Be the Referee: Covering Knees

September 8, 2016

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains the increased focus on making sure knee padding is worn correctly in football.

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  Equipment Covering the Knees - Listen

Everything in the game of football, from a rules-making perspective, starts and ends with an increased focus on player safety.

One big point of emphasis for the 2016 season centers on equipment being worn properly by all players. Too often we see college and pro players, especially those at the skill positions, wearing football pants that come nowhere close to covering the knee area.

With a continued focus on all high school players to lower the target zone when hitting an opponent to keep the head out of football, kids must wear pants with knee pads which completely cover the knee area to avoid those types of injuries.

Past editions
Sept. 1: Play Clock Experiment - Listen
Aug. 25: Clipping in the Free Blocking Zone - Listen

Be the Referee: Ice Hockey Delay of Game

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

February 11, 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 – Ice Hockey Delay of Game - Listen

During a high school ice hockey game, a player is assessed a minor penalty for tripping. The penalized team successfully clears the puck during the ensuing power play. A teammate of the penalized player accidentally shoots the puck directly out of play from their defensive zone. 

Is this a delay of game penalty? If so, does the team go down two players?

A delay of game penalty for shooting the puck directly out of play in the defensive zone will only be assessed if the action is deliberate. If it is deemed accidental, no additional penalty is called. 

In this situation, the referee determines that the puck was shot out of play accidentally. The team does not receive a delay of game penalty and remains at four skaters.

Previous 2024-25 Editions

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