Be the Referee: Help Us Retain Officials
October 27, 2016
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains how we as fans, coaches and athletes can help keep officials in our games.
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 – Help Us Retain Officials - Listen
One of the biggest challenges each and every year is the recruitment, and more importantly, retaining our sports officials – that’s the referees, umpires and judges that allow our games to be played.
In numerous surveys, the two biggest areas that are driving officials out of the game are a lack of sportsmanship from adult spectators as well as coaches.
The next time you’re at a game, either as a fan or if you happen to be a high school coach, try and put yourselves in the shoes of the official.
While the officials will never be perfect, they do deserve at least your support as well as the benefit of the doubt on those tough plays.
Past editions
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: Pregame Meeting
January 8, 2020
This week, MHSAA executive director Mark Uyl discusses this basketball season's addition of a pregame meeting including officials, coaches and players and the importance for all parties to attend.
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 - Pregame Meeting - Listen
Beginning in the 2019-20 basketball season, a mandated pregame conference will take place near the scorer’s table with approximately 13 minutes remaining on the pregame warm-up clock.
This conference will be conducted by the officials and will include the head coach and captains of both teams. This is required for both genders and at all levels.
Because important details will be covered at this conference specific to the game being played, the head coach must be present. Assistant coaches may not be sent in place of the head coach. A head coach’s failure to attend this conference will cause him/her to lose his/her coaching box privileges during the game.
This meeting ensures that all parties receive the same information, that each coach receives the same attention in the pregame conversations and that there is consistency across the state in the timing of the meeting.
Past editions
Dec. 19: Alternating Possession - Listen
Dec. 12: Ratings - Listen
Dec. 5: Video Review Success - Listen
Nov. 28: More Injury Time - Listen
Nov. 21: Football Review - Listen
Nov. 14: Sideline Safety - Listen
Nov. 7: Officials Playlist - Listen
Oct. 31: Most Important Line - Listen
Oct. 24: Automatic 1st Downs - Listen
Oct. 17: Catch Momentum - Listen
Oct. 10: Golf Rules Changes - Listen
Oct. 3: No Tackle Box - Listen
Sept. 26: You Make the Overtime Call - Listen
Sept. 19: Swimming Finishing Touch - Listen
Sept. 12: Curbing Gamesmanship By Substitution - Listen
Sept. 5: Football Safety Rules Changes - Listen
Aug. 29: 40-Second Play Clock - Listen