Actual fields at Kickoffs
 

Our team was reading the thread about the Rock Wall issue. The most discussion our team had on the below is that someone measured the stone wall at NH Kickoff. Do some Kickoffs have the actual field to look at specs on?


Q&A612

Quote:

Q. Team drawings show defense ramps 10 inches but real field is almost 12. Also at NH kickoff I measured the width of stone wall 5.5 but team and real field drawings show 4.5. My photos also show the width wider than tall. Are corrections for dimensions needed?
2016-01-19 by FRC0175
A. Regarding the discrepancy you describe in the first part of your question, we think the answer to Q573 answers your question. The second part, however, does show a discrepancy, the correct dimension is 5.5 inches. Both the Field Drawings and Team Version Drawings will be updated to show the revision in Team Update 04. (Edited to correct team update number)

Re: Actual fields at Kickoffs
 

There is only one kickoff that I know of that has an official field and that is the one hosted by HQ(kinda?) in NH. Other than that no other kickoff has access to the real* field elements.

*real as being the ones played on in competition.

Re: Actual fields at Kickoffs
 

The Kickoff held in Manchester, NH does have the actual field you will see at competitions, yes.

Some remote kickoffs across the country will also have field pieces built to the Team Drawings specifications.

Re: Actual fields at Kickoffs
 

Yes, the official Kickoff held at Southern New Hampshire University has a real, full field for attendees to play with and measure. Usually some team members that are present record and post video of them interacting with official field elements, but I haven't noticed any of that footage yet this season.

Re: Actual fields at Kickoffs
 

It depends on how you define access-- if it's FIRST actually providing field elements, then yes, no other kickoffs have access. If it's having access to the technical specifications, then no, any listed kickoff can have volunteers assigned as field builders, and those builders get access to the technical specifications of both the competition and team versions of the game elements. This is how those plywood elements show up at kickoff. Theoretically, any field build with access to the tools, money, and time to build the field elements could do it, but it's particularly difficult to find the latter during the holidays.

Re: Actual fields at Kickoffs
 

The North Carolina Kickoff has had a wooden field built for the past couple years. This year I'm told it was built entirely by one guy in less than a day. Kudos to him.

Re: Actual fields at Kickoffs
 

The answer has been updated

Re: Actual fields at Kickoffs
 

First provides information to build some build elements to regions prior to kick off. The information is tightly controlled and only enough to to build the selected elements. They do not release the entire field drawings prior to kick off. At least not for the last few years.

Disclaimer: My team has hosts a practice field. The people who build the region's field elements are not on my team & do not share any information with us prior to kick off. As it should be.

Re: Actual fields at Kickoffs
 

FWIW, we've got some pictures on our blog from the official NH field, here, but there is only one picture of the rock wall. You could probably photoshop the tape measure to the right direction to get an idea for scale.

I'm glad they are reconsidering. Now people need to just be on board with whatever the solution is that the GDC gives...