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: 7-Person Football Crews
November 12, 2015
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl discusses why seven-person football crews are used for MHSAA Semifinals and Finals.
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 - 7-Person Football Mechanics - Listen
Last fall, the MHSAA used seven-person football officiating crews at the Semifinal and Final levels of our tournament for the very first time. These larger crews replaced the traditional five-person crews in the 24 most important games of the football season.
Seven-person crews, which for many years were the size of NCAA and NFL crews, provide for much better coverage in the passing and running games with all of the spread offenses and wide-open attacks that have become commonplace with football in the year 2015 and beyond. By adding the two extra officials on each deep sideline, coaches have now two officials to communicate with on each sideline to answer questions and address concerns.
Past editions:
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