Be the Referee: Personal Fouls
November 5, 2015
This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains how personal fouls are penalized at the high school level.
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 - Make the Call: Personal Fouls - Listen
Late in a key game that’s tied, it’s third down and goal from the 12-yard line after a sack has pushed the offense back. On the third-down play, the quarterback has scrambled and is pulled down again for an apparent sack, but he is pulled to the ground by his facemask.
The officials throw the flag and correctly rule it’s a personal foul facemask. What’s the next down? Under high school rules, personal fouls are NOT an automatic first down. On this play, the officials would walk off the yardage penalty of half-the-distance (to the goal line) and we would replay third down. The only fouls that give the offense an automatic first down are the roughing fouls … roughing the kicker, passer, holder and long snapper.
Past editions:
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: Field Hockey Substitution
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
September 30, 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 – Field Hockey Substitution - Listen
We are on the pitch today for a field hockey “You Make the Call.”
During the execution of a penalty corner, the defending goalkeeper is struck on the hand and cannot continue. How is play resumed?
- Allow a properly equipped goalkeeper to substitute.
- Disallow any substitution; the injured goalkeeper must remain in the game.
- The defending team shall forfeit.
If you said to allow the substitution, you are correct. Under Rule 4-4-3, a goalkeeper substitution is permitted during a penalty corner in the event of injury or suspension. Once the new goalkeeper is ready, resume play with the continuation of the penalty corner.
Field players, however, may not substitute until the penalty corner has been completed. This ensures proper game flow while prioritizing player safety.
Previous 2025-26 editions
Sept 23: Multiple Contacts in Volleyball - Listen
Sept. 16: Soccer Penalty Kick - Listen
Sept. 9: Forward Fumble - Listen
Sept. 2: Field Hockey Basics - Listen
Aug. 26: Golf Ball Bounces Out - Listen
(Photo by Louis Murray.)