Rule 1 5-3c(3)

[sczeebra]

In the same Rule 1-5-3c(3), another new item was added to the illegal equipment listing. Any audio (microphone) or video (camera) device worn by a player during the game is not permitted. No player participating in the game is allowed to wear any device that would record or transmit audio or video. With this being said does any association out here permit officials to wear a camera?

[Ralph Damren]

While we Mainers went hi-tech a couple of years ago with walkie-talkies, cameras are used only for weddings, parties and such. Our concern of adding 1-5-3c(3) was that "haves  " would have 'em while "have-nots  " would not.

[ElvisLives]

FYI, in Texas, the Haves don’t give a rats bohunkus about the Have Nots. The governing body (coaches) is allowing “wearable technology,” i.e., watches, wristbands, belt packs, etc., to communicate info from coaches to players (supposedly one-way comms only). Thankfully, officials have no jurisdiction on this, so it really isn’t our problem. But there is no limit as to who are allowed to have this tech. And, there is no requirement that both teams have - or not have - this technology. So, yeah, the Haves will have, and the Have-Nots won’t. And so it goes.

[Etref]

FYI, in Texas, the Haves don’t give a rats bohunkus about the Have Nots. The governing body (coaches) is allowing “wearable technology,” i.e., watches, wristbands, belt packs, etc., to communicate info from coaches to players (supposedly one-way comms only). Thankfully, officials have no jurisdiction on this, so it really isn’t our problem. But there is no limit as to who are allowed to have this tech. And, there is no requirement that both teams have - or not have - this technology. So, yeah, the Haves will have, and the Have-Nots won’t. And so it goes.

Likely some with ankle monitors also

😂

[Ralph Damren]

My baseball game is rained out today,so the following is merely the mutterings of a grumpy ole' ump:

In this high-tech world of ours, I can foresee the daze of....
* Honing devise in QB's helmet directing his vision toward any open reciever.
* GPS system in running back's helmet telling him the best path to paydirt.
* Goal line plane would light up when ball in player's possession crossed. Goal post would illuminate with scoring team's colors and sky rockets would be discharged from pylons.
* Head coach would wear a dawg collar with ref holding the remote.
* Ref would wear a dawg collar with  head coach holding remote.

....I can only hope that I've left the field before any such has become a reality ....

[ElvisLives]

Likely some with ankle monitors also

😂

Just wait until NIL takes off in UIL football. You think our students - especially student/athletes - are underperforming now…
 

[dammitbobby]

https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/news/2025/04/25/wiaa-passes-nil-high-school-student-athletes-wisconsin

[ElvisLives]

The dam may not have collapsed just yet, but it is seriously crumbling. No bueno.

[ncwingman]

I kind of feel most people got a little distracted and missed the point of the question here. I assume you're asking if officials can wear video cameras on their person for their own benefit, and if that would be allowed. In my association, I don't think it's specifically disallowed - until somebody tries and and it goes sideways for some reason.

I've thought about wearing a GoPro type device and using it as my own video review before, but decided against it for a few important reasons:

1. When observing a play, I try to keep my head on a swivel, and not my chest. The odds that "what I'm looking at" is "what's in frame" are significantly less than one, especially if I'm on the run. I would not want a hat mounted device because the weight could become distracting and/or it could obstruct my own vision, which defeats the point.

2. Some coach is going to use it against me. I now have personal video evidence that I missed Every Call In The Known Universe. Right or wrong, they're going to start yelling about how I need to look at my own personal instant replay. I will gladly review video after the game, but not during the game. They can't hand me an iPad on the sideline and I'm not going to give them another option.

[Ralph Damren]

I kind of feel most people got a little distracted and missed the point of the question here. I assume you're asking if officials can wear video cameras on their person for their own benefit, and if that would be allowed. In my association, I don't think it's specifically disallowed - until somebody tries and and it goes sideways for some reason.

I've thought about wearing a GoPro type device and using it as my own video review before, but decided against it for a few important reasons:

1. When observing a play, I try to keep my head on a swivel, and not my chest. The odds that "what I'm looking at" is "what's in frame" are significantly less than one, especially if I'm on the run. I would not want a hat mounted device because the weight could become distracting and/or it could obstruct my own vision, which defeats the point.

2. Some coach is going to use it against me. I now have personal video evidence that I missed Every Call In The Known Universe. Right or wrong, they're going to start yelling about how I need to look at my own personal instant replay. I will gladly review video after the game, but not during the game. They can't hand me an iPad on the sideline and I'm not going to give them another option.

While 1-1-9 prevents us from using such to make a game decision, unless it is attached to the official's eye glasses or eyebrows, it won't see what your eyes see. We use game clips at our meetings as training on did the official have the best location to view the play as we see from the view of the camera not from the eyes of the covering official. Over the years I've recieved hundreds of calls from coaches questioning a call. I always reply by saying that I'm interested if the rule was applied correctly; not what the camera saw compared to the officials eyes.

[dammitbobby]

I've mildly entertained getting these and using them also for officiating (for recording video)
https://www.ray-ban.com/usa/electronics/RW4006ray-ban%20%7C%20meta%20wayfarer-black/8056597769440

[riffraft]

I looked a cameras that attached to the bill of my hat so it would move with my head, but decided it wasnt worth it

[AlUpstateNY]

I looked a cameras that attached to the bill of my hat so it would move with my head, but decided it wasnt worth it

When it a'int broke, it DOESN'T need fixing. There will ALWAYS be complaints from "some" about specific calls/no-calls, primarily because non-officials (coaches, fans, platers)simply don't/can't see EXACTLY what officials see/OR DON'T SEE.  As long as they are "appropriate" in disagreeing, rational dispute is included in their "game fee". Whenever such disputes are given, they are best simply ignored, or when appropriate explained.  Irrational disputes, IF POSSIBLE, are often also simply ignored, or when/if necessary, or prolonged, dealt with, as SEVERELY as NECESSARY AND APPROPRIATE.  TECHNOLOGY WILL never TOTALLY ELIMINATE dispute.

[dammitbobby]

My goal in evaluating those was never to use them for disputes, but solely for training purposes - am I looking at the right thing, where I need to be looking, at the right time? What can I do better as I transition from action to action? 

Ultimately I think I'm not going to get them for this because my concern is that while it can capture the direction my head is in, it can't tell where I am focusing my vision (unless there's enough subtle movement to discern that.)

Anyone looking at this as tool to be used in realtime, and for any scenario or application involving a coach, needs to be taken out back and beaten with a stick. Repeatedly and vigorously.

[Etref]

My goal in evaluating those was never to use them for disputes, but solely for training purposes - am I looking at the right thing, where I need to be looking, at the right time? What can I do better as I transition from action to action? 

Ultimately I think I'm not going to get them for this because my concern is that while it can capture the direction my head is in, it can't tell where I am focusing my vision (unless there's enough subtle movement to discern that.)

Anyone looking at this as tool to be used in realtime, and for any scenario or application involving a coach, needs to be taken out back and beaten with a stick. Repeatedly and vigorously.

You are correct. The glasses record where your head is turned but not necessarily where your eyes are focused.

[Rob S]

I've worn a camera (DJI Action 2) for my varsity games the last 2 seasons. No one gave me permission, but I also never asked. It's only about 1" by 1" and snaps to a pendant under my shirt through a magnet. I can wear it on my black stripe and it pretty well hides it (only a few players a year notice it and think it's cool that I'm recording)...screenshot from a livestream attached. Because it's a magnet, I (usually) pop it off before going to talk to a coach as my goal is just to be able to evaluate my plays.

It works pretty well as an R (not moving much) and because it has a wide-angle lens, I can usually see what I was watching on a play (I capture the whole line), much better than the film schools provide. I really like that it provides the better angle for holding calls on the line and it's really helped my Us and I get a better feel for "what's enough" for a hold as we can see hands (unlike pressbox camera so far away). It's not great when I've tried it a B as the image stabilization isn't good enough when running. But if I properly get set before the main action/ball arriving, it does still get the action. Because it records audio, I've also used it with my crews for us to improve penalty reporting and announcing too because we can hear exactly what was communicated.