EAST LANSING, Mich. – May 22 – Registration for Michigan High School Athletic Association game officials for the 2009-10 school year are now being accepted as the 2008-09 season closes out by nearly setting another record for officials registrations.

The record is 12,743 during the 2007-08 school year, and this year’s total of 12,719 just fell short.  Registrations were up in eight of 14 sports.    Here is a sport-by sport listing of officials registrations for the 2008-09 school year and the increase or decrease over the 2007-08 school year:  Football - 2,880 (down 2); basketball - 5,855 (down 82); baseball -  2,973 (up 141); track & field – 770 (down 31); swimming & diving – 381 (down 9); wrestling – 618 (up 32); ice hockey – 663 (up 9); soccer - 1,459 (up 40); gymnastics – 83 (down 7); softball - 2,852 (up 77); volleyball - 2,431 (down 294); competitive cheer – 280 (up 17); boys lacrosse – 251 (up 51); and girls lacrosse -  149 (up 35).

Online registrants for the upcoming year will receive a $5.00 discount off their processing fees, regardless of when they submit their application.  MHSAA registration fees are among the lowest in the nation.  A $12 fee is charged for each sport in which an official wishes to register, and the online processing fee is $25.  Officials submitting registration forms by mail or on a walk-up basis will incur a $30 processing fee.  Officials registered in 2008-09 will be assessed a late fee of $30 for registration after July 13.  The processing fee includes liability insurance coverage of up to $1 million for officials while working contests involving MHSAA schools.

There is an officials' registration test, which is for first-time officials and officials not registered in the past year.  The test consists of 50 questions derived from the MHSAA Officials Guidebook, which is available on the Officials page of the MHSAA Web site, and may be used during the open-book test. The MHSAA Office has a lobby kiosk available for online registrations.

Online registration can be accessed by clicking “Officials” on the Home Page of the MHSAA Web site.  More information about officials registration may be obtained by contacting the MHSAA at 1661 Ramblewood Drive, East Lansing, MI  48823.  Telephone:  517-332-5046.  E-Mail:  [email protected].

The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by over 1,600 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition.  No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools.  Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract approximately 1.6 million spectators each year.