Logo

Counting On Officials

August 26, 2014

It is sometimes the most maligned who do the most good; and that might be said of high school sports officials.

Many MHSAA registered officials are key contributors to the quality of life in their communities; and as a group, MHSAA registered officials are key contributors to pediatric medical care in this state.

This year is the tenth that the MHSAA has been engaging its 11,000 registered officials in raising funds for Michigan’s four Children’s Miracle Network facilities: Beaumont Children’s Hospital, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Sparrow Hospital and Hurley Medical Center.

Primarily through voluntary self-assessments during their annual registration process, officials have contributed approximately $60,000 to these four facilities.

In addition, a half dozen local officials associations have developed programs that regularly support their closest CMN facility. For example:

  • The Metro Detroit Officials Association sponsors the Referees for Reading Program at Beaumont where monies raised help fund a pediatric ward book cart which is replenished annually with new titles for patients and parents to enjoy. The MDOA has sent its members to the pediatric unit to read to young patients. This year, the Eighth Annual MDOA Officials for Kids Golf Outing was held in Livonia, benefiting Beaumont Children’s Hospital and the reading program.


  • The West Michigan Officials Association has included Officials for Kids in its annual community service initiatives for several years, assisting with a Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital event for visually impaired pediatric patients in Grand Rapids.


  • The West Michigan Volleyball Officials Association has used the proceeds of an annual volleyball invitational it hosts to support Officials for Kids.


  • Several associations, including the Capital Area Officials Association this spring, have sponsored a “Give-A-Game” event during the season where all officials on the same day contribute their game fees to Officials for Kids.


People can say what they want about sports officials. For my part, if my car breaks down anywhere in Michigan and I’m in need of quick assistance, I’ll check my officials directory. I know there will be an official nearby that I can count on.

Consider Communications

June 6, 2017

Like many of my generation, I have a love-hate relationship with advances in communications technology.

I love it when, during a single day, my wife and I can have important career conversations by text with one son in China, chuckle at dog photos from another son in Texas, message with a "daughter" in South Korea, and watch videos of a "granddaughter" in California. I need it for heart-to-heart emails with my sister in Oregon. I love it for talking with and seeing many of these people in real time, face to face through Skype.

I enjoy the freedom that this technology provides me to keep in touch with both work and family when I travel, or escape to the cottage on summer weekends. It makes me far more productive than I was able to be years ago.

And that's a good thing because, with all of the convenience has come the expectation that everybody is "on call" every minute of every day.

Which is but one of the many downsides of our technological progress. Another is that people can communicate so quickly that they are prone to do so without thinking. 

Another is the frequency of solicitations and the stupidity of most social media that tends to swamp my inbox. The "unsubscribe" feature cannot cope with the flood of foolishness.

I recall reading a biography of John Adams, masterfully created in large part from the letters written by his wife Abigail. It amazes me that when she wrote a letter to a person in Europe, she knew the letter would not be received for several months, and that she would not get a reply for half a year.

That was not necessarily a better time, but I imagine each word was given greater consideration as it was penned and posted.