By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

The NFHS Softball Rules Committee announced the approval for high school softball coaches to use electronic devices in the dugout for one-way communication to the catcher while the team is on defense.

This rule will begin for the 2025 season and was approved at the committee’s annual rules meeting that was held in June at The Alexander hotel in Indianapolis.

“This change is the result of analysis of current data, state association experimentation and a positive response from the membership,” said NFHS director of sports and liaison to the Softball Rules Committee in a press release. “The committee has made these changes to support the use of emerging technology within the sport of softball. Being a permissive rule, the use of this one-way electronic communication will allow those who choose to embrace the technology an additional option to communicate with the catcher while on defense. It will also maintain the ability for those who prefer a more traditional approach to communicate using signals or a playbook/playcard to continue that approach.”

The accommodation to one-way communication to the catcher did introduce the need to create new language to two different sections of the NFHS Softball Rules Book:

     • Rule 1-8-6: Devices such as earpieces, electronic bands and smart watches are now permitted as an exception within the rule provided that the player does not utilize the device to return correspondence to the coaching staff. Prior to the new rules for 2025, team personnel could “record or transmit information pertaining to their players or team’s performance,” but could not communicate that information directly to players on the field during play.

     • Rule 3-6-11: Regarding “bench and field conduct,” the new language specifies that coaches are prohibited from using the device to “communicate with any other team member while on defense or any team member while on offense.” Additionally, the coach cannot use the device “outside the dugout/bench area.”