V5 Push Back Scorekeeper Training for Skills Matches

This article includes tips from experienced Head Referees on how to train and use Scorekeepers for Push Back Skills Matches. See this related article for tips on training and using Scorekeepers for Push Back head-to-head Matches.

Last updated on October 3, 2025

Thank you for being here! You are in a unique position to help put the teams at ease, help them find answers to questions, and help them avoid breaking the rules.

• All Scorekeepers should have tablets or devices with TM Mobile installed and connected to the server
• You will start/stop the match timer, watch for violations, and submit the score
• Each team will get a maximum of 3 driving skills matches and 3 autonomous coding skills matches
• Skills Stop Time must be requested by the team before EACH run, or it’s not recorded
• Any violation of the rules is considered “score affecting” if it results in an increase of that team’s score at the end of the match; the following violations should result in a score of zero for the match if they're score affecting:
  • GG1 - too many drive team members, or drive team members leaving the alliance station
  • GG4 - reaching into the field to affect the robot or scoring/field objects during a match
  • GG8 - intentionally detaching part of the robot
  • GG12 - human interference with an autonomous coding skills match
  • SG2 & SG3 - extending beyond the legal expansion limit (22" cube for most robots; 24" in some cases for VEX U and VEX AI)
  • SG9 - Illegal match loads
  • R rules

The lists below are key rules and tasks to keep in mind while watching a match.

Before Each Match

• Field requirements
  • Check field setup
  • 1 red preload
• Team requirements
  • Safety glasses <S4>
  • Up to 3 drive team members per robot <GG1>
  • No powered headphones or earbuds <GG1>
  • Devices in airplane mode <GG1>
  • Fill pneumatics off the field before the head referee arrives <GG3>
  • Students are all in the red alliance station
• Robot requirements
  • Robot starting position <SG1>
    • Within a max size of 18”x18”x18”
    • Contacting the barrier of their alliance's park zone
    • Not contacting any Robots or non-preload objects
    • Nothing in motion
• Preload position <SG5>
  • Touching the robot
  • Not contacting or within the volume of a Goal or Loader
• Ask the team whether they're going to run a Driving Skills or Autonomous Coding Skills Match, and make sure they haven't already done three of that type

During the Skills Match

• Watch for
  • Robots that don’t move at all during a driving match; once they move of their own accord, the team can’t reach in to troubleshoot electronics/connectivity <GG4>
  • Can’t interact with the robot during an autonomous coding skills match
• Blocks that leave the field during a skills match ARE NOT returned <RSC1>

After Each Match

• Score the match
  • Note: Any rule violation that improved the score of the match should result in a 0 score for that match; grab a head referee as needed to communicate this to the team
• Show scoring to the teams, and make sure they confirm
• Preserve the match & field layout if there are rules questions or scoring issues; notify the Head Referee
• Submit the score after the team agrees
• Tell the team they can take their bot
• Activate the field reset crew, or ask the team to help reset after their match

Quick Reference for Skills Scoring: Points & Criteria

Criteria for a Scored Block <SC2> and <RSC2a>

• The Block is in contact with the inside surface(s) of the clear plastic part of a Goal.
• The Block is not in contact with a Robot.
• The Block is not in contact with the Floor.

Criteria for a filled Controlled Zone <RSC2b>

• A Block must be considered Scored in a Goal (see <SC2>) to also be considered Scored in a Control Zone.
• A Control Zone is considered filled if it ends the Match containing its maximum number of Scored
  Blocks, and if all Blocks in that Control Zone are the same color (e.g., all are blue, or all are red).
  • In a Robot Skills Match, a Center Goal Control Zone must contain at least seven (7) Blocks to be
    considered filled.
  • In a Robot Skills Match, a Long Goal Control Zone must contain one or more of the following to be
    considered filled:
    • Three Blocks of the same color fully contained between the inner edges of the Control Zone tape
      lines.
    • Four Blocks of the same color fully contained between the outer edges of the Control Zone tape
      lines.

Criteria for a Cleared Park Zone <RSC2c>

• No Blocks are in contact with the Floor inside the Park Zone at the end of the Match.

Criteria for Cleared Loader <RSC2d>

• No Blocks are within that Loader at the end of the Match.

Criteria for a Parked Robot <SC4> and <RSC2e>

• The Robot is not contacting the Floor outside of the red Alliance Park Zone.
• The Robot is not contacting any Field Elements other than the inside face of the Field Perimeter, the
  Floor inside of the red Alliance Park Zone, and/or the plastic extrusions and connectors that are
  part of the Park Zone. Contact with these allowed elements is not required.
• The Robot is at least partially within the vertical projection of the red Alliance Park Zone.
• The Robot has moved during the Match.