the Ypsilanti Lincoln Invitational – Monroe News

4. VOLLEYBALL Traverse City Central swept Division 3 No. 7 Traverse City St. Francis to clinch the Cadillac Invitational title – Traverse City Record-Eagle

5. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD4 No. 6 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian girls were among champions at the Sparta Invitational – Local Sports Journal | Athletic.net

6. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD1 No. 2 Romeo girls and No. 7 Oxford boys were among several champions at the 55th Holly Duane Raffin Festival of Races – Athletic.net

7. VOLLEYBALL Homer came back after losing the first set to defeat Parma Western and clinch the championship win at the Spring Arbor Tournament – Jackson Citizen Patriot

8. CROSS COUNTRY The Reed City and Mason County Eastern teams swept titles at the Evart Invitational; Mason County Eastern’s girls are No. 11 in LPD4, and the boys are No. 3 – Big Rapids Pioneer | Ludington Daily News | Athletic.net

9. VOLLEYBALL Division 4 No. 7 Adrian Lenawee Christian won the Eaton Rapids Invitational, and Mackenzie Scheid went over 1,000 career kills for runner-up Coldwater – Coldwater Daily Reporter

10. VOLLEYBALL Niles Brandywine finished an undefeated day as champion at the New Buffalo Invitational – Niles Daily Star