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
Be the Referee: Disconcerting Acts
October 8, 2020
This week, MHSAA officials coordinator Sam Davis explains a change in football meant to reduce a form of gamesmanship at the line of scrimmage.
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 - Disconcerting Acts - Listen
Among the rules changes in high school football for the 2020-21 school year is an adjustment in the penalty assessed to the defense for disconcerting acts and sounds.
Among the gamesmanship that sometimes takes place near the line of scrimmage at the start of the play, defensive players have been known to make sounds or act in a manner which otherwise might distract an offensive player waiting for the snap signal. Previously, the most egregious of these actions would be penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct.
But beginning this year, the disconcerting act foul is a five-yard penalty. The change in the rule actually makes it more likely that this kind of behavior will be flagged, and may eventually lead to a reduction is this type of activity.
Past editions
10/1: Ball Hits Soccer Referee - Listen
9/24: Clocking the Ball from the Shotgun - Listen