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: 2/18/21

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

February 18, 2021

More league champions were celebrated in skiing Wednesday, with regional champions rising in Muskegon-area bowling and statewide elite facing off in competitive cheer, basketball and hockey.

1. Skiing: Harbor Springs’ girls clinched their 13th-straight Lake Michigan Conference title, and Great North Alpine claimed the boys title – Petoskey News-Review

2. Skiing: The Onekema girls and Benzie Central boys finished league title runs in the Lake Michigan Ski Conference – Traverse City Record-Eagle

3. Bowling: Whitehall’s girls won their first Greater Muskegon Athletic Association championship, while Fruitport’s boys repeated – Local Sports Journal

4. Competitive Cheer: Reigning Division 2 champion Allen Park topped reigning runner-up Gibraltar Carlson after the powers were separated by less than a point after Round 2 – Southgate News-Herald

5. Hockey: Division 3 No. 3 Flint Powers Catholic shut out Division 1 No. 4 Saginaw Heritage 5-0 – WJRT

6. Boys Basketball: Orchard Lake St. Mary’s got past Grand Blanc 65-52 in a matchup of highly-regarded contenders – Oakland Press

7. Hockey: Division 2 No. 4 Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice downed Division 1 No. 2 Brighton 4-2 – Observer & Eccentric

8. Hockey: Division 1 No. 6 Traverse Bay Reps downed Division 2 No. 8 Traverse City Central 3-1 – Traverse City Record-Eagle

9. Girls Basketball: Carly McCrum went over 1,000 career points as Bay City John Glenn downed Alma 41-32 – Bay City Times

10. Girls Basketball: Although New Lothrop lost 52-47 to Linden, the Hornets’ Brooke Wenzlick went over 1,000 career points – Owosso Argus-Press

Also of note …

Athletic Directors: East Grand Rapids’ Tim Johnston, an MHSAA Bush Award honoree this past year, will retire this summer after 38 years in educational athletics – Grand Rapids Press