I have read all the Q&As, so I know that this question has been answered, but there are still disagreements among experienced referees about what the Q&As mean. The last two weekends I have attended two signature events that were refereed by two different sets of very capable referees. One event ruled that a previous match load has to be released from the robot before introducing a second match load. The second event ruled that you could match load into your robot, then match load a second triball onto a slapper or catapult before the previous match load was released from the robot. In the first signature event, teams were eventually DQ’d after so many violations, including the described double match loading. At the second signature event, the described double match loading was accepted as legal and no violations were given. I want to make it clear that neither event considered it a violation to match load while possessing a non-match loaded triball.
I’m seeking clarification so we can be our best for the students and find consistency across events.
According to Q&A number 1778:
….The intent of this addition is to prohibit actions such as the following: ...Loading a second Match Load onto a rapid-fire Robot before the Robot has released the previous Match Load, even though they were each individually “Possessed” for a fraction of a second and may not have technically met the definition of “Possession”
Question #1: Does Q&A 1778 indicate that a second match load should not be introduced until the previous match load has been released from the robot? If so, would there be a differentiation between the three scenarios:
- Match loading onto a catapult or slapper, then match loading a second triball onto a catapult or slapper before the previous triball has been released?
- Loading a triball into the intake of the robot, then loading a triball onto the slapper or catapult before the previous match load has been released from the intake?
- Loading a triball into the intake of the robot, then loading a second triball into the intake of the robot before the previous match load is released.
- Dropping a second triball down a “slide” on the robot before the previous match load has fallen off of the slide.
Question #2: If any of the scenarios above happen during a skills match (or teams match load without touching the match load bar) and triballs are scored without the team descoring them before the match is over, which of the following should happen:
- The team should be disqualified (according to Figure 3 flow chart under “Violaions” in the General Definitions) from the skills match and receive a zero since the violation was match affecting and therefore is considered a major violation according to the “Violation Note” under <RSC1>.
- Instead of disqualifying the team and giving them a zero, the referee can remove the number of triballs that were illegally match loaded from the red zone then score the match.
- Instead of disqualifying the team and giving them a zero, the referee can remove the number of triballs that were illegally match loaded from the red goal then score the match.
- Or is there another option?
Thank you for your clarification.