High School Electronics At Competitions

[tojofasho]

Hello all!

I've heard of schools in my areas having different policies for electronics on competition day and was curious what the people on this board do for their high schoolers at competitions. Some examples I've seen here in AZ include:

• All electronics (phones, laptops, ipods, Go-pros, etc.) are confiscated before kids get off the bus at the competition venue, and are returned when they leave
• All electronics are confiscated one hour prior to warmup time and returned after awards.
• All electronics are confiscated before kids get off the bus and are returned after they compete.
• All electronics are confiscated one hour prior to warmup time and returned after they compete.
• All electronics are confiscated before teams head out to awards.

There are variations where only cell phones are confiscated and kids can keep their laptops/ipods/go-pros, but I was curious on what other coaches do with their teams. I had always told my athletes to just put their phones away for the hour before warmups and not to bring them to awards, but am debating taking a stronger approach since I always had one or two try and sneak them anyway, and I know a nearby school does the first option where no athletes are permitted to have any electronics from the second they arrive at the venue.

I in no way am claiming to know what is the best policy here, just wanted to know what everyone else does. Feel free to share your policies and I may or may not steal them haha.

 

[ScottyB]

We don't take em away. They know once they put their lips and tats on that its focus time before warmup so phones are bagged and put away.

Many use their phones for music and what not for travels on the way to competition and as a distraction while waiting to compete. As well, I don't want to lose a kid so I'm gonna let them have their device.

(took a group around London for a week as a chaperone a couple times, a bit terrifying when none had phones as we roamed around the city)