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Be the Referee: Concussions

September 24, 2015

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains the role of officials in helping keep student-athletes safe after possible concussions. 

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 - Concussions - Listen



In all contact sports, the biggest issue of the day continues to be concussions. Game officials play a vital role in keeping athletes safe on the field, court, ice and mat. 


While officials are never placed in the position to diagnose a possible concussion, the officials can often see when a player first becomes injured. When that possible injury is noticed by an official, all game rules require the contest be stopped and the student is evaluated by the school’s health care team. 

It then becomes the call of the school to determine if the player has suffered a possible concussion. If yes, the player is out for at least the rest of that day. If no, the player can return to the contest.

Past editions:
Sept. 17: Automatic First Downs - Listen
Sept. 10: Correcting a Down - Listen
Sept 3: Spearing - Listen
Aug. 27: Missed Field Goal - Listen

This is an MHSAA marker on a tee box during a Finals tournament.

Be the Referee: Golf Relief

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

April 30, 2025

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 – Golf Relief - Listen

Your tee shot lands on the cart path. I know you are used to playing from the middle of the fairway, so you may not know what your options are when this happens. You think you are entitled to relief, so you drop your ball one club-length to the side of the path – closer to the hole.

Is this allowed?

No.

Because a cart path is an immovable obstruction, you are entitled to relief. But your drop can’t occur closer to the hole. That’s called improper relief and is a one-stroke penalty.

You are allowed to drop the ball within one club-length of the nearest point of complete relief, no closer to hole. There is no penalty in this instance.

Of course, the best relief is to continue hitting your drives to the middle of the fairway.

Previous 2024-25 Editions

April 22: Soccer Scoring Area Penalty - Listen
April 15: Fair or Foul? - Listen
April 8: Girls Lacrosse New Stoppage Rule - Listen
April 1: Base Runner Interference - Listen
March 25: Pine Tar Usage - Listen
March 11: Basketball Replay - Listen
March 4: Gymnastics Deduction - Listen
Feb. 25: Competitive Cheer Inversion - Listen
Feb. 18: Ice Hockey Delay of Game - Listen
Feb. 11: Ski Helmets - Listen
Feb. 4: Wrestling In Bounds or Out? - Listen
Jan. 21: Block or Charge? - Listen
Jan. 14: Out of Bounds, In Play - Listen
Jan. 7: Wrestling Scoring - Listen
Dec. 17: Bowling Ball Rules - Listen
Dec. 10: Neck Laceration Protector - Listen
Dec. 3: Basketball Goaltending - Listen
Nov. 26: 11-Player Finals Replay - Listen
Nov. 19: 8-Player vs. 11-Player Football - Listen
Nov. 12: Back Row Setter - Listen
Nov. 5: Football OT - Listen
Oct. 29: Officials Registration - Listen
Oct. 22: Volleyball Serve - Listen
Oct. 15: "You Make the Call" - Soccer Offside - Listen
Oct. 8: Roughing the Passer - Listen
Oct. 1: Abnormal Course Condition - Listen
Sept. 25: Tennis Nets - Listen
Sept. 18: Libero - Listen
Sept. 10: Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen