I have an extensive background in working with children, physical education teachers, and coaches of various sports (have authored 11 books). Through my research and experience I have found two balls with varying degrees of unpredictable bounces.
The first one (U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,053xe2x80x94Leopold, Jul. 2, 1991) is not suitable for sports training as the bounce is not challenging enough for young athletes. It is more of a toy for young children, rather than a skill building training tool. It consists of 22 small knobs that are evenly spaced on the outside of a small ball. The owners of the patent describe it as xe2x80x9cA ball capable of providing an erratic, as well as a normal, bounce comprised of a hollow spherical member and, preferably, twenty-two integral hemispheric projections.xe2x80x9d They go on to state that xe2x80x9cBased on the geometric design, approximately twenty-five percent of the bounces will be erratic.xe2x80x9d In other words, 75% of the bounces are normal and predictable. The result; not enough challenge.
On the other extreme, there is a ball with six equally sized and spaced knobs (Design U.S. Pat. No. D317,805xe2x80x94Swan, Jun. 25, 1991). It offers a consistently irregular bounce. However, when tested in use with a broad range of children in many sport environments, we have found it to be too challenging and therefore frustrating for all but the most elite athletes. Our observations with this ball show that approximately 25% of the bounces were impossible to catch, as the bounce was not too extreme, due to the size and placement of the knobs.
Although these two balls were not ideal in a broad range of activities for developing young athletes, we were still convinced that the idea of an unpredictable bouncing rubber ball would be very useful in sports training and lead-up reaction building games for children. The design of the ball for which this patent is being applied has the following unique characteristics.
1. It is of a larger size (35% larger than the ball in use under U.S. Pat. No. D317,805). One result of this larger size is that the ball contains more rubber mass and bounces noticeably higher, allowing the young athletes more time to react and catch it. This increase in reaction time is significant in helping children develop their skills and self-confidence in sports and physical activities.
2. It has seven knobs of two different sizes which create much more irregularity than U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,053, but significantly less irregularity than U.S. Pat. No. D317,805, since two of the knobs are approximately 50% larger in size than the other five knobs. The result is an unpredictable bounce that is still controlled enough to be encouraging to young athletes while they develop visual tracking skills, reaction skills, and catching skills.
Statistically speaking, a recent USA Today poll stated that 40% of all adults in the United States have negative memories of their experiences in physical education classes in schools and in team sporting activities in general when they were growing up. Studies also repeatedly show that confidence and self-esteem are directly linked to fun and enjoyment. And, we all know that confidence and self-esteem develop most quickly in children when they are successful. At the same time, activities must be slightly challenging to keep children interested. Therefore, the subject of this patent is relevant and practical for skill development standpoint as well as to help children enhance the enjoyment of their experiences in physical education and sports in general.
The invention is a skill building reaction ball used for sports training including, but not limited to, baseball and general reaction-building activities. Its unique 7-knob design ensures a different bounce every time it bounces against a flat surface. The 7-knob design includes two identical knobs of a larger size and five identical knobs of a smaller size. The result of this combination of knobs is a bounce that challenges young athletes but allows the ball to be caught, even by younger children. The manufacturing process is injection molding and the primary ingredient is rubber. Additionally, it is approximately the size of a tennis ball and a baseball, resulting in an easy transfer of acquired skills to those specific activities.