Snowball Making 101
As a snowball thrower, we like to win. It’s in our blood. We train, practice, strategize and mentally prepare to dominate. Yet even the best snowball throwers often make one fatal mistake – they don’t focus on the art of making a good snowball.
I know what some of you are thinking – making snowballs is a no brainer. It’s not rocket science. Correct, it’s snow science. I don’t want to bore you with details about the molecular composition of snowflakes, so I’ve assembled a few tips for creating a perfect snowball.
Tip 1: Slightly wet snow works best. It packs quickly, holds together during flight and explodes on impact temporarily paralyzing your competitor.
Tip 2: Size matters. It must be big enough to make a substantial impact, but small enough to be thrown all the way across the park while you’re dodging behind a tree. It should also fit nicely in the palm of your hand so that you can get a good grip. If you’ve been designated as the team’s dedicated snowball maker during a team competition try to create snowballs larger than a baseball but smaller than a grapefruit. A snowball with a four- or five-inch diameter is the best ‘one-size-fits-all’ size.
Tip 3: Creating snowballs behind cover typically works best, but if the snow is powdery you’ll need to take a risk and find open snow that’s not shaded. Try to evaluate this prior to the start of competition so you can make a run for it before the other team has a chance to get too many snowballs created.
Exhibit A: Good Snowball
Notice the perfect formation and the gloss of the slightly damp snow. This baby’s gonna fly!
Exhibit B: Bad Snowball
Observe how the snowball isn’t retaining its shape. It’s more likely to tickle your opponent than slow them down. You’re not hitting anyone further than ten feet away with this thing.
So, now you’re ‘in the know’ when it comes to snowballs. If you really want to know more about the molecular composition of snowflakes leave a comment otherwise, go sign that petition!
All of this powdery snow that recently hit North Carolina isn’t the best for making snowballs, but it is fun to play in. Also, I realized that icy balls of snow are not, in fact, ‘fun’. Instead, they tend to knock people unconscious in the middle of competition (not that I would know!). This is especially true when the ball is more like a small boulder/large rock and is launched from a snowy trebuchet.
If snow is too dry to pack together, apply a slight mist of water to make it stick or when the temperature warms up a little it will stick just great. All snow is snowballable – you just have to help a little sometimes!
Try getting in a snow ball fight with your ex. Put a little piece of ice in the middle. hehehe
I really like the videos and I think it’s very insightful that snowball making is really the “science” of snowballthrowing.