Taking a step back...
 

I have noticed a lot as the competition season has started how there has been many posts cropping up about rule violations, missed calls by refs, etc. First of all, I understand the way it feels when you have been treated unfairly. It sucks. But, it is important to remember that the referees and others are volunteers, and above all else, they are human. It would be great if the referees were perfect machines that could score every match perfectly with 100% accuracy, but, that doesn't always happen. The referees are human, and therefore, they make mistakes. Without the refs and other volunteers, there would be no FRC. They dedicate their free time to learning the rules, going to training, and actually refereeing the event. They don't have to volunteer, they don't have to dedicate their time. They do it to help you have a good time and play matches. Before you fly to the computer to post on Chief Delphi about your problems with the refs or any other volunteers, remember these things:

- They are volunteering to help you and your team
- They make mistakes. No one is perfect.
- They have a very tough job. This game is quite hard to referee.
- They aren't trying to cheat your team out of advancing or winning.

Do unfair calls suck? Of course. Are they the end of the world? Absolutely not. Before you post, take a step back and think about some of these things and have empathy and compassion for the referees and other volunteers. They are trying their best. And, if you decide to post, do so in a constructive and polite manner. Anger-filled posts will just make it worse.

Re: Taking a step back...
 

Duly noted.

And some of the complaints online have been refuted by others at the competitions. Sometimes complaints are really just gripes and poor sportsmanship.

I agree that the refs' job is tough and requires a level of attention to detail that I cannot maintain. That's why I am not a ref.

Remember though that this is not youth soccer. There are not just hundreds of dollars invested, and a weekend here and there. There are THOUSANDS of dollars invested just to BE at the competition. Not to mention the thousands more invested to build and prototype the robot. And then there are the countless hours the students (and mentors) volunteer to build the robot, go through training, and practice.

If a mistake on the part of a ref denies a team their earned victory, that should not be shrugged off as the price of volunteerism.

Re: Taking a step back...
 

I agree with and understand this post. That said, I think most people who post something along the lines of "in such and such match, such was missed and it cost my team something", are not complaining about the quality of character of the refrees, they are simply noting and pointing out an issue that is effecting their team. It's like the Rhino Track failure earlier in the season.

Teams have built robots that depend on rules being enforced how they are written, if that isn't how it's being called, someone needs to address the issue. This game is complex and a ton of fun to watch, I would much rather have it go down as that kind of game, than a game too complicated to referee. Missed calls are not just something people need to accept as part of the game.

Re: Taking a step back...
 

I think it's important to remember that there are two distinct groups of people that work together to make things happen; the organization known as FIRST and the volunteers.
Any irritation or complaining about the way the game is officiated should never be directed at the volunteers. They are generous with their time and the events would not happen without them. We all owe them a debt of gratitude and any anger anyone feels toward them is misdirected.
FIRST as an organization is a different story. We are their customers. As educators, FIRST is a "vendor" to us. We pay them to provide our students with a useful educational experience.
If the game cannot be officiated with a reasonable amount of accuracy by the volunteers, the problem is not with the volunteers, it is with the product that FIRST has produced. Your feedback (hopefully constructive) should be directed there.

Re: Taking a step back...
 

I understand, and I think it is completely ok to express your feelings in a positive and constructive way. This post was authored more to address the mean spirited and rude posts about refs, volunteers, etc.