Lansing Hosts 'Officiate Michigan Day II'
July 30, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
More than 800 sports officials hailing from both peninsulas and all over the state are expected to attend the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s “Officiate Michigan Day II” on August 4 at the Lansing Center to train and learn from clinicians experienced at the high school, college, national and international levels of competition.
The event is designed to benefit officials with any level of experience, veteran to beginner, with opening and closing sessions for the full group and sport-specific sessions for baseball, basketball, competitive cheer, football, lacrosse, soccer, softball, volleyball and wrestling.
Registration and check-in begin at 7:30 a.m. Aug. 4, with the opening general session scheduled for 9 a.m. Two-hour sport-specific sessions will be conducted in the morning and afternoon, and attendees will receive a box lunch and opportunities to attend one of five workshops during the meal period. The general closing session will conclude the event from 3:30-4 p.m.
The morning general session will be presented by newly-appointed MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl, a past NCAA Baseball College World Series umpire and longtime official in both baseball and football. The closing session will feature retired MHSAA wrestling official James C. McCloughan, who received the Medal of Honor in 2017 for his military service in Vietnam as a combat medic with the U.S. Army.
Registration remains open – those interested may sign up on the MHSAA Website. Cost to attend is $25. A full schedule including clinicians also is available at that link.
The first Officiate Michigan Day was held July 27, 2013, in Grand Rapids.
The Official View: Multiplying Legacies
By
Brent Rice
MHSAA Assistant Director
September 17, 2018
By Brent Rice
MHSAA Assistant Director
In this week’s edition, check out the latest news on the MHSAA’s Officials Review Committee and Officials Guidebook, rules scenarios to consider in football and swimming and a quick story of multiple generations learning through the Legacy Program.
It’s Official!
Officials Review Committee Meeting: The Officials Review Committee will meet next week, and the agenda will include a number of important topics such as officials’ tournament fees, registration options and benefits, and the current system of selecting tournament officials.
The Officials Guidebook will be released in the upcoming week. Whether you’re an official, assigner, or association leader, please take some time to review its policies, requirements, and restrictions. It should have much of the information you need regarding the administrative duties of MHSAA officiating.
Rule of the Week
FOOTBALL Late in a tight contest, A1 receives the snap and attempts to throw a bubble screen to a stacked receiver behind A1’s position. As A1’s arm motion begins forward in his attempt to make the backward pass, it is contacted by rushing B1 and is knocked loose. Team B falls on top of the ball.
Ruling: This is a turnover and Team B’s ball. Even though the arm motion is coming forward, this is not a legal forward pass because it is not in the direction of the line of scrimmage. As a result, this is a fumble and live ball until it is recovered by Team B.
It’s Your Call
SWIMMING This week’s clip involves determining the legality of a turn in swim. The swimmer is participating in a 100-yard backstroke race. This clip begins at the point where he is beginning his turn. Is this a legal turn in this backstroke event? Why or why not? Check back next week for the correct ruling. (Video courtesy of USA Swimming.)
Official View
In 1996, Dana Fuller (far left in top photo) was a Legacy official under the tutelage of mentor official Jerry Sosnowski (far right). Things came full circle at a recent volleyball contest while working with his new Legacy mentee, Olivia Kostiz, when all three generations of the Legacy program were able to work together.