At our competition today, we were given a yellow card for repeatedly making contact with the scale. The head referee mentioned to us that in a recent team update, the rule was changed so that a team is given a yellow card if they come in contact with the scale three times in each of two matches. When our team read the rules, we could not find what he was referencing. In addition, we were called for fouls even when the contact we made was minimal. (G25 states that “movement, or prevention on movement, of PLATES because of momentary ROBOT action resulting in minimal PLATE displacement is not a violation of this rule.”) Does anyone know of an update where the rule is changed or can anyone clarify why we got the yellow card? I am not concerned with getting the yellow card taken away, but I am worried about being given a red card in the future. Any help is appreciated.
Im not sure where the “3 times in 2 matches” came about, but they are able to push to a yellow if they see it to be repeated frequently.
Similarly, the number 3 seeded alliance at Iowa was given Yellow Cards in back to back matches in the Semifinals for touching the Scale in autonomous… it wasn’t repeated. It happened one time. And the head ref gave out a yellow card. Like I haven’t been through Head Ref training, but I feel like I’ve watched enough matches to know that incidental contact with the Scale during autonomous doesn’t warrant a Yellow Card. Somebody correct me if I’m wrong.
Luckily the resulting Red Card in Semis match 2 didn’t have an bearing on the outcome (3rd seed lost anyways). I find it ridiculous that there could be such disparity on how such a common game situation is called.
I would hate to see a lack of knowledge on the part of a Head Ref negatively impact the team experience. That was close to happening in this case (unless I have no idea what I’m talking about and it was actually worthy of a Yellow Card? Somebody tell me if I’m dumb).
Agreed that the rule is not being enforced as written, particularly with respect to the allowance of momentary contact with minimal action causing minor plate displacement. Teams are regularly being flagged for momentary bumps on the side of the scale plate that do not affect the scale motion. Apart from just plain missed calls, at least they seemed to be called consistently, so teams knew what they could and could not do. My team, and I suspect many others, would likely have designed differently if the original rules described how G25 and G9 (launching) are being called.
While the “three contacts in two matches” is not explicitly in the rules, three fouls called on the same robot in two matches certainly constitutes “repeated violations” and would not be an unreasonable rubric to give to the referees for escalation to a yellow card.
The Head Ref had to go through training but I get it. Our refs at HV are calling nothing and everything. The rules keep changing. What does G25 mean for momentary? If you hit into the scale is that a foul or just if you make a change in the weight?
Read the blue box: Momentary is < 1 second, minimal (another component) is < 3"
I can’t give further clarification to the original post other than: you’re not missing anything in the Team Updates, and Miklast has a point.
OP stated “3 times in each of 2 matches”, totaling 6 times in 2 matches. That to me sounds like 'repeated violations.
… and while I applaud consistent foul calls, a hard limit needs to be conveyed to teams before being enforced.