Be the Referee: Ejections

February 9, 2017

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains the MHSAA's ejection rule. 

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 – Ejections - Listen

Good sportsmanship is at the foundation of what high school sports is all about. Whenever a coach or player is ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct or behavior, that individual is suspended for the rest of that day of competition.

In some sports, that means that they’re done for the rest of that game on that day; or in sports where there are doubleheaders or tournament play involved, the person is disqualified from that entire day of competition. The rule then also requires that the coach or player is ineligible for the subsequent day of competition, essentially being a one-day suspension for anyone who is ejected.

Past editions
Feb. 2: Wrestling & Technology - Listen
Jan. 26: Post Play - Listen
Jan. 19: Ice Hockey Overtime - Listen
Jan. 12: Free Throw Change - Listen
Jan. 5: Ratings - Listen
Dec. 22: Video Review - Part 2 - Listen
Dec. 15: Video Review - Part 1 - Listen
Dec. 8: Registration - Part 2 - Listen
Dec. 1: Registration - Part 1 - Listen
Nov. 24: You Make the Call - Sleeper Play - Listen
Nov. 17: Automatic 1st Downs - Listen
Nov. 10: Uncatchable Pass - Listen
Nov. 3: The Goal Line - Listen
Oct. 27: Help Us Retain Officials - Listen
Oct. 20: Point After Touchdown - Listen
Oct. 13: Untimed Down - Listen
Oct. 6: Soccer Penalty Kick Change - Listen
Sept. 29: Preparation for Officials - Listen
Sept 22: You Make the Call: Returning Kickoffs - Listen
Sept. 15: Concussions - Listen
Sept 8: Equipment Covering the Knees - Listen
Sept. 1: Play Clock Experiment - Listen
Aug. 25: Clipping in the Free Blocking Zone - Listen

Be the Referee: Minimum Number of Volleyball Players

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Director of Brand Management

September 29, 2026

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 – Minimum Number of Volleyball Players - Listen

We’re on the volleyball court today, where the home team starts the match with only six players.

Midway through the first set, one of those six players suffers an ankle injury and can’t continue – leaving the home team with just five players.

What should happen?

Is the home team forced to default the match for not having enough players?

Does the home team just continue playing with five?

Or do they continue playing with five, but with the loss of rally or point every time the player lost to injury’s position rotates to serve?

If you said they can continue playing but lose a rally or point every time the injured player’s position rotates to serve, you are correct!

A minimum of six is needed to start – but you can finish a match with fewer than that.

Previous 2026-27 editions

Sept 22: Soccer Changes - Listen
Sept: 15: Dead Ball Penalty - Listen
Sept. 8: Libero Ejected - Listen
Sept. 1: Soccer Foul After Shot on Goal - Listen
Aug. 25: Fumble Out of Bounds - Listen