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The Physics Catapult Competition

5th Annual Competition -- 2007

On Monday, 19 November, 2007, 68 students competed in the 5th Annual Physics Catapult Competition on the new Tyoka Jackson Athletic Field. The winning catapult built by senior Jimmy Rightnour and his younger brother launced a tennis ball 27.5 meters (90.2 feet). Courtney Barbour finished 2nd with a launch of 23.65 meters (77.6 feet). Christine Adams and Anne Johnson finished 3rd at 20.56 meters (67.5 feet). Many freshmen entered the competition for the first time this year as part of the new Physics First curriculum. We look forward to even more participants in 2008.

2007 Results | 2007 Photo Album

2006 Competition

This year's competition was held about a week later than in previous years, but the weather was still great. Twenty catapults lined up on the goal line of McNamara's new turf field and began firing (with a slight breeze at their backs) after school on Tuesday, 6 December, 2006. There were more trebuchet designs than in past years--maybe, just maybe, because the past years' winners were trebuchets--but none could break the record mark of 33.90 meters set by Kristopher Dela Cruz and Rachel Mattos in 2005.

2006 Results | 2006 Photo Album

2005 Competition

The physics catapult competition was held on Monday, 28 November, 2005, after being postponed because of rain before Thanksgiving. 35 catapults with various creative designs fired tennis balls on the football field. Rachel Mattos and Kristopher Dela Cruz shattered the competition record of 25.95 meters with a winning throw of 33.9 meters (about 111 feet) with their trebuchet. Stephanie Hickok and Melanie Middleton finished in second with a throw of 26.7 meters (about 88 feet), also breaking the record. Congratulations to all the participants.

2005 Results | 2005 Photo Album

2004 Competition

2004 Results | 2004 Photo Album

2003 Results

History and Rules of the Competition

The Catapult Competition has grown into an annual event among physics classes at Bishop McNamara High School. In 2002, the purpose was to simply construct a device that would launch any object at various angles in order to determine which angle gave the largest range (x-distance). In 2003, the competition truly began and the current rules were devised.

Rules of the Catapult Competition