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: 9/30/25

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

September 30, 2025

1. BOYS SOCCER Division 2 No. 3 New Boston Huron clinched the Huron League championship outright with a 2-1 win over Division 3 No. 6 Grosse Ile – Southgate News-Herald

2. GIRLS GOLF LPD1 No. 7 Portage Central was first and LPD2 No. 7 St. Joseph second at the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference Tournament – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium

3. BOYS SOCCER Division 3 honorable mention Fennville defeated Watervliet to complete a fourth-straight championship run in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore – Holland Sentinel

4. BOYS SOCCER Division 1 No. 7 Romeo downed Utica Eisenhower 4-0 to clinch the Macomb Area Conference Red title – Macomb Daily

5. GIRLS GOLF Goodrich – No. 5 in Lower Peninsula Division 3 – completed an outright championship in the Flint Metro League with a league tournament victory – Flint Journal

6. BOYS SOCCER Macomb L’Anse Creuse North clinched the Macomb Area Conference Blue title with a 3-0 win over Port Huron Northern – Macomb Daily

7. BOYS SOCCER Walled Lake Northern downed White Lake Lakeland to claim the Lakes Valley Conference Tournament championship – Oakland Press

8. BOYS SOCCER Grand Ledge defeated Division 2 No. 12 Lansing Eastern and Haslett downed Lansing Catholic to reach the Capital Area Activities Conference Silver Cup championship match – WLNS

9. BOYS SOCCER Northville advanced to the Kensington Lakes Activities Association final with a shootout win over Canton – Hometown Life

10. GIRLS GOLF LPD1 No. 3 Rochester Adams carded a 344 to win the Captain Sally Invitational at American Dunes – Big Rapids Pioneer