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
Be the Referee: Pine Tar Usage
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
March 26, 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 – Pine Tar Usage - Listen
Those of a certain age remember the Pine Tar Incident involving George Brett – when the Hall of Famer was called out after homering in the ninth inning for having too much pine tar on his bat. Kansas City appealed that decision. Major League Baseball agreed and Brett’s homer was re-instated, leading to a Royals win.
Is pine tar allowed at the high school level? It is. Pine tar, resin, or any drying agent can be applied to any bat – up to 18 inches from the base of the knob.
If a bat has too much pine tar, what happens to the offender?
If it’s caught before the at-bat, the bat is simply removed from play.
If the at-bat has started, then the bat is removed from play AND the batter is called out.
Previous 2024-25 Editions
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