GPS Watch?

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XCFan98

Active member
Okay, please help me understand this rule from the OHSAA:

4. Wristwatch A wristwatch, secured to the person, may be worn in competition, including GPS and smart watched The use of GPS or electronic communication is prohibited.

1. What does Watched mean?
2. What does electronic communication mean?
3. How will they enforce this?
 
 
Just an assumption here, but I believe:
1. that is a typo that should say "smart watches"
2. Electronic communication means you may not text or make phone calls with your smart watch and you may not use the GPS function.
3. I don't have an answer for enforcement.
 
I agree with LincolnXC for parts 1 and 2.

On part 3, the Ohio modification was that athletes couldn't wear them. This lead to a lot of questions about what is or isn't a GPS watch. It was unrealistic to expect officials to know and recognize every possible model of watch that had those capabilities. This year, the Ohio modification is much more in line with the NFHS rule which prohibits the USE OF electronic communication devices.

Like any other rules enforcement, if an official observes a competitor doing something against the rules (in this case, using the GPS or communication functionality of a watch), then the competitor may be penalized accordingly. Simply wearing a watch that has these capabilities is no longer against the rules in Ohio.
 
Ohio no longer has a modification related to watches as it did in the past. The NFHS rule is followed related to the use of GPS and electronic communication. They are both prohibited as they are an illegal aid and if it is seen being used the penalty is disqualification.
 
CedarBuck92 said:
I'll bite. Why?
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Just think it's an outside tool. Instead of racing and reacting to what is going on. someone can plan out a pace and look at their watch and hit a pace unnaturally. Not racing. If you want to go through the 1600 mark at 5:00 that's fine, but I don't think being able to look at your watch every 30 seconds should be allowed. If you want to hit certain times use your internal clock. I have no problem with having a coach yell out you are at 5:07, you need to pick it up or 4:52 back off a bit, but a watch is like having a pace ticker going off in an earpiece. You can glance at it every 5 seconds if you want and never get off your plan. Not how I think the sport should be. The beauty of it is that a kid is able to get others off their plan. A watch eliminates that.
 
JAVMAN83 said:
Just like racewalking, it's not an infraction until a judge says it is :stirthepot:
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Exactly just like any sport or aspect of life.

Am I holding in football? Taking a charge or walking in basketball, interfering while passing a runner in track?

What I don't understand is- who will text or make a phone call during a race? And what advantage is this? What is the coach going to say to an athlete on their watch? Go faster?

Again, what advantage is a watch or GPS during a 5k, 2 miles, 1 mile, 800, or lower event? I use a GPS but it is highly inaccurate on a track setting. I see a disadvantage in this aspect.

Nonsense rules. Is it time to blow up the rule book and just have the basic rules?
 
EuclidandViren said:
Exactly just like any sport or aspect of life.

Am I holding in football? Taking a charge or walking in basketball, interfering while passing a runner in track?

What I don't understand is- who will text or make a phone call during a race? And what advantage is this? What is the coach going to say to an athlete on their watch? Go faster?

Again, what advantage is a watch or GPS during a 5k, 2 miles, 1 mile, 800, or lower event? I use a GPS but it is highly inaccurate on a track setting. I see a disadvantage in this aspect.

Nonsense rules. Is it time to blow up the rule book and just have the basic rules?
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Basic rules. #1 You cannot wear a watch. #2 Everyone on a team has to wear the same uniform. Same style and colors. #3 you run flag to flag. Blue flags mean straight, Red flags are left turns, Yellow flags are Right turns. #4 There is no lead vehicle, but there will be a trail vehicle. #5 Chips are only an aid to help the timers properly place runners. Video or a mechanical method of placing at the line will be used for results at all championship levels. #6 No Bitchin' .... you can add to it.
 
One way to enforce it would be to just have all the kids give their strava/garmin link and when a race shows up that has a map then they used their gps (haha). I would bet there are already strava/garmin maps of courses for the runners that started their watch without turning the gps off. They may not have used it during the race but it is happening I am sure.
Hell I use mine during any races I run and it tells me every quarter mile if I am ahead or behind pace. I don't even have to look at it, different beeps or haptics for above or below.
 
Finishtiming said:
One way to enforce it would be to just have all the kids give their strava/garmin link and when a race shows up that has a map then they used their gps (haha). I would bet there are already strava/garmin maps of courses for the runners that started their watch without turning the gps off. They may not have used it during the race but it is happening I am sure.
Hell I use mine during any races I run and it tells me every quarter mile if I am ahead or behind pace. I don't even have to look at it, different beeps or haptics for above or below.
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You can find stava segments of courses and look at top 10 list and see plenty of kids that raced with GPS from years past.
 
Not sure how wearing a watch, especially a non-GPS watch, could help anyone in cross country. If a coach yells out a 5:07 mile or a kid looks at his watch at the mile, he will still know what his pace is. I have been a convert of wanting to know 1000 meter splits, but only to see about even pacing but if a coach colls out thier splits every K, its the same. If the kid looks down at his watch every 30 seconds does it matter. Does anyone know what their time should be for 1.752 miles? how bout 2.33 miles or 3741 Meters? is the 1278 meter point at Boardman the same at the 1278 point at Tiffin? What if it's muddy? Wearing or not wearing a watch Does not matter one bit.

In track it may help if you know the time at each quarter, but there is already a clock or someone calling out splits. In the 3200 what is a good time at 2156 meter mark? Or 553 meters in the 800? I will allow any kid to wear a watch if they like.... until they start looking at it during the race, then they have to take it off as it only can hinder them IMO.
 
ENA2 said:
Not sure how wearing a watch, especially a non-GPS watch, could help anyone in cross country. If a coach yells out a 5:07 mile or a kid looks at his watch at the mile, he will still know what his pace is. I have been a convert of wanting to know 1000 meter splits, but only to see about even pacing but if a coach colls out thier splits every K, its the same. If the kid looks down at his watch every 30 seconds does it matter. Does anyone know what their time should be for 1.752 miles? how bout 2.33 miles or 3741 Meters? is the 1278 meter point at Boardman the same at the 1278 point at Tiffin? What if it's muddy? Wearing or not wearing a watch Does not matter one bit.

In track it may help if you know the time at each quarter, but there is already a clock or someone calling out splits. In the 3200 what is a good time at 2156 meter mark? Or 553 meters in the 800? I will allow any kid to wear a watch if they like.... until they start looking at it during the race, then they have to take it off as it only can hinder them IMO.
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Then why do you need a watch? Should not be allowed. If there is no good use for it, then don't allow it. Coaches aren't getting to every point on the course. You know darn well there are kids that will get caught up in the race and go out too fast. A watch prevents that. Unnaturally. You've never told a kid to try and be at X:XX at the mile? At Boardman, be at this at the 2000? In these conditions, I don't want you faster than X at the 3200. A watch is an aid. There is no need for it, so don't allow it. Especially with watches that have pacing functions.

Why can't a kid wear earbuds and listen to music then?
 
ENA2 said:
Not sure how wearing a watch, especially a non-GPS watch, could help anyone in cross country. If a coach yells out a 5:07 mile or a kid looks at his watch at the mile, he will still know what his pace is. I have been a convert of wanting to know 1000 meter splits, but only to see about even pacing but if a coach colls out thier splits every K, its the same. If the kid looks down at his watch every 30 seconds does it matter. Does anyone know what their time should be for 1.752 miles? how bout 2.33 miles or 3741 Meters? is the 1278 meter point at Boardman the same at the 1278 point at Tiffin? What if it's muddy? Wearing or not wearing a watch Does not matter one bit.

In track it may help if you know the time at each quarter, but there is already a clock or someone calling out splits. In the 3200 what is a good time at 2156 meter mark? Or 553 meters in the 800? I will allow any kid to wear a watch if they like.... until they start looking at it during the race, then they have to take it off as it only can hinder them IMO.
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Exactly. What's the difference if a coach calls out a split or the kid looks at his watch? Under psycho_dad's reasoning, coaches shouldn't be able to call out splits, either, based upon the idea that knowing a split at a given interval is some type of "aid". Sure it is....WHY NOT? Athletes should be able to receive feedback during their performances. We've already been down this path in other events in the past. Anyone remember the old days of not being able to watch videos during competition? Anyone remember the ridiculous and asinine rule of the pole vault pole not being able to pass under the crossbar during the attempt? Bob Gutowski lost a world record in 1957 on that asinine rule.

Bringing the discussion into the current environment of today's professional track circuit: the use of wave light technology. I was somewhat hesitant at first regarding how that might affect races, but now having seen enough races on the pro circuit, the vast majority of racing weren't helped by the technology. World record attempts are difficult, to say the least. In the end, it all comes down to the individual RACE and the athlete's condition on the day of the race.

So...let the kids use the GPS watches!
 
JAVMAN83 said:
Exactly. What's the difference if a coach calls out a split or the kid looks at his watch? Under psycho_dad's reasoning, coaches shouldn't be able to call out splits, either, based upon the idea that knowing a split at a given interval is some type of "aid". Sure it is....WHY NOT? Athletes should be able to receive feedback during their performances. We've already been down this path in other events in the past. Anyone remember the old days of not being able to watch videos during competition? Anyone remember the ridiculous and asinine rule of the pole vault pole not being able to pass under the crossbar during the attempt? Bob Gutowski lost a world record in 1957 on that asinine rule.

Bringing the discussion into the current environment of today's professional track circuit: the use of wave light technology. I was somewhat hesitant at first regarding how that might affect races, but now having seen enough races on the pro circuit, the vast majority of racing weren't helped by the technology. World record attempts are difficult, to say the least. In the end, it all comes down to the individual RACE and the athlete's condition on the day of the race.

So...let the kids use the GPS watches!
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No, under my reasoning there is work involved. Watches are a constant. Feedback from a coach is different that having it right there on your wrist for every step. You can't run next to a runner and pace them. With a watch you have constant feedback every second of the race. Todays watches are much more sophisticated. A coworker of mine has an apple watch where he can keep track of things like you wouldn't believe. Each kid could have one and know exactly where they are in relationship to each teammate in a glance. He can also program a pace into it that you have no idea its on. He can feel it. It should not come down to who has more money and gadgets. Can they wear heart rate monitors too. To get feedback?



I don't care that much about it, but if I were king, there would be no watches allowed in a CC race.
 
If I were king there would be less government control and rules. More freedom and less bureaucracy.

I am on the who cares if you wear a watch debate. I am on the side of fewer officials at Ohio XC meets. Let the kids run instead of talking to the kids before the start of a race for 5-10 minutes telling them information that no one is listening to. Why are there 50 officials at the state XC meet all sitting in golf carts eating donuts? Can we do this sport with a starting gun, a timing company, and two officials in the chute? I have never been to a track or xc meet and wished there were more officials. Less is better.
 
As I said, a non-GPS watch does not help with pacing since you have a mile time and a 2 mile time.... or nowadays a 1k, 2K, 3K and 4K time. But, a deaf kid would be at a disadvantage. And I don't think I have every had better kid be at a certain time at the mile ( 2 mile or 2K).... it is always position. I may say "be in the top 15 by the mile, and move up from their, or be with your pack of team mates by the mile". Now if I have a kid who wants to break 30 minutes for a 5K, I may say "for your goal, you want to be at 9:30 at the mile and 19:00 at 2-miles" and often those reading splits have gone by the time they get to the mile or 2-mile. That kid will wear a watch to check their times at those points..... but they better not be looking at their watch a 1.77 miles because they would have no idea what time they are supposed to have at that point.
 
Then, if a non GPS watch is no advantage, there is no need to have one. Very simple, then there is no way a GPS watch could sneak in. Problem solved.

If less is better, then less watches is better. If it's no big deal, then there is no need for them.
 
psycho_dad said:
No, under my reasoning there is work involved. Watches are a constant. Feedback from a coach is different that having it right there on your wrist for every step. You can't run next to a runner and pace them. With a watch you have constant feedback every second of the race. Todays watches are much more sophisticated. A coworker of mine has an apple watch where he can keep track of things like you wouldn't believe. Each kid could have one and know exactly where they are in relationship to each teammate in a glance. He can also program a pace into it that you have no idea its on. He can feel it. It should not come down to who has more money and gadgets. Can they wear heart rate monitors too. To get feedback?



I don't care that much about it, but if I were king, there would be no watches allowed in a CC race.
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Thank you for clarifying things. I misunderstood where you were coming from...my apologies.

I can see your point if the watch distracts from the athlete's focus on competing.
 
psycho_dad said:
Coaches aren't getting to every point on the course. You know darn well there are kids that will get caught up in the race and go out too fast. A watch prevents that. Unnaturally.
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A smart runner only needs the half mile split to prevent them from starting too fast. Imo.

Todays gps watches with heart rate monitors benefit more than just pacing, especially on courses with hills.
 
So, this thread reveals that Ohio modifies the national federation rules from time to time. But when an out of state team complains about a creek crossing it MUST be eliminated because “Ohio follows the national federation rules”.
 
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