Permitted One-Way Electronic Devices

Significant changes to the rules for high school softball will go into effect next school year.

High school coaches will be allowed to use electronic devices in the dugout to communicate one-way with the catcher when the team is on defense, the National Federation of High School Associations announced.

The NFHS announced the rule change on July 8.

“This change is the result of analysis of current data, state association experimentation and positive member feedback,” Sandy Searcy, NFHS athletic director and Softball Rules Committee liaison, said in a news release. “The committee made these changes to support the use of new technology in the sport of softball. As a permissive rule, the use of this one-way electronic communication will allow those who choose to adopt this technology an additional option for communicating with their catcher during a defensive play. It will also maintain the ability for those who prefer a more traditional approach to communicating via signals or the playbook/game card to continue this approach.”

The softball rule change is similar to one in high school baseball last year. That rule allowed one-way electronic communication devices before the 2024 season and was used locally by Southern Brazoria County teams.

Previously, pitchers wore armbands that had lists of specific pitches on them, including a numerical code shouted out by a member of the team’s coaching staff.

In softball, the adjustment to one-way communication with the catcher introduced new language to two sections of the NFHS Softball Rules Book, starting with Rule 1-8-6. Devices such as headphones, electronic wristbands, and “smart” watches are now permitted as an exception to the rule, provided the player does not use said device to return correspondence to coaching staff. Before this change, team staff could “record or transmit information regarding their players or team performance.” However, they were still not allowed to communicate this information directly to players on the field during play.

Additionally, the NFHS has implemented a rule change that will be in effect in 2025 for track and field.

The NFHS has implemented a rule change for high school track and field. Races will now be retired in the first 50 meters when an athlete falls due to contact with another athlete, especially in races that do not take place in lanes or when two or more athletes are assigned to a lane, including 1- and 2-mile races.