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: 5/5/23

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

May 5, 2023

1. GIRLS SOCCER Division 4 No. 13 Saugatuck clinched its first league title in this sport, defeating No. 12 Holland Black River 3-0 to win the Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore – Holland Sentinel

2. SOFTBALL Division 1 honorable mention Brownstown Woodhaven avenged an earlier loss to No. 3 Allen Park with a 4-3 12-inning win – Southgate News-Herald

3. BASEBALL Unranked Portage Northern swept Division 1 No. 16 Mattawan 4-2, 3-2 – Kalamazoo Gazette

4. GIRLS SOCCER Oxford claimed the Oakland Activities Association White title outright with a 1-1 draw by Lake Orion and Berkley – Oakland Press

5. TRACK & FIELD The Cheboygan girls and Pickford boys won St. Ignace Kiwanis Invitational titles, with Cheboygan’s Keegan Mosher setting his school’s boys 100 record – Cheboygan Daily Tribune

6. BASEBALL Whitmore Lake and Brighton Charyl Stockwell split, with their aces both throwing no-hitters through seven innings in the opener – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

7. BASEBALL Traverse City Christian threw a pair of no-hitters in sweeping Suttons Bay – Traverse City Record-Eagle

8. GIRLS SOCCER Division 3 No. 3 Elk Rapids edged Traverse City St. Francis 2-1 – Up North Live

9. BOYS GOLF Quincy won a second-straight Big 8 Conference jamboree – Coldwater Daily Reporter

10. BASEBALL Rochester earned a 4-3 walk-off win to start a three-game series with Clarkston – Oakland Press