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: Football Overtime

October 1, 2014

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains how football overtime is played at the high school level.

"Be the Referee" is designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating and to recruit officials. The segment can be heard on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the school year on The Drive With Jack Ebling on WVFN-AM, East Lansing.  

Below is this week's segment - Overtime - Listen

There is nothing better for a football fan than a close game, and the ultimate is when that close game ends up going into overtime. 

The high school overtime rules are quite similar to those used at the college level. In other words, both teams are going to be guaranteed one possession of the ball starting out first down and goal to go from the 10-yard line. A couple of key differences are if the defense gets possession of the ball on an interception or on a fumble, the ball is dead and the teams switch offense and defense, In other words, that ball can’t be returned for a defensive score to end the game. 

There is also no requirement that the offense at any point after a touchdown be required to go for two (points). If the game would go seven or eight overtimes, teams can continue to simply kick the one point extra point.

Past editions
Aug. 25 - Targeting - Listen
Sept. 4 - Concussions - Listen
Sept. 11 - Pass Interference - Listen
Sept. 18 - Tackle Box -
 Listen
Sept. 25 - Field Goals - Listen