Engineering a Better BasketballGonzaga University

(Left) Jerry Krause, Gonzaga's director of basketball operations, works with GU engineering Professors John Dacquisto (center) and Phil Appel to study ways to improve3 and standardize basketball design.

By Marlis Pebles

At Gonzaga, academics and athletics truly do draw synergy from each other.

Take, for example, engineering Professors John Dacquisto and Phil Appel, who, under the direction of Gonzaga's director of basketball operations Jerry Krause, are researching ways to improve and standardize basketball design.

Krause has been the National Research Chairman for the National Association of Basketball Coaches for the past 30 years.

"During that time, the NABC has had three concerns for the sport of basketball," said Krause. "First, make the game 'more safe' for the players. Second, create an equitable/level playing field, and finally, increase the quality control of the equipment."

While basketball has not changed much from the original 13 rules created over a century ago, the equipment continues to undergo significant change. Advancements in technology have made the game safer, from raising the bottom of the backboard to prevent head injuries to adding supports to the rim to minimize broken backboards.

Historically, the leather-covered basketball had a low coefficient of friction, allowing only a minimal number of players to "palm" it. Technology has changed the play of the game; "palming" is now routine for many players.

But not every basketball is made the same, and Krause would like to see production standardized to keep the game fair.

The problem rests with the way technological advances are regulated, Krause said. Designs are based on dimensional constraints, geometry and "bounce response" to the ball, but there is significant latitude on how a ball can and will behave. There are no existing engineering or physical property regulations, and new technologies can be adopted as developed- so long as they do not affect the play of the game.

Golf, for example, has regulated the number, diameter and depth of indentations (dimples) on the outside of the ball, so as not to affect play, but left the ball open to advances in material.

With basketballs, Krause said there are notable physical differences.

Guided by Krause, Dacquisto and Appel have conducted a study and proposed a series of requirements to fully specify a basketball. These include size, color, shape, number of panels, width and geometry of the black rubber channels, coefficient of friction, weight, bounce, texture and how much the ball can deform.

"Tests were conducted on several basketballs," Dacquisto said. "One key area of concern was the coefficient of friction. It affects how well the human hand can grip the ball, but it also affects how the ball bounces off the backboard and floor. Even the labeling/logos on the ball affect how the ball can be gripped or its ability to bounce."

The work of Krause and his engineering cronies will be presented to the regulatory

agencies (National Association of Basketball Coaches and, ultimately, the NCAA Rules Committee) as proposed standards for basketball design.

"The NABC meets every April and the NCAA Rules Committee meets in May. Once the concept has been accepted, it is possible that approval of the standards can be set within two years," Krause said.

The design standards documents can be submitted to the manufacturers, who, in turn, can develop test equipment and procedures used to qualify the new regulated basketballs.

Efforts to improve standards have been ongoing for more than 20 years. There have been at least 50 improvements to basketball equipment over the years, and 15 recommendations alone have improved backboard safety.

"Originally, wood backboards were used to prevent spectators from swatting the ball away from the rim," said Krause. "Since then, they have evolved from wood to glass to polycarbonates."

Even the courts are under scrutiny as some floors and finishes make them too slick and more prone to injuries.

Now, fully engrossed in the process, Dacquisto aims to involve teams of students in a mechanical engineering design course to design a box to accommodate a basketball. The box would include all the necessary tools to measure the ball's size, shape, circumference, air pressure, and surface consistency.

"We would hope to make this available to referees," Dacquisto said.

"Basketball seems like a simple game, but there is so much more ..." Krause concluded.