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: 5/21/21

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

May 21, 2021

1. Softball: No. 3 Howell downed No. 2 Hartland 1-0 to clinch the Kensington Lakes Activities Association Tournament championship – Livingston Daily Press & Argus

2. Baseball: Division 2 top-ranked Orchard Lake St. Mary’s downed Division 1 No. 18 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 6-5 to clinch the Detroit Catholic League Bishop title – Oakland Press

3. Softball: Division 3 honorable mention Negaunee downed Division 2 No. 4 Escanaba 7-3 to move to 27-0 this spring – Marquette Mining Journal

4. Girls Soccer: Division 3 No. 17 Essexville Garber scored a second-half goal to down No. 8 Freeland 1-0 and clinch the Tri-Valley Conference championship – WJRT

5. Girls Tennis: Top-ranked Traverse City St. Francis won all eight flights to claim a Regional title in Lower Peninsula Division 3, while runner-up Elk Rapids advanced to the Finals for the first time – Traverse City Record-Eagle

6. Softball: Both with sweeps, Division 1 honorable mention South Lyon and No. 7 South Lyon East finished with a shared Lakes Valley Conference title, while East also tied the state team single-season home run record with its 63rd of this spring – Oakland Press

7. Baseball: Division 3 top-ranked Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett won the Detroit Catholic League Cardinal championship with a 2-1 walk-off win over Division 4 No. 2 Marine City Cardinal Mooney – Port Huron Times-Herald

8. Girls Tennis: No. 7 Holland West Ottawa locked up a third-straight Regional title, in LPD1 – Holland Sentinel

9. Softball: Division 4 No. 2 Unionville-Sebewaing swept Bad Axe to secure the Greater Thumb Conference West title – Huron Daily Tribune

10. Baseball: Utica downed Fraser 7-1 to clinch the Macomb Area Conference Blue title – Macomb Daily

Also of note …

Baseball: Zeeland East finished a sweep of Holland to earn a share of the Ottawa-Kent Conference Green title – Holland Sentinel

Boys Golf: Gaylord St. Mary shot a 399 to clinch the overall Northwest Golf Conference championship – Petoskey News-Review