Be the Referee - Unique Kickoff Option
September 27, 2018
This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains a little-known option unique to high school football regarding kickoffs.
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 – Unique Kickoff Option - Listen
Here’s a football rule you may not know about or have ever seen applied.
After a touchdown or a field goal, the opponent of the scoring team may designate which team kicks off. That’s right! The team just allowing the points can decide who will kick off.
Now why would a team want to do that? Strategically, a team may elect to pin the other team deep in its own end with its own kicker late in a close game rather than risk successfully receiving an onside kick.
Though it is not often used by teams, it is a very clever way to manage the game. I’m sure the national rules makers had other reasons, but now you know about a unique rule that’s unique to high school football.
Past editions
September 20: Uncatchable Pass - Listen
September 13: Soccer Rules Change - Listen
September 6: You Make the Call: Face Guarding - Listen
August 30: 40-Second Play Clock - Listen
August 23: Football Rules Changes - Listen
Be the Referee: Hoops Officials Manual
February 20, 2020
This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis announces the addition of a new resource to assist basketball officials across the state.
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 Officials Manual - Listen
High School basketball officials in Michigan have a new resource to help them better understand all aspects of their role.
The new Basketball Officials Manual is available in a hard copy format from the MHSAA Office, and can also be downloaded from the MHSAA Website for handheld device use.
The book emphasizes and promotes consistency in rules knowledge and application, theory and philosophy and mechanics and signals.
This uniform approach will help assure MHSAA member schools and teams they can rely on the same approach to officiating, regardless of where they are located in our great state.
The basketball book is the first in a series of such sports-specific manuals. A hard copy can be ordered for $10, and the PDF download is free.
Past editions
Feb. 13: Held Ball or Traveling - Listen
Feb. 6: Hockey Rules Chart - Listen
Jan. 30: Cheer Safety - Listen
Jan. 23: Goaltending - Listen
Jan. 16: Wrestling Tie-Breaker - Listen
Jan. 9: Pregame Meeting - Listen
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