Re: FRC Blogged - 2013 FIRST Championship Registration and Request for Proposals for
 

Call me a horrible person if you want but I am excited that it will almost be a qualification only event. Championships is just that, Championships. The best of the best get together and duke it out until we come away with the top teams.
I think this is a great move for FIRST. We are becoming a larger competition and I am incredibly happy that we have reached the point where there are enough regionals/State Championships to fill nearly all Championship slots with winners. Congrats to FIRST.

If you want to go to Championships and your team doesn't qualify go with some friends and pick a team and cheer for them. Better yet, volunteer! I've had just as much fun with friends and volunteering as I had when I was on Stang. I can't wait to see the competition this year.

Re: FRC Blogged - 2013 FIRST Championship Registration and Request for Proposals for
 

This decision is laying groundwork for the future of FIRST competition structure. As we move more and more towards qualification based district events, this will all make a lot more sense, IMO.

I personally like the change. Makes you work harder to want it.

Re: FRC Blogged - 2013 FIRST Championship Registration and Request for Proposals for
 

I understand that competition at the championship is important, but there is nothing preventing you and your team from attending and more importantly volunteering at championships. It gives you a whole new perspective and is still a ton of fun. I know my old team (93) did this last year and it was a very enjoyable experience for them.

Re: FRC Blogged - 2013 FIRST Championship Registration and Request for Proposals for
 

This is absolutely correct. We had people come with us and 1218 this year from teams who have never been to CMP and didn't qualify this year.

Teams are always very accommodating if you ask them early enough. There's no reason why not qualifying should mean not experiencing the inspiration that comes from being at Championship, regardless of whether you compete there or not.

Re: FRC Blogged - 2013 FIRST Championship Registration and Request for Proposals for
 

You are not a horrible person for saying this. I've been saying Champs needs to be qualification only for a while now myself.

What this means to FRC is simple: Prepare for more District/Region events to happen in the coming years, eventually replacing in full the current "Regional Event" model in the next 8 years. Having the District/Region model will then ramp up the number of teams that will qualify, and eventually you'd only want specifically qualifying teams to make it to Champs anyway.

Re: FRC Blogged - 2013 FIRST Championship Registration and Request for Proposals for
 

My wish is that FIRST could work with another Champion for STEM on ways to ramp up the conferences a notch. Make them a stand alone destination.

I can see so many ways this could fit, including lots of overlap with the special guest focus, targeted tours of the event, and hands on learning.

But planning would need to start a year in advance.

Re: FRC Blogged - 2013 FIRST Championship Registration and Request for Proposals for
 

I wish there was a way for people who are intimately involved with their team at competition to actually be able to attend the conferences.

I don't know how they could make that happen, but it's nearly impossible to attend any of the good ones right now.

Re: FRC Blogged - 2013 FIRST Championship Registration and Request for Proposals for
 

Cory,
I mentioned this several times to Kathie K in the past.
I think this past April was a good step towards that direction by having more presenters do it on Wednesday than overlapping it with the actual tournament.

I didnt mind presenting because it didnt interfere with coaching the students on the field.

**thinking out loud** Many teams come in on Wed anyway because of early unpacking and inspection. Why not have even more presentations and other STEM related exhibits, presentations, and activities on that very day?

Glenn

Re: FRC Blogged - 2013 FIRST Championship Registration and Request for Proposals for
 

I completely agree, and as FIRST grows, that's the way things will have to be. If you want the best chance possible to go to championships, build the best bot you can.

Re: FRC Blogged - 2013 FIRST Championship Registration and Request for Proposals for
 

I don't want to just say the writing was on the wall... but come on, the writing was on the wall with this one. It was something that would inevitably happen if the merit slots take over open registration spots. The competition standards have changed a lot in the modern era from the second era, and this comes as no surprise to me or anyone back home when I said this kind of thing was coming.

It's great for the sport, as long as the overlap between this decision and the roll out of districts does not take too long. You don't have to go to the big event to see some of the best teams in FIRST anymore, when there is a top-tier team or teams in every FRC-active state and province in North America. If you adjust that to a true regional level for post-district championships, there are even more great teams in a central location that isn't halfway across the contiguous United States.

If you want to go to Championships, find someone who can sponsor the trip. If you want to take a robot you can enter in the event, double-down your efforts to build one that can stand up to dynastic teams and top-flight competition while also searching for sponsors. If you want to keep coming back, put your heart into it for a decade and your team can even get in the Hall of Fame!

Ok, it's not as easy as it sounds. Still, I think almost any team can do it, since I have seen KBOS teams make it to the big dance in their rookie years and teams bring average products but above average mindsets and goals to take home a blue banner. Good luck to everyone this year!

Re: FRC Blogged - 2013 FIRST Championship Registration and Request for Proposals for
 

About time, this is ten years overdue.
Now the Championship may actually become a Championship in reality, rather than just in name.

Re: FRC Blogged - 2013 FIRST Championship Registration and Request for Proposals for
 

I'd be interested in looking at that chart a little more closely. Do you possibly have a version that is a little more (for lack of a better word) readable? Some of the regional names are blending together on my screen. Thanks.

Re: FRC Blogged - 2013 FIRST Championship Registration and Request for Proposals for
 

As a Hall of Fame team, if FIRST ever decided that we no longer get automatic entries, I'd be OK with it also.

IRI the past several years put a taste in my mouth I cant get over. So much fun fun fun!!

Re: FRC Blogged - 2013 FIRST Championship Registration and Request for Proposals for
 

I don't think the District model will increase the number of teams qualifying; if anything, it will decrease the number of teams. When MAR was set up, it replaced two regionals - NJ and Philly. Each regional qualified 6 teams - 3 competition winners, CA, EI, RAS. Therefore the MAR championship was allowed to qualify 12 teams - 3 comp winners, 2 CA, 1 EI, 1 RAS, and the top 5 remaining teams with the most ranking points (this info is on the MAR website). MI has a similar system, but as they replaced 3 regionals they send 18 teams to Champs (St Louis Champ, to avoid any confusion). MI has found however, that as the number of teams in their district increases, they add more district events, but still qualify 18 teams from their championship.

Re: FRC Blogged - 2013 FIRST Championship Registration and Request for Proposals for
 

I posted my 4 years FRC Competitive Anaylsis spreadsheet here:

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/papers/2711

I have been intending to publish this ever for about a year, but I never seem to find the time to finish the accompanying description white paper. I will post the paper with the data set at a later date.

This is a population study comparative method which I have used for several years. It helps us to apply numerics so we measure how well our local district system is working. We use this in combination with a few other analytical methods to track event and team competitive levels and growth in our region.

Fun with numbers.....Enjoy.:)