Because old people wrote the rules and old people love nothing more than controlling the actions of young people.
Correct! Especially when kids walk in front of other people on the track, runways and throwing circles/sectors because they dont just look at their phones in the stands.
Why does that rule exist? What advantage could possibly be earned while looking at your phone in the bleachers? I'm at a loss.
I'll give one answer as though this is a serious question.
It is likely so field event athletes are not looking at an attempt mid-competition, either alone or with their coach. Accurate or not, having access to something like a phone, that may/may not be available to everyone, is illegal.
As a cross-country and track coach I have a team rule of "no phones" with the exception of communicating with parents. Until that rule we had athletes sit in the team camp on their phone all day without interacting with teammates, watching the meet, warming-up/cooling-down properly, etc. Our team dynamics improved greatly since that rule. but it has nothing to do with the MHSAA rule in question.
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.
Why does that rule exist? What advantage could possibly be earned while looking at your phone in the bleachers? I'm at a loss.
I'll give one answer as though this is a serious question.
It is likely so field event athletes are not looking at an attempt mid-competition, either alone or with their coach. Accurate or not, having access to something like a phone, that may/may not be available to everyone, is illegal.
As a cross-country and track coach I have a team rule of "no phones" with the exception of communicating with parents. Until that rule we had athletes sit in the team camp on their phone all day without interacting with teammates, watching the meet, warming-up/cooling-down properly, etc. Our team dynamics improved greatly since that rule. but it has nothing to do with the MHSAA rule in question.
NCAA (and HS?) rules prohibit using any electronic devices (cell phones, headphones, etc.) in the competition area. This is for safety reasons (especially with the field events). As others have stated, there some benefits of paying attention to schedule announcements and communicating effectively with teammates and coaches. It's not a stretch to extend the "no phone" to time at practice or a meet. I would not be surprised if other sports had similar rules. If you are a reserve player on a basketball team who sits on the bench, should you be using your phone or following the game and supporting your teammates and being ready to play if there's a substitution?
I was about to post the same thing. NCAA Rule 14, Section 3, Article 2. It has been a rule for as long as I can remember.
A major issue is the ability to view photographs and video on the phone. Competitors are forbidden from looking at video while in the event area. For example, a coach or parent can video a high jumper from the audience on their cell phone and then send it to the jumpers cell phone. He can then view the video before his next jump. This is against the rules. The only way to ensure it does not happen is to completely eliminate the use of cell phones in the competition area.
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.
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.
The rule as it appears in the link is incredibly ambiguous. It does not state that it only applies to competition areas. "During competition" could mean different things. Could mean that an athlete can't use a phone while they are competing. It could mean that phones cannot be used while the meet is underway.
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.
The rule as it appears in the link is incredibly ambiguous. It does not state that it only applies to competition areas. "During competition" could mean different things. Could mean that an athlete can't use a phone while they are competing. It could mean that phones cannot be used while the meet is underway.
Are you competing when you are in the team tent or bleacher? I agree it could be more clearly written.
Here is the exact wording. Student/athletes are not allowed to use cell phones during competition.
The rule as it appears in the link is incredibly ambiguous. It does not state that it only applies to competition areas. "During competition" could mean different things. Could mean that an athlete can't use a phone while they are competing. It could mean that phones cannot be used while the meet is underway.
Are you competing when you are in the team tent or bleacher? I agree it could be more clearly written.
Here is the exact wording. Student/athletes are not allowed to use cell phones during competition.
"During competition" does not necessarily mean "while you are competing." Any moment in time while the meet is underway could be said to be "during competition."
I am telling you what the rule means. I coach in the state of Missouri. Athletes are competing when they are in the competition area. They are not competing when they are in the bleachers or the parking lot or their team camp.
Technically the games committee decides what constitutes the competition area. But generally it is the track/infield and then any field event areas that are outside the track.
I am telling you what the rule means. I coach in the state of Missouri. Athletes are competing when they are in the competition area. They are not competing when they are in the bleachers or the parking lot or their team camp.
Technically the games committee decides what constitutes the competition area. But generally it is the track/infield and then any field event areas that are outside the track.
No, you're telling me how the rule is applied, not what it means. How the rule is applied could be changed on a whim without changing the rule itself because the actual rule is ambiguous.
Again, why not just say what you mean when making a rule?