What's My Why: Official Jenna Schroeder
September 9, 2026
Jenna Schroeder, Berkley
Jenna Schroeder has been an NBA referee since 2020 and previously worked in the NBA-G League. Prior to officiating, she played basketball at Oakland University and Saginaw Valley State University.
She was an MHSAA-registered basketball official in 2003-04, 2005-06, and then from 2010-18, and also officiated girls lacrosse for four seasons. She's Clio's all-time leading girls basketball scorer and participated in the MHSAA Officials Legacy Program.
I got into it because I played basketball my entire life. I graduated college in 2009, during the housing crisis and no job prospects, so I tried refereeing and got bit by the bug and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since then.
“What’s My Why” is a weekly feature telling the stories of MHSAA-registered officials in their own words. If you’re an MHSAA official and would like to share your reason why, please submit a 15 to 45-second video, taken horizontally, to director of officials Sam Davis at [email protected].
What's My Why
Sept. 2: Joey Crawford, Newton Square, Pa. - Watch
Aug. 26: Ron Torbert, Hanover, Md. - Watch
Aug. 19: Kari Seitz, Mill Valley, Calif. - Watch
Aug. 13: Mike Pereira, Sacramento, Calif. - Watch
Aug. 5: Dino Paganelli, Wyoming - Watch
Aug. 3: Stacy Smith, Caledonia - Watch
July 22: Jason Nickleby, Lake Elmo, Minn. - Watch
July 15: Sam Davis, Lansing - Watch
July 9: Candace Cox, Quincy - Watch
July 1: Robert Williams, Redford - Watch
June 24: Will Godfrey, Jackson - Watch
June 19: Jarrett Skorup, Midland - Watch
June 12: Brady Driver, Sturgis - Watch
June 8: Cindy Tyzo, West Bloomfield - Watch
June 3: Jeff Spedoske, DeWitt - Watch
June 1: Mike Carrier, Commerce Township - Watch
May 27: Stan Wright, Warren - Watch
May 26: Murray Rose, Zeeland - Watch
May 22: Mike VanLaan, Alto - Watch
May 18: Clint Abbott, Newaygo - Watch
What's My Why: Official Kari Seitz
August 19, 2026
Kari Seitz, Mill Valley (Calif.)
Kari Seitz – the closing speaker at July’s Officiate Michigan Day in Grand Rapids – was one of the top American professional soccer referees and one of the most experienced female referees in the world. She is currently the vice president of refereeing for US Soccer and formerly served as the FIFA head of refereeing.
She worked four FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments (1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011), as well as three Olympic soccer tournaments (2004, 2008, and 2012), and is the only referee – man or woman – to officiate that many of both. Kari was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2026 and is a graduate of Brighton High School and Michigan State University.
So I was a soccer player, played soccer since I was 6. And at some point, I joined an all-girls travel team – that never happened. This was a long time ago.
Our coach required us together, every person on the team, to take the (officiating) course. Now, I believe he didn’t know anything about soccer. He was one of those parents who was reading it from a book and just cared about his kids. So he forced us all to take the referee course, and that altered the path of my life.
“What’s My Why” is a weekly feature telling the stories of MHSAA-registered officials in their own words. If you’re an MHSAA official and would like to share your reason why, please submit a 15 to 45-second video, taken horizontally, to director of officials Sam Davis at [email protected].
What's My Why
Aug. 13: Mike Pereira, Sacramento, Calif. - Watch
Aug. 5: Dino Paganelli, Wyoming - Watch
Aug. 3: Stacy Smith, Caledonia - Watch
July 22: Jason Nickleby, Lake Elmo, Minn. - Watch
July 15: Sam Davis, Lansing - Watch
July 9: Candace Cox, Quincy - Watch
July 1: Robert Williams, Redford - Watch
June 24: Will Godfrey, Jackson - Watch
June 19: Jarrett Skorup, Midland - Watch
June 12: Brady Driver, Sturgis - Watch
June 8: Cindy Tyzo, West Bloomfield - Watch
June 3: Jeff Spedoske, DeWitt - Watch
June 1: Mike Carrier, Commerce Township - Watch
May 27: Stan Wright, Warren - Watch
May 26: Murray Rose, Zeeland - Watch
May 22: Mike VanLaan, Alto - Watch
May 18: Clint Abbott, Newaygo - Watch