F. ELECTRONIC DEVICES: Are permitted to be used in unrestricted areas and coach’s boxes 1. It is the responsibility of the Games Committee to establish restricted areas and coach’s boxes. 2. Communication Devices: The use of cell phones or other communication devices is prohibited during competition. Use is a disqualifiable offense. 3. May not be used to review an official’s decision
I think people are really overthinking this. This is primarily enforced in the state series and big meets. The competition areas are usually flagged and gated off. Meets that enforce this have always very clearly communicated what is being defined as the competition area during the coach's meeting. I've never actually heard of anyone getting DQ'd for issues and no one complains about it.
F. ELECTRONIC DEVICES: Are permitted to be used in unrestricted areas and coach’s boxes 1. It is the responsibility of the Games Committee to establish restricted areas and coach’s boxes. 2. Communication Devices: The use of cell phones or other communication devices is prohibited during competition. Use is a disqualifiable offense. 3. May not be used to review an official’s decision
I think people are really overthinking this. This is primarily enforced in the state series and big meets. The competition areas are usually flagged and gated off. Meets that enforce this have always very clearly communicated what is being defined as the competition area during the coach's meeting. I've never actually heard of anyone getting DQ'd for issues and no one complains about it.
I watched the pole vault at our state meet, every jump was recorded by the coach and after the jump, the coach and athlete would go over it frame by frame.
This used to be illegal, but now that every single person has the technology in their pocket, it is allowed. The "coaches' box" rule is just a carryover from when they switched the rule, saying "Ok, use your phones but do it from the coaches' box."
I think people are really overthinking this. This is primarily enforced in the state series and big meets. The competition areas are usually flagged and gated off. Meets that enforce this have always very clearly communicated what is being defined as the competition area during the coach's meeting. I've never actually heard of anyone getting DQ'd for issues and no one complains about it.
I watched the pole vault at our state meet, every jump was recorded by the coach and after the jump, the coach and athlete would go over it frame by frame.
This used to be illegal, but now that every single person has the technology in their pocket, it is allowed. The "coaches' box" rule is just a carryover from when they switched the rule, saying "Ok, use your phones but do it from the coaches' box."
I like limiting it to the coach's box. It seems to keep things a bit more organized.
The real issue people should be complaining about is the location of the coach's box for PV and horizontal jumps. Those should absolutely be on the infield as long as they use Jeff City HS as the venue. I think the coach's boxes outside the track are a holdover from Lincoln when disc was done on the infield and space was more limited. There were so many issues with PV standards last May - that would probably be fixed if coach's boxes were closer.
The rule prevents you from using the phone during competition. It only applies to athletes in the competition area. The competition area would include the track and any of the individual field event areas. It does not apply to athletes in the bleachers or team camps etc.
Would be hilarious if they tried to enforce a no phones anywhere policy though.
I watched the pole vault at our state meet, every jump was recorded by the coach and after the jump, the coach and athlete would go over it frame by frame.
This used to be illegal, but now that every single person has the technology in their pocket, it is allowed. The "coaches' box" rule is just a carryover from when they switched the rule, saying "Ok, use your phones but do it from the coaches' box."
I like limiting it to the coach's box. It seems to keep things a bit more organized.
The real issue people should be complaining about is the location of the coach's box for PV and horizontal jumps. Those should absolutely be on the infield as long as they use Jeff City HS as the venue. I think the coach's boxes outside the track are a holdover from Lincoln when disc was done on the infield and space was more limited. There were so many issues with PV standards last May - that would probably be fixed if coach's boxes were closer.
Jeff City HS is more worried about the football turf than about what's best for the coaches and athletes. I've watched coaches get yelled at for being on the turf, next to the track, on the Thursday before the State Meet, while trying to stay out of the way of athletes on the track.
Yeah. Screw Jeff City HS and their worshipping of their football field. They haven't been relevant in football for 20-30 years. The field is turf now and not grass. Absolutely nothing will happen to their precious field by allowing people to walk across it or stand on it for a few moments. Other than their stupid rules about the turf field, Jeff City HS is a great venue for the meet. They need to allow the turf to be used for warmups since there are no events going on there.
I absolutely agree with you. In the early 2000's, I had to make a similar rule as cell phones were getting more ubiquitous. I kept having athletes taking breaks from workouts to check their phones. Your response about being there to prepare for their events and cheer on their teammates is apot on. They can watch TikTok videos another time.
I don’t like that this is a mandate but, I am also tired of athletes that miss event calls, forget to warm up, and miss their race start because of having their face buried in a screen.
I do kind of enjoy the phone calls the following morning with angry parents worried that fast little Josh might miss out on a scholarship because I didn’t ensure that he was on the start line. They always shut up when I state that Josh obviously values TikTok videos over his college opportunities and that they need to have a family conversation about their son’s priorities.
Great post. How hard is it to switch off the phone and watch the meet?
And I have seen SO many kids walk in front of runners taking strides and even long jumps. Lots of great gifs on this but it is actually dangerous.
I ran high school track in Missouri and my 4x800 team got DQ'd multiple times for having different shade of green uniforms (one of my teammates washed his singlet with white clothes). A bunch of old farts are in charge of MSHSAA.
I am a hs mo track superstar athlete and we use our phones all the time. I have never even heard of this rule. No one inforces it.
So is being a MO track superstar about equivalent to being a league champ in Cali?
I don’t know. Why don’t you go ask: Emily Sisson, Courtney Frerichs, Matt Tegenkamp, Jason Pyrah, Colleen Quigley, Christian Cantwell, Ivory Crockett, DeAnna Price, Gwen Berry, Ray Armstead, Connie Price-Smith, Taylor Werner….
I ran high school track in Missouri and my 4x800 team got DQ'd multiple times for having different shade of green uniforms (one of my teammates washed his singlet with white clothes). A bunch of old farts are in charge of MSHSAA.
Why did you not learn after the first DQ? I get being mad at the first one, but if it keeps happening that is 100% on you.
How does washing a green singlet with white clothes change the shade of green? Was he using bleach? In which case it would be a significant difference from the rest of the team.
Name another sport where you can have teammates competing together with uniforms that are different colors.
I may not agree with everything MSHSAA does, but this is 100% about you, your teammates and your coaches being idiots.
I ran high school track in Missouri and my 4x800 team got DQ'd multiple times for having different shade of green uniforms (one of my teammates washed his singlet with white clothes).
Guy. Washing things, especially in warm/hot water, will fade them.
Washing something WITH WHITE CLOTHES doesn't change the color. LOLOLOL.