NFHS Voice: Good Time to Appreciate Officials

April 9, 2020

By Karissa Niehoff
NFHS Executive Director

During this shutdown of normal life in our nation, we are learning to deal with a new challenge – how to handle the unexpected time on our hands at home. Simply keeping up with the days of the week is a major accomplishment!

While we anxiously await the re-opening of schools and a return of high school sports and performing arts, this down time can be used in positive ways to take advantage of educational opportunities. And kudos to some individuals who already are seizing those opportunities – men and women who officiate high school sports.

Two weeks ago, we began to offer the 11 officiating courses on the NFHS Learning Center free of charge, and the response has been nothing short of amazing. By the end of March – merely a week into this new opportunity – more than 5,200 courses had been taken.

In addition to veteran officials fine-tuning techniques in one or more of the seven sports featured in these courses, this has been a great opportunity for individuals interested in officiating to take a free course to determine their interest level. 

Those of us in leadership positions are so appreciative of these individuals who give freely of their free time to officiate high school sports or adjudicate music contests. We would suggest that everyone – student-athletes, coaches, parents and other fans – use this down time to do the same.

At various times this year before the shutdown of schools, officials have been the victim of verbal and physical abuse. Inappropriate behavior by parents and other fans was causing officials to quit before they even reached two years on the job.

And yet, in the past three years, more than 35,000 individuals have signed up to become officials through the NFHS’ #BecomeAnOfficial campaign and 5,200 courses that have been taken in the past couple of weeks by men and women who want to give back to high school sports. These are good signs more people will continue to be involved in officiating when the games return.

But what about the parents and other fans in the stands? Will their behavior be changed upon return? The conclusion of the New Mexico Activities Association’s state basketball tournament last month provided an interesting perspective on the impact of fans to the atmosphere at high school sporting events.

After completing the first two days of its state tournament with fans in the stands, the NMAA conducted the final three days without fans because of concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Dana Pappas, commissioner of officials for the NMAA, noted the following about the final three days of competition:

“Officials would make a call and if coaches had a question about it, they asked – calmly and respectfully. In huddles during time-outs, coaches just talked to their players, without raised voices. The behavior of coaches on the sidelines from Thursday through Saturday was in stark contrast to what we witnessed on Tuesday and Wednesday. Perhaps they did not feel the need to be overly emotional for the benefit of their fans.

“My hope is that the absence of sport throughout the world gives us all a moment to gain perspective and do a ‘gut check’ as to the kind of fans we are at contests. If the quality of the game is unchanged (or even better) without fans there to scream at the coaches, officials and players, then is that behavior really necessary when the games resume?”

The message here is that while the games can continue without fans, the ideal situation is for stands full of fans positively cheering for their teams.  

Dr. Karissa L. Niehoff is in her second year as executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) in Indianapolis, Indiana. She is the first female to head the national leadership organization for high school athletics and performing arts activities and the sixth full-time executive director of the NFHS, which celebrated its 100th year of service during the 2018-19 school year. She previously was executive director of the Connecticut Association of Schools-Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference for seven years.

Flashback 100: Multi-Sport Star Look Becomes Super Bowl Officiating Legend

February 6, 2025

In 1960, Dean Look was drafted by both the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball and the Denver Broncos of the American Football League. For those familiar with Look’s athletic career at Lansing Everett and Michigan State University, his professional prospects in multiple sports came as no surprise.

A standout in football, baseball, and track, Look instead would make his most memorable pro sports mark as one of the NFL’s top officials.

At Everett during the mid-1950s, Look played a key role in leading his school to two state track & field championships (1954 and 1956) under legendary coach Archie Ross. Look also captured three individual state titles two as part of 880-meter relay teams (1954 and 1956) and one in the pole vault (1956). In addition to his track achievements, Look was a star performer for Everett’s football and baseball teams.

After high school, Look continued his multi-sport career at Michigan State, excelling in both football and baseball. He finished sixth in the 1959 Heisman Trophy voting and was a key contributor to MSU’s shared football national championship in 1957.

Following college, Look signed with the White Sox, turning down an opportunity with the Broncos. After a brief stint in professional baseball, he returned to football, playing for the AFL’s New York Titans in 1962.

However, it was as an NFL official that Look truly left his legacy. Over a 29-year officiating career (1972–2001), he was assigned to three Super Bowls – Super Bowl XIII (1979), Super Bowl XV (1981) and Super Bowl XXVII (1993). One of his most iconic moments came during the 1981 NFC Championship Game, where he signaled "touchdown" after Joe Montana's legendary pass to Dwight Clark – forever known as “The Catch.”

Listen to Look discuss that historic play here: Watch on YouTube.

Athletic talent ran in the family, as Dean’s brother Bruce Look also played professional baseball, spending time with the Minnesota Twins.

Michigan has produced several notable Super Bowl officials, including brothers Carl, Dino, and Perry Paganelli from Wyoming Rogers High School. Carl officiated in Super Bowls XXXIX, XLI, XLVI, and XLVIII. In Super Bowl XLI, he and Perry made history as the first brothers to work on the same Super Bowl officiating crew. Perry also officiated Super Bowl LII, while Dino has been part of three Super Bowls – XLVII, LV, and LVII. Remarkably, at least one Paganelli has officiated in eight of the 59 Super Bowls.

This year’s Super Bowl referee is Ron Torbert, a fellow Michigan State graduate who has been an NFL official since 2010. Like Look and the Paganellis, Torbert also got his start officiating Michigan high school football.

For more information on becoming an MHSAA official, visit the MHSAA Officials page.

Previous "Flashback 100" Features

Jan. 31: Johnson Family Put Magical Stamp on Michigan High School Hoops - Read
Jan. 24: Future Hall of Famers Face Off First in MHSAA Class A Final - Read
Jan. 17: First-Ever WNBA Draft Pick Rocked at Salem, Won Titles at Tennessee - Read
Jan. 10: Despite Launching Before 3-Point Line, Smith Still Tops Scoring List - Read
Jan. 3: Edison's Jackson Earns Place Among State's All-Time Elite - Read
Dec. 20: Future Olympian Piper Leads Grosse Pointe North to Historic Heights - Read
Dec. 13: 
The Other Mr. Forsythe in Michigan School Sports - Read
Dec. 6: 
Coleman's Legendary Heroics Carry Harrison Through Repeat - Read
Nov. 29: Harbaugh Brothers' Football Roots Planted in Part at Pioneer - Read
Nov. 22: 8-Player Football Finals Right at Home at Superior Dome - Read
Nov. 15: 
Leland Career Helps Set Stage for Glass' International Stardom - Read
Nov. 8: Future Baseball Pro Led Escanaba's Legendary Football Title Run - Read
Nov. 1: Michigan High School Baseball Trio Provide World Series Voices - Read
Oct. 25: Before Leading Free World, Ford Starred for Champion GR South - Read
Oct. 18: Mercy Links Legend Becomes World Golf Hall of Famer - Read
Oct. 11: Fisher Races to Finals Stardom on Way to U.S. Olympic First - Read
Oct. 4: Lalas Leaves High School Legacies on Ice & Pitch - Read
Sept. 27: Tamer's History-Making Run Starts in Dexter, Continues to Paris - Read
Sept. 20: 
Todd Martin’s Road to Greatness Starts at East Lansing - Read
Sept. 13: 
James Earl Jones, Dickson High Hoops to Hollywood Legend - Read
Sept. 6: 
Pioneers' Unstoppable Streak Stretches 9 Seasons - Read
Aug. 30: Detroit dePorres Rushes to 1995 Class CC Football Championship - Read 

(Photos courtesy of Referee Magazine.)