While they do their jobs best when they are least noticed, game and meet officials are one of the MHSAA’s core constituents.  Here is some of the information reported recently to the MHSAA Representative Council by Assistant Director Mark Uyl:

• Officials registrations for 2010-11 have fallen for the third consecutive year from a peak in 2007-08, suggesting the assist from a slumping Michigan economy may be becoming less significant and that it’s time to move recruiting back nearer the top of priorities for MHSAA services to officials.
• In recent years, MHSAA efforts have emphasized training, and in that vein, there are now more than 300 online video training clips for seven sports. Click here for online video training.
• There are approximately 1,800 first-time registrants each year as registered officials.  If we could get more of them to stay with officiating past their first five years, there would be no shortage of officials.
• To help and support the most vulnerable officials, especially those in their first three to five years of officiating, the MHSAA is expanding its program of inexpensive camps for newer officials.  There are four venues planned for basketball; and for the first time, a camp for football officials will be held in partnership with the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association.  Click here for Officials Camps & Clinics.
• The convenience of online rules meetings is causing record numbers of MHSAA registered officials to complete this aspect of qualification for MHSAA tournament selection.  Eighty percent of officials completed the rules meeting requirement online this school year.