2011-2012 USAG Rules and Policies Update on Cell Phones

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I just read the 2011-2012 USAG Rules and Policies and the following was a change that was made in every sub category:, Coaches, Judges, Athletes and Parents/Spectators.

No cell phone or electronic communication device is allowed on the field during the meet with the exception of Walkie Talkies for the meet directors/staff.
 
If a club does not enforce this during a meet, the meet director is subject to a sanction violation which can include a monetary penalty. This will be one of my top hot issues this comnig season as a met director (that and proper safety certification for he coaches in my meet).
 
spectators at a meet is going to be a hard one to enforce. All they can really do is ask to turn them off and if they need to take a call to go outside or away from the area where they have the meet. I think the same for parents too. I really can't see a meet director getting into it over a cell phone other than to ask them to take it outside.
 
I agree cher. I think it is a consideration to other parents/spectators. There have been many meets where I have had to hear one way phone conversations in great detail while trying to video tape or just enjoy the gymnasts.
 
I think it's a great idea for calls. they enforce the flash for cameras. They can enforce the calls too. I disagree with banning texting though. Our coaches and parents update other parents who are not in attendance this way. If it's not distracting to the gymnasts, then it shouldn't be a problem.
 
I like the coaches/gymnasts/judges part. But I agree with gymgal. Typically only me or my husband attend the meet. we send texts with scores and results as they come in. I think spectators should be allowed their phones with rings turned off. Calls are a problem, but no worse than people just talking in the meet. It should be common courtesy...but....
 
Does "on the field" include the bleachers or spectator area? Or is it just inside the competition area?
 
Well, it's sad that people can't regulate their use enough that it has to lead to sanctions if any phone is out on the floor. Some people use their phones to videotape their gymnasts as well. I will comply of course but I would NEVER use a cell phone while actively coaching a gymnast or during the rotations...sometimes during the end you are sitting there off to the side (but still on the floor) while waiting for the last rotation to finish, and I have quickly texted parents or other coaches updates or results for the purposes of qualification. Now I won't be able to do that, even though I do not think it is unreasonable or dangerous. Being glued to the phone at that time would be inappropriate of course, for the purposes of a professional event, but that is communication for the purpose of the event. Unprofessional behavior is everywhere and I really think the employer needs to handle it unless USAG is going to individually intervene with the coach.

Edit: Yes, I COULD go outside to make that communication, but then I wouldn't be sitting with the kids. I don't really think that's much better personally.

Unless we're defining "field" as something other than the entire meet floor area...like the equipment while the meet is active. I think banning it on the entire meet floor (some people aren't actively coaching and might have their phone in their pocket to check the time). Personally, it seems a little draconian to me. And I do not keep my phone in my pocket or anywhere on my person WHILE COACHING, and would never use it while coaching or while any of my gymnasts were competing (barring extreme emergency where I'd be off the side). So I don't have a chip on my shoulder about that.

Double edit: Oh wait, this is like everyone in the entire meet area including spectators? I just assumed it was the floor. Still not clear on that, but that is way over the top in my opinion and ridiculous to expect meet directors to police all that or face sanctions. What if grandma who has never been to a gymnastic meet before whips out her new iPhone to videotape her grandkid? It would have been better to make a policy that disruptions or certain violations will result in being asked to leave by the meet director or something. Yes, we ban cameras flashing, but not cameras altogether.
 
I went back and re-read the passages again (copied below). It doesn't specify paretns and spectators only "participants" on the field of play. SO it looks as if a coach/judge/participant can go off of the floor to make a call or text.

"The use of cell phones (for talking, texting, etc.) or any type of wireless communication device is
prohibited while on the “field of play”. If a call must be made, it should be done outside the field of play.
Exception: Walkie-talkies for the Meet Director and host club personnel and medical personnel are
allowed."
 
Yeah, but not everyone is conducting a meet from an office with a landline. If you're set up in a different venue, the computers with the scoring software are generally "on the floor" somewhere. Sometimes people need to call for technical assistance or other reasons. Not even sometimes really, that's not a rare thing by any means. This basically says that isn't allowed, and you can't call for scoring software assistance on a walkie talkie. You can leave the area but then you aren't with the computer anymore. Just seems like a big pain from my standpoint.

I know people will say we got by with cellphones before...presumably we got by with computers before at meets. But it's 2011 - why wouldn't we use computers? Honestly...I can't really imagine what the thought process was creating this rule because I think it is really going to hamper meet directors unless they have the resources to have some kind of luxury set up. Most of the meets I've been to, this doesn't work. At least the meet director should be allowed to use a cell phone. Also, how generous of them to allow "medical personnel" to use a "walkie talkie." Please. Medical personnel should (and ultimately will) be allowed to do whatever they need to do to do their jobs.
 
After reading the actual section, it sounds like this is just for coaches and gymnasts who are at the equipment during the actual meet. I can understand this as both should be totally focused on the meet, not texting or calling, though I doubt it really needed the national organization to impose this. It should be the meet director's responsibility deter inappropriate use.
 
My question is what do they mean exactly by "in the field"? I can't imagine trying to police all the people at a meet! Plus alot of parents have an app to track scores on their phone so would they still be allowed to do this? Hopefully they mean just the people allowed on the competition floor and not the entire venue.
 
I can see the idea being good...and I can see situations in which it'd be absolutely awful.

Maybe just because I've coached & competed with kids with medical conditions...there are plenty of situations with those kids where there parents would want to know of a situation as it was happening, but where it was documented enough that paramedics would be total overkill.
 
Folks -

The gymnastics "field of play" is defined as the competition area for the meet to include all of the equipment and matted area. At our meet we rope off the spectator area from the "field of play". The rules in the USAG R&P only apply to gymnasts, coaches, judges, and professional members involved in a meet. I routinely ask my spectators to put thier cell phones on silent out of consideration for the athletes. Flash photography is different in that it is explicitly prohibitedduring the conduct of the meet as this is a safety concern. Spectators will not be "banned" from using thier cell phones.

As for using walkie talkies by the meet staff, this is explicitly allowed by the R&P. As for calling for technical support for the scoring, it would have to be done in a way that doesn't intrude on the conduct of the meet by the meet staff. Hopefully the meet director dry runs the software before hand to work out those kinks.

The whole purpose of the ban on cell phone usage on the competition floor is safety; coaches, judges, and athletes need to be paying attention to the meet and not worrying about text messages.
 
My understanding is this rule relates only to the competition floor. I am also confident that the above referenced situation of needing to call for technical assistance for a scoring software situation would be fine. Just the same as calling 911 from a cell phone for an injury would also be fine, or checking your phone for the time.

This rule is derived from some situations that have been occurring in the last few seasons with judges and coaches texting each other during meets. Specifically, judges texting coaches from another event encouraging coaches to inquire about scores or start values. I think this new rule will have a big deal made out of it at first and everyone will have these giant opinions, but it will end up just like when USAG put in their dress code rule for coaches. Everyone was so upset and then realized most people were already following it on their own, it was just put in place for those few people who lacked the common sense to not realize coaching gymnastics in a spaghetti strapped tank top and heels was a bad idea.

Personally I am completely in favor of this rule, as it now reinforces my personal team rule of "no cell phones during the meet" for the gymnasts. My kids and parents LOVE to text each other during meets and it is extremely distracting and takes the gymnast's focus off of the business at hand. Somehow even though it is a rule, the parents seem to have the hardest time following it and incessantly text their daughters and expect a response.
 
Ok to clarify if our daughter has her cell phone turned off and in the keys pocket of her gym bag is that fine? No, we're not the parents who are texting her mid meet and I do step outside if I need to make a call to return a page [something that will probably be much worse for the 2011-2012 meet season since our state board of pharmacy just revised their regulations that any clarifications or authorizations for substitution must go directly to the original prescribing physician even if they are not really on call---part of me thinks there is benefit to this and part of me thinks it will be a nightmare and may just impede care but I didn't make the rule] but her cell phone is kind of a security thing for her. If she is going to get in trouble if someone sees it [just because she has her bag open not because she is playing with it or using it] then I will start working on addressing this now so we won't have a shock in December.
 
This rule is derived from some situations that have been occurring in the last few seasons with judges and coaches texting each other during meets. Specifically, judges texting coaches from another event encouraging coaches to inquire about scores or start values.

Okay well that is ridiculous but then that is what needs to banned, not everything under the sun.

As far running the software yes, but have you really never not needed to make a call while running a large meet? It happens. Technically I've seen a lot of meets where this area is basically on what *I* would call the floor (but maybe I'm not using a strict enough definition), not in a roped off area or separate office, just an area with tables. Of course most meets that aren't held in a venue (that are held in a gym) are set up completely differently, and there's usually a separate office all this business is being conducted from.

I just don't see why the meet director can't make calls wherever they want or why after I'm done coaching I can't send a quick text to parents or other coaches (not judges...that's just weird), while remaining with the children I'm there with. Meets are an all day thing. As soon as I have one group out, the next group of kids is coming in. In some venues the parents can't come down to the floor at all (they are up in bleachers). I mostly work with younger children. Sometimes we may need a way to communicate. I really don't see why this needed to be banned. Coaches and judges texting about scores? Sure, ban that. I will gladly abide. I think they need to change or clarify the wording here.
 

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