Rookie Gear Composite Indoor/Outdoor Basketball
Help your young athlete sharpen up their skills. The Spalding Rookie Gear® Youth Basketball is the same size as standard youth balls, but with a lighter weight. It's made with a composite cover that holds up to drills both indoors and out.
CLEANING THE BALLS
For synthetic leather and rubber basketballs, these simple tips will extend the life of the ball. After using the balloon, rub it with a damp or slightly wet cloth. Wipe the surface of the ball with a clean, damp cloth. Finally, dry or bounce the ball on a clean, dry towel. Never let the ball dry in direct sunlight.
In all materials leather, synthetic leather or rubber, if the ball has mud stains, wash it with water, once washed, let the ball air dry in a cool, well-ventilated place and away from the sun's rays.
HOW TO INFLATE A BASKETBALL
It's quite possible that you'll receive your balloon deflated, so you'll need a pump or compressor with a specific needle to inflate it properly. To find out if it has the necessary air pressure, drop the ball from a height of 1.80 m, on a wooden floor, until the bounce reaches a height between 1.20 and 1.40 meters. Inflate your balloons regularly.
All balls, to a greater or lesser extent, suffer air losses, therefore, before carrying out any training or starting the match, all the balls that are going to be part of the game must be checked and their pressure checked. To do this, you can use either a pressure gauge or use a balloon inflator compressor equipped with a pressure gauge.
Tip: When buying a balloon dip the needle in glycerin, this will help keeping the air in the balloon while making it easier to insert the needle to inflate it.
The valves of the balloons can dry out, this does not mean that they are in poor condition, but it makes the seal not as effective so the balloon loses air more quickly. This can be remedied simply by making the valve more elastic and sealing better. To do this, simply dip the inflator needle into glycerin and then insert and remove he needle into the valve several times. Repeat this operation several times so that the valve is well impregnated with the glycerin and regains its elasticity.
It is essential to know the inflation pressure – basketballs typically need a pressure of 0.55 bar – to maximize their life. In addition, a detail, which many are unaware of and which is essential, is to wet the needle before inflating it.
On Spalding balloons, the American pressure measurement = 8PSI is marked in the external code of each balloon in its different sizes, which is equivalent to 0.551 bar.
BALL TREATMENT
Leather and composite balls are for playing on indoor courts, and rubber balls outdoors. There are some composite balls adapted to both surfaces, but outdoors rubber is advisable.
Many of the problems related to the ball are due to improper use, a basketball is not a soccer ball, it is made to bounce not to be kicked with the foot.
Hitting corners of any kind or walls also influences the durability of the ball, causing bumps and edges.
It is advisable to alternate the balls in training in order to increase their durability.
The life of the ball depends on its continued use and maintenance, the wear of the pebbles of its surface is an example of this, a ball can last a year or 6 months depending on these factors.
