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: 10/25/21

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

October 25, 2021

1. CROSS COUNTRY The Freeland girls – ranked No. 6 in Lower Peninsula Division 2 – and Saginaw Heritage boys won the 50th Saginaw County Championships – Athletic.net

2. BOYS SOCCER No. 7 Traverse City West clinched its third-straight District title with a 5-1 win over No. 9 Midland Dow in Division 1 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

3. CROSS COUNTRY The LPD1 No. 14 St. Joseph girls and Kalamazoo Central boys won Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference Meet championships – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium | Athletic.net

4. VOLLEYBALL Johannesburg-Lewiston finished a Ski Valley Conference championship run with a league tournament title – Petoskey News-Review

5. VOLLEYBALL Division 3 No. 5 Bronson clinched the Big 8 Conference championship with a victory at the league tournament – Coldwater Daily Reporter

6. VOLLEYBALL Division 2 honorable mention Whitehall locked up the overall West Michigan Conference championship with a league tournament win – MuskegonSports.com

7. VOLLEYBALL Division 3 top-ranked Muskegon Western Michigan Christian clinched the Lakes 8 Activities Conference title with sweeps of Muskegon Orchard View and Ludington at the league tournament – Local Sports Journal

8. VOLLEYBALL Division 1 No. 4 Ann Arbor Skyline defeated No. 5 Northville in the final to claim its invitational championship – We Love Ann Arbor

9. VOLLEYBALL Division 4 No. 2 Athens swept No. 10 Mendon in the finale of its invitational – JoeInsider.com

10. VOLLEYBALL Division 4 No. 5 Traverse City Christian’s Emma Mirabelli went over 2,000 career kills in leading her team to a runner-up finish at the Leland Invitational; Kingsley won their final in three sets – Traverse City Record-Eagle