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: 5/16/25

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

May 16, 2025

1. GIRLS TENNIS Lower Peninsula No. 8 Harbor Springs edged No. 3 Traverse City St. Francis by two points to claim its first Regional title since 2017 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

2. GIRLS TENNIS Top-ranked Utica Eisenhower was first and No. 9 Rochester Hills Stoney Creek second at an LPD1 Regional – Macomb Daily

3. GIRLS TENNIS No. 8 Holland West Ottawa edged No. 7 Rockford in LPD1, and No. 8 Holland Christian won all eight flights to claim an LPD3 Regional team title – Holland Sentinel

4. BASEBALL After entering the day one game back, Division 1 top-ranked Bay City Western claimed the outright Saginaw Valley League title with a sweep of Bay City Central – Bay City Times

5. GIRLS SOCCER Division 2 No. 9 DeWitt shut out Grand Ledge 2-0 to win the Capital Area Activities Conference Gold Cup – Lansing State Journal

6. GIRLS TENNIS No. 3 Chelsea claimed an eighth-straight Regional title, finishing first with Grosse Ile second in LPD3 – Chelsea Sun Times News

7. GIRLS TENNIS No. 4 Midland Dow scored all but one possible point to clinch an LPD2 Regional title – Midland Daily News

8. SOFTBALL Division 1 honorable mention Lake Orion split with Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, the opening win clinching the Oakland Activities Association Red title – Oakland Press

9. SOFTBALL Grant secured the Central State Activities Association Red title with a sweep of Remus Chippewa Hills – Local Sports Journal

10. BASEBALL Division 4 No. 3 Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart swept Merrill, giving Irish coach Earl Hartman his 900th win – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun