Re: Spirit in the Stands
 

We used to stand up during the entire match to cheer and get a good look at our machine. We were not the only ones doing so either. But in recent years, with more teams and overcrowded arenas, we found that people stopped standing and didn't like when we stood.

I even remember one team whose members through ice at our students because they were standing up.

If everyone agrees to stand for matches then we can work around that. If everyone agrees to sit for matches then everyone should have a view. The problem becomes when teams at a regional cannot agree and therefore our cheering forms are incompatible. For example, if we all agree to sit down but team XXXX stands up then we have to stand up to see and then it becomes this domino effect.

It would be great to have volunteers in the stands to help with crowd control, people sitting in aisles, and the whole standing up debate. Of course, it would be great just to have more volunteers. :p

Re: Spirit in the Stands
 

This concept is simple:

Stand up for your teams introduction. Stand up for the final score.

Sit down and show some basic respect for the many teams behind you during the match.

Re: Spirit in the Stands
 

And add to the debate the different culturally based attitudes that lead to some of our international teams fervently standing and cheering through any match that has their team or any other from that same nation...;)

Re: Spirit in the Stands
 

Yeah....personally, PERSONALLY I would feel a little peeved if the team in front of me stood for the duration of the match. RAID (2537) is a relatively large team (60~ members), so I know that if we stood up for two minutes during a match we'd be blocking a lot of people's views. However, it doesn't really take a 60 person team to block a view. Even a 15 person team can block a short person like me (5'4"). I'm fine with standing and cheering at the top of your lungs during introductions (as a drive team member, there's no better feeling than to see all of your teammates yelling at you and standing and generally going crazy). It's an exciting time, and you shouldn't be afraid to show it. But if you're going to block a scout's view for the ENTIRE match, eh.....I mean.......I'd ask you to sit down respectfully a couple of times, but if your whole team just did that for all of World's (4 days, I believe?) I'd probably have a quick chat with your lead mentor or team captain by the 3rd day.

Re: Spirit in the Stands
 

Put me down for 'trying to stay mostly seated' during matches. Before and after is cool, but I personally don't like standing, as it's sent a poor message to scouts who are watching/recording behind us and also puts the elderly, handicapped, etc at a disadvantage. Granted we're not a hugely spirited team, but I think we can show spirit without standing through the match. That said, I of course don't condone rudeness from our scouts in remedying such situations.

A note on college sports, I tend to notice the student section standing most of the games, but the alumni/etc sections less so. FIRST mixes these two, so sitting would likely dominate this analogy. Also, many if not most graduations I've been to ask that you hold all applause until the final name. Actually, a couple people were actually arrested (in another state) the year before I graduated for doing so. Such disruptions prevent other families from hearing their students' names at all.

Re: Spirit in the Stands
 

1. Does your team show spirit in the stands? How?
Yes! Lots of yelling, shouting from the stands during introduction. We are relatively varied in the level of spirit. Those who prefer to stand through the match also enjoy being super close to the action, which tends to land them up against the barriers in the cheering section. There is also a group (mainly scouters) that sit the entirety of the match. Personally, I feel that I have failed if I leave the regional with my voice intact, so I am one of those weirdos in the cheering section.

2. If you stand and cheer for your team, do you remain so for the duration of the match? What about holding signs?
Those of us that stand the duration of the match are in the cheering section down on the field floor.

3. Do you encounter teams who are unhappy with your spirit in the stands? If so, how do you deal with them?
I personally haven't seen anyone unhappy with our spirit.

4. A team in front of you is standing up during their match, blocking your vision. What do you do? Do you ask for them to sit, or do you respect their spirit and deal with it for a match?
Honestly, I'd join them in standing and shouting (and have in the past). If the cheering is unreasonable, ie blocking my vision for the sake of blocking it, I will ask them politely to stop whatever they are doing. If its really bad I'd seek out a mentor and/or move to different seats if they are available.

5. Is spirit in the stands different for qualification vs. elimination matches (Ex. Scouts in the qualifications, who would like an unblocked view of the field).
For us there is no real difference, mainly due to the fact that in the northwest regionals we have the spirit and cheering sections.


My two cents: cheering should be loud and proud. If standing is your thing I feel that you should be able to do that. If you are concerned about some people not being too happy about your style, then place your team in seats where you can stand and not get in anyone's way (ie to the sides or in the back of a section.

Re: Spirit in the Stands
 

Personally, I don't like it when people are standing during the matches. I think it's perfectly fine at the beginning, when teams are being announced, and at the end, when the score is being announced. However, I don't appreciate it during a match if your team is not as the top of the bleachers.

During qualifications - and some eliminations - people have to scout, and it's really difficult if people are standing in front of them. A lot of people underestimate the amount of stress scouts are under, and blocking their view makes it more difficult for them and adds to their stress.

Also, there are some people, like myself, who are extremely short. When someone is standing in front of me, the odds are, I won't be able to see, regardless of whether or not I'm standing. In addition to this, the elderly and handicapped may be unable to stand, preventing them from seeing the matches at all.

Please, please, just sit down during the match. Spirit can be shown just as well while sitting.

Re: Spirit in the Stands
 

You shouldn't be drinking alcohol in the stands anyway.

Re: Spirit in the Stands