Be the Referee: Always Stay Registered
September 14, 2017
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl relays a quick story of how a retired NFL official stepped in to give a pair of junior varsity teams a chance to play another game this season.
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment – Always Stay Registered - Listen
As Thursday night of Labor Day weekend arrived, with a full slate of football games having long been scheduled, a late junior varsity game was added at the last minute.
The problem was that most officiating crews had already been assigned to other games months in advance.
That’s when one of Michigan’s most decorated officials, retired NFL and three-time Super Bowl official Dean Look, stepped up to help out. Dean, along with four other area officials, put together a crew for that night, so these two junior varsity teams could play.
Many officials from our state who have moved up the ladder to the college and professional ranks have kept their MHSAA registration current to help out on nights like this at the last minute.
Past editions
September 7: Other Football Rules Changes - Listen
August 31: Pop-Up Onside Kicks - Listen
August 24: Blindside Blocks - Listen
A Leading Official
July 29, 2014
For more than a decade, Mark Uyl has been the MHSAA’s leader of service and support to officials. Mark’s calm demeanor and subtle sense of humor have much to do with his successful leadership of what we sometimes call “the complaint department;” but because he has been both, Mark has a good feel for and the respect of both school administrators and officials.
Since joining the MHSAA staff in January of 2004, Mark has continued to referee college football and baseball. Last month Mark worked the NCAA College World Series in Omaha which had been a long-time goal for this still very young man.
This week Mark ascends to chair of the board of directors of the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO).
It’s clear that Mark has as fine a reputation nationwide as he enjoys here in his home state.