Quote:
Originally Posted by tzjin
Hi all,
So we're currently at the regional in Chesapeake, and we've noticed that FIRST is using two distinct types of foam balls: red inside (firm), and yellow inside (soft). This is wrecking havoc with many compression-based shooters, since the ball trajectory and total distance will change so much. We've been fine, since we have been able to shoot at the fender and minimize the variation, but many teams have had autonomous completely wrecked.
Does anybody know if these balls will be standardized sometime soon (by St. Louis at least)? I'm sure many other teams have this question too.
With a smile,
Tony
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Field reset point of view:
I specifically looked at Waterford after reading this Friday night, and I didn't see any balls with a yellow inside - just red/pinkish/orangeish (depending on the lighting) ones. What you may have been seeing is the yellow foam that is directly under the orange outer material of the ball - it is a
very thin cushion similar to the material under the fabric of 2009's orbit balls. Occasionally the orange coating would be scraped off and some yellow would show, but any chunks out of the ball should show the pink.
New balls are definitely more firm than old balls.