Be the Referee: Free Throw Change

January 12, 2017

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl discusses one of the most significant rules changes of this winter season, regarding basketball free throws.

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 – Free Throw Change - Listen

One of the big changes in basketball this year deals with the free throw and movement along the lane.

Players who are in the lane in marked spaces can enter the lane as soon as the free throw is released by the shooter. The big change for this year is that no player – defensive or offensive – can enter the semicircle where the shooter has shot the ball from until the ball either hits the rim or the free throw ends.

In recent years, we’ve seen players move into the semi-circle, making early contact with the shooter before the ball has hit the rim.

Past editions
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: Pop-Up Onside Kicks

August 31, 2017

This week, "Be the Referee" with MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains an onside kicking technique no longer allowed as the second of a three-part series on football rules changes for 2017.

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 – Pop-Up Onside Kicks - Listen


One of the most exciting plays is the onside kick, which has turned the tide around in many games.

In the interest of safety, national high school rules this year have eliminated the onside kick where the ball is kicked with great force off the tee into the ground, generating a pop-up ball, which creates a dangerous recovery situation.

This kind of pop-up kick will immediately be blown dead by the officials, and a five-yard penalty will be assessed to the kicking team.

Onside kicks which are dribbled along the ground, hitting at least twice, are still legal by rule; and the kicker can still pooch kick the ball straight up into the air off the tee.

But the pop-up kick which hits the ground first, and bounces only once is no longer a playable ball.

Past editions
August 24: Blindside Blocks - Listen