Does Your Team Have a Cell Phone Use Policy?

The girls are not allowed to use their cell phones in any form including texting from the time the practice time starts until we have completed practice. During games they are not allowed to have their cell phones in the dug out period. If they are caught they are removed from the game.

Our team does not have a "written" policy, but is definitely understood that during that particular 7 innings or time limit, cell phones are not permitted. As are the rules at home, when and where to use a cell phone is a matter of showing respect for others! I can't say that players using cell phones during games has ever been a problem.

Thanks for all of the great information we're receiving…glad I found your website!

My daughter plays 10U ASA softball and as of yet, I have not heard of a policy regarding cell phone use while at softball practice or games. Although my daughter has been asking for a cell phone for quite some time, we have not indulged her. She is never left alone and always with an adult that we trust and if she needs to use a telephone to reach us, she can use theirs or a land line.
However, the majority of the other little girls on her team do have cell phones. But I have not seen the girls use the phone during softball.
My feeling is it shows a lack of respect for your coaches and teammates by using the cell phone during softball. It would be the same during class at school.

Well our team, if you are texting during practice or a game you will get your butt ripped! I think thats a good thing realy because if your sitting there texting your boyfriend your head is not in the game!! Coach has not talked about it because it has not happend but shewould not let it happen!

As a college athlete and now coaching high school girls and summer teams, cell phones are not allowed on at practice. This is a verbal rule on our team, not a verbal rule. Pretty much if a cell ever goes off, the player is scurrying to her bag to shut it off and the look of shame is apparent. Like I said it is an oral rule, but we make sure to mention it Day #1 of practice.

An interesting spin-off is the question, "Should girls be texting coach?"

I have a rule that my girls can text me, if the content is appropriate and relaxed (not softball related or not a high priority). But if they are going to miss practice, or have to talk about something serious like playing-time or injury, etc… this is not appropriate text-etiquette for a coach. The girls are expected to call and talk with me personally.

What are your thoughts on athletes texting coach?

Coached a 16 under rec team last year and we had
an incident where a girl was sending negative texts to the other dugout…causing many issues.
After this was discovered cell phones on our team were not allowed out at practices or in
dugout especially during games. This was not
an issue everyone could still call parent after
or before and if a cell phone was seen we simply
held onto til after practice or game.

Great question. I'm happy to see other team's responses to this question.

I have coached U16 and U18 teams. At the first practice I set down the rules. I have only have a couple of rules:
1. If the coach is talking, you must be listening
2. If you want to play in the games, I need a 110% effort during the practice and game.
3. Cell phones are off from the start of practice till the end of practice. Cell phones are off from the time you arrive at the field for a game till the time you leave the game. For the team to be successful, the team needs your undivided attention. If you use your cell phone during a practice or game then you need to leave the field for the rest of the time.

I added this last rule this past fall. Unfortunately, I lost a very good player this past fall for the second and third game of a tournament, but the good news is I only had to enforce this rule once.

Brian
http://softball.youth-athlete.org

After last year when one I caught one of my player texting her friend right behind the dugout I went straight to my AD. This year I have a written policy for both away and home games. For away games, each girl must put her cellphone in my coaching bag and they do not get it back until we are 5 minutes away from school. This gives them the time to call home for a ride. For home games they must be put away before getting to the field. First incident is a school referal, second game suspension and third removal from team.

Brian - I think that's great you only let the girls get their phones back as your team returns to school. Because I have noticed many girls texting on the bus, rather than talking with their teammates. I like your rule and may use it with my high school girls this year.

Seems my thoughts are in line with most coaches. Cell phones are a distraction to practice and quite honestly, whether on the field or off, I see the girls texting while others talk to them, at the dinner table and I am sure in school. This is highly disrespectful, though the girls don't intend to be.

Additionally, if you restrict boy friends or other friends from being on the field and dugout as they are distracters, then cell phones should be viewed to be distracters.

** Really? They can't wait for 90-120 minutes to get back to texting? Do they text during school texting? church? (I know the answer to that, but how ridiculous is that!??)

We do not let the team have the cell phone on in the dugout at all during games or during practice. If the cell phone goes off in the dugout during games or practice they are pulled from the game or if at practice they must run.

CELL PHONE POLICY & PARENT POLICY.
WE DONT ALLOW CELL PHONES OR TEXTING DURING ANY PRACTICE TIME{EVEN AT BREAKINGS}. WE ALSO HAVE A POLICY ABOUT NEGATIVITY WITH OUR PARENTS, THERE NOTHING WORSE THAN SPENDING ALL TIME GETTING PLAYERS IN THE RIGHT FRAME OF MIND TO PLAY THERE BEST & HAVE A PARENT BE NEGITIVE TO THEM & DISSTROY WHAT WERE TRYING TO BUILD.

I've coached at Tyler Consolidated for 15 years and we have have had a set policy on cell phones, since my players started carrying them. Players must shut them off when we board the bus and may not use them until after the game on the way home. Exceptions include using it to contact parents enroute, when there is a rainout, or if there is a family medical situation that they need to keep tabs on. Players caught texting or using the phone without authorization, will be benched for that game. Cell phone use serves as a distraction,
but can be valuable in contacting parents during emergency situations!

our cell phone policy consists of keeping it off during all practices and especially during games.at the high school level where my son plays it is understood that cell phones aren't used at all.

We haven't initiated a cell phone use policy but it would go with what several others have said in this blog. The main issue is SAFETY and commitment to the team and team policies. In our state, the cell phone would be regarded as an "attractive nuisance".

For instance, a player could be hurt from missing out on instruction that would make the player safe, and others safe. The player may be distracted from reacting to a play or hit ball, again causing the player and/or her teammate to be hurt because they were paying more attention to their cell phone.

The coach could possibly be held 'liable' for not ('prudently') instructing the time of use (or non use) of the cell phone, especially if the coach knew there was or is an issue with the cell phone. I know this one is kind of 'ticky-tack' but the courts may not see our point of view and will side with the claim that the coach should have known how to keep the players safe.

I agree with many of you— if the coach is talking, the players should be listening. If the player misses out on a certain instructions because they are on their cell phone, a number of things happen,and they are usually not good.

I like the "benching" if the use of the cell phone is the inappropriate time. I would claim that it was for the players' safety, they needed to pay attention to instructions, and they needed to be "totally" committed to the team and team policies.

I coach at a JC. Cell phones are off at practice once the student-athletes enter the gate. No cell phones in vans during travel to games. Coaches numbers are available from true emergencies. Phones are given to student-athletes 15-20 minutes before we get back 'home' in case they need to call for a ride home.
Phones are mini-computers with texting, instant messaging, emails, myspace, facebook etc. Kids need to have manners and time used traveling to games is better used getting to know each other and talking about the game. During long overnight trips we do allow 'phone breaks.'