Be the Referee: Excessive Contact
December 10, 2015
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains rules new this basketball season designed to limit physical contact with ball-handlers.
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 - Basketball Excessive Contact - Listen
The game of basketball is a game of finesse and skill. The basketball playing rules' emphasis and focus for this year continue to work at getting the unnecessary rough and physical play out of basketball.
The acts that constitute a foul when committed against a ball-handler are when a defender…..a) places two hands on the ball handler; b) places an extended arm bar on the ball handler; c) places and keeps a hand on the ball handler; and d) contacts the ball handler more than once with the same hand or alternating hands.
Officials will deem these as automatic fouls, and consistent enforcement will keep the game of basketball a game of skill, not brute force.
Past editions:
Nov. 26: Pregame Communication - Listen
Nov. 19: Trick Plays - Listen
Nov. 12: 7-Person Football Mechanics - Listen
Nov. 5: Make the Call: Personal Fouls - Listen
Oct. 29: Officials Demographics - Listen
Oct. 15: Make the Call: Intentional Grounding - Listen
Oct. 8: Playoff Selection - Listen
Oct. 1: Kick Returns - Listen
Sept. 24: Concussions - Listen
Sept. 17: Automatic First Downs - Listen
Sept. 10: Correcting a Down - Listen
Sept 3: Spearing - Listen
Aug. 27: Missed Field Goal - Listen
What's My Why: Official Ron Torbert
August 26, 2026
Ron Torbert, Hanover, Md.
Ron Torbert is a current NFL referee who worked Super Bowls LVI (2022) and LIX (2025). He has been on the NFL staff since 2010, starting as a side judge before being promoted to referee in 2014.
Prior to his time in the NFL, Ron worked in the Big Ten, MAC and GLIAC, and was an MHSAA-registered football official from 1989-2001. He is a graduate of Michigan State University and Harvard Law School and also the current chair of the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) Board.
Nobody else in the stadium feels what we feel, and there’s something kinda special about being part of that small-knit community.
That’s what kept me coming back and coming back. I don’t play golf, but somebody said it’s like hitting that one golf shot – you’re not a very good golfer but you hit that one shot that brings you back for the next round. Being out on the field brings me back for the next game,
Once I figured out what it took to get good at it, now I want more, and that’s what keeps me coming back. It’s always a challenge of being better next week than I was last week.
“What’s My Why” is a weekly feature telling the stories of MHSAA-registered officials in their own words. If you’re an MHSAA official and would like to share your reason why, please submit a 15 to 45-second video, taken horizontally, to director of officials Sam Davis at [email protected].
What's My Why
Aug. 19: Kari Seitz, Mill Valley, Calif. - Watch
Aug. 13: Mike Pereira, Sacramento, Calif. - Watch
Aug. 5: Dino Paganelli, Wyoming - Watch
Aug. 3: Stacy Smith, Caledonia - Watch
July 22: Jason Nickleby, Lake Elmo, Minn. - Watch
July 15: Sam Davis, Lansing - Watch
July 9: Candace Cox, Quincy - Watch
July 1: Robert Williams, Redford - Watch
June 24: Will Godfrey, Jackson - Watch
June 19: Jarrett Skorup, Midland - Watch
June 12: Brady Driver, Sturgis - Watch
June 8: Cindy Tyzo, West Bloomfield - Watch
June 3: Jeff Spedoske, DeWitt - Watch
June 1: Mike Carrier, Commerce Township - Watch
May 27: Stan Wright, Warren - Watch
May 26: Murray Rose, Zeeland - Watch
May 22: Mike VanLaan, Alto - Watch
May 18: Clint Abbott, Newaygo - Watch