Question: In high school baseball, is there a restriction on certain items possessed by an individual within the coach’s box?
Answer: A stopwatch, rulebook (hard copy) and scorebook are permitted. Cell phones and other electronic devices are not allowed in the box. (Rule 3, Sec. 3, Art. 1-i)
Question: In high school softball, a coach is using a palm pilot for recording stats or a cell phone with a headset talking to the dugout. Are these legal items for use in the coach’s box?
Answer: Devices for scoring purposes are allowed; hence, pilot is legal. Communication items used for coaching reasons are not permitted; hence, cell and headset are illegal. (Rule 3, Sec. 6, Art. 10)
This feature will appear regularly during the baseball/softball season from now through October. It is designed to explain the rules and procedures for girls, boys and adults. Lynch is a member of the National Federation of State High School Officials, National Association of Sports Officials (NASO), Hudson County Baseball Umpires Association (president, cadet supervisor, and softball mechanics interpreter) and former Amateur Softball Association (ASA) umpire. The seasons begins April 1.