NFHS Rules and Electronic Devices

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

MTD, Jr., and I noticed a conundrum in the NFHS Casebook.


From the Rules Book:

R1-S19: The use of electronic devices is permitted during the game.

R10-S1-A3: A team shall not use a megaphone or any electronic communication device, or electronic equipment for communication with players on the court, or use electronic audio and/or video devices to review a decision of the contest officials.


From the 2013-14 Rules Interpretations:

SITUATION 1: May an electronic device be used in dead-ball situations, such as free throws and throw-ins, to communicate with the players who are officially in the game? RULING: No, the coaching staff may not use an electronic device to communicate with the players on the playing court at any time. They may use an electronic device to coach and teach the players on the bench at anytime. (R10-S1-A3)

SITUATION 7: Team A’s coach disagrees with the call of the official and attempts to discuss the play through the use of an electronic device.
RULING: The coach will not be allowed to discuss a call with an official through the use of an electronic device. The official should not have a discussion with a coach who is showing the play on an electronic device. Persistent use of an electronic device in this manner should be considered unsporting behavior and penalized as such. (R10-S4-A3, Penalty)


From the Casebook:

10.1.3 SITUATION A: Team A's coach: (a) uses a megaphone or an electronic amplifier to shout instructions to players; (b) is in contact with an assistant coach in the press box via a headset; or (c) is in direct contact with one or more players via electronic voice communication.
RULING: A team technical is charged in (a), (b) and (c). The team technical counts toward reaching the bonus, but is not charged to the head coach. In (a), the use of a rolled up program would be legal.

10.1.3 SITUATION B: The home team: (a) has a television monitor in the press box or the dressing room and is relaying information to the player’s bench; or (b) uses a replay of the first half during the intermission for use by the coach in preparation for the second half. RULING: Legal in both (a) and (b).

What say you boys and girls.

MTD, Sr.

[bob jenkins]

As long as the "relaying of information" in 10.1.3B(a) is not via a headset (or similar) as in 10.1.3A(b), I see no issue.

[JetMetFan]

Bob's right. You can use electronics - iPads, etc. - for teaching and coaching purposes or to keep stats but you can't use electronic means to communicate with team members (or non-team members, for that matter) or to try to show up an official by, ohhhh, recording a play then showing it to them to say they screwed up.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

10.1.3 SITUATION B: The home team: (a) has a television monitor in the press box or the dressing room and is relaying information to the player’s bench; or (b) uses a replay of the first half during the intermission for use by the coach in preparation for the second half. RULING: Legal in both (a) and (b).

Is this what football coaches have been legally doing for years? Has it now carried over to basketball?