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: 10/6/26
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 6, 2026
1. BOYS TENNIS Imlay City won the Blue Water Athletic Conference Tournament to claim its first league title in this sport since 1984 – Flint Journal
2. GIRLS GOLF Standish-Sterling earned its first Finals appearance in this sport with a runner-up finish at its Lower Peninsula Division 3 Regional – Bay City Times
3. GIRLS GOLF Honorable mention St. Joseph edged No. 9 Plainwell by four strokes to win their LPD2 Regional – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
4. BOYS SOCCER Dearborn Edsel Ford locked up a fourth-straight Downriver League title with a scoreless draw against Lincoln Park – Southgate News-Herald
5. BOYS SOCCER Sterling Heights Stevenson completed an outright Macomb Area Conference White championship run with a 4-1 win over Warren Cousino – Macomb Daily
6. BOYS SOCCER Ludington clinched the West Michigan Conference championship in shutting out Shelby 4-0 – Ludington Daily News
7. GIRLS GOLF No. 3 Okemos was first and No. 8 Grand Blanc second at the Lower Peninsula Division 1 Regional at Forest Akers East –Lansing State Journal
8. BOYS TENNIS LPD3 No. 4 Ann Arbor Greenhills handed LPD2 No. 3 Midland Dow its first loss, 6-2 – Midland Daily News
9. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Grosse Ile downed Flat Rock 108-75 to remain first in the Huron League – Southgate News-Herald
10. BOYS SOCCER Big Rapids advanced in the Central State Activities Association Tournament with a 4-0 semifinal win over Newaygo – Big Rapids Pioneer