Downtime at Competition?
 

Ok, so we had our last competition of the year last week with Brunswick Eruption, and with a growing trend of teams there are a lot of Pre-Rookies on new teams as well as students new to the competition on veteran teams. The feedback I got from asking people around was as usual phenomenal. Everyone loves it (come on its robots) but there is one complaint that I heard over and over.

What does your team during the downtime at a competition? There is a lot of it, particularly if you are on a larger team where there is only so much work to go around.

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

You play my team in Ultimate Frisbee...
So far undefeated for my 3 years on the team so far.

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

Heh... even though I've only seen the UCF regional, I've seen people do everything from watching flash movies to browsing ChiefDelphi to playing hackeysack to a limbo game started by 79 and 233.

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

Conor, I am not sure about the whole team, but at competitions whenever I get a chance I go up to mentors/engineers (that I know) and start talking to them or hang out with my friends there. I only see them few times a year. That's how I met great mentors and friends. Competitions just never get boring for me. :]

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

I'm gonna go with Arefin on this one. There is way too much to do at competitions to be playing ultimate frisbee or hackey sack.

There's a whole lot that can be learned.

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

Downtime, what downtime? There's always something to do. Scouting is always a good way to keep people busy (if you are on strategy and want to deprive yourself off a good nights sleep simply have round scouting and team scouting on every team. Not only does it keep 6+ people busy for a reasonable amount of time, it also keeps you awake all night and you still find yourself rushing to formulate a list of alliance partners when you end up in eigth place.)

This may seem like an obvious one, but go and sit in the stands and watch matches. Some of the most exciting things take place on accident during qualification matches.

Go talk to people. Introduce yourself to various people who you know who they are. I know I'd be pretty happy if someone walked up to me when I was wandering around and said "Hi, I'm Bob from CD."

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

Downtime Conor... what downtime? ACtually we were fortunate to have a very well built robot this year along with a lot of luck so we did have some downtime. Usually just enough for pit crew and drive team to go and get our own lunches instead of having my parents grab them :) (ex: FLR last year). We even had time to play some hackeysack between matches in Cleveland. But most of our time is spent in the pit or on the field. so when we do come across the usual 10 - 15 minutes i search out a laptop with internet access and log onto CD to catch up on any new regional news, or to post any myself. (ex: FLR last year) My advice though, when you are lucky enough to come across some free time... cherish it, hold it tight, and SLEEP. ;)

JT
229

EDIT:
I am also going to have to agree with Arefin here, at the end of the day at the Champs when we were just sitting around or getting scouting information in order. (or when I was told i spent to much time in the pits :p ) I was lucky enough to go talk to all my friends and idols. (ex: Copioli, Baker, Patton, Morrison, Beatty's, Karthik, John Neun... etc.) this is a great time to learn more about the competition and their bots, or just talk to some really great people. Use it wisely. Mob JVN for autographs :D

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

I come from a small team, but we try to keep the whole team involved, there is a lot of scouting. There could even be more scouting if I could get them to do it. Many people are also cheering (this often involves bad dancing), hanging out with friends on other teams, or collecting buttons. Sometimes, if we can get an adult to go with us, we go somewhere for food or shopping. :)

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

I do agree with both Collin and Arefin, I'm usually overwhelmed with the amount of stuff to do at a competition. Now what I'm trying to figure out how to do is get the rest of the team to find something to do at competition when its not their turn to scout or check out the robot in the pit. More of how to get them out of the stands and to interact and really get out of the competition what Arefin, Collin, and I do out of an event.

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

Sign up to be a volunteer. You will have no downtime there. Many of our students who are not on the drive team or pit crew do this. I have done it for the past two years and find it very rewarding.

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

... I follow Arefin around.


Just kidding, I'm usually staying well out of the way of our pit crew and either trying to dig up a bit of scouting information, meeting some other students and engineers, taking pictures pictures pictures, or following Arefin around.

Cursed Freudian slips...

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

usually we have driver meetins, team peptalks, but when I'm not doing those, o try to get outa the hotes in search of FIRST teams that just want to chill.

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

Free.... Time...? do these words even work grammatically in a sentence?

Seriously, We were pretty busy all the time... the little bit of time we did have was spent talking to other teams, mentors, and simply watching the games *gasp! yeah, we watch the games....*

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

I can't say I've ever had downtime, in my five years of FIRST.

For the first four, I was a student, and was always busy either in the pits, talking strategy, or watching matches/scouting.

Last year I volunteered at four events, and probably had even less downtime than the first four :)

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

White paper from NEMO on "Jobs at Competition." And yes, you have to search but look on current page 7.

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

I agree with the many who feel that there is way to much to do to have downtime, however, I think there is also an important fact that is overlooked:

Some members on FIRST teams don't "get" it yet.

This isn't their fault (or a fault at all), however, if a person is new to FIRST, competitions can just go by in a boring blur. What should be noticed? What can be learned?
Perhaps a solution would be having a mentor or active parent who is more aware of all the opportunities of a competition lead a "guided tour" on the first day and point out all the unique, extraordinary, or just plain cool ideas that other teams have pursued. Enthusiasm must occasionally be instilled by someone who is already excited.

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

If you want to fill up your free time just take up programming, everytime there is a problem or something that needs to be tweaked it is your fault and your job (even when the drve team is using the wrong joysticks)

There is always something to do, if all else fails just go watch matches and write down what you see, who is good , who is bad, it will help alot when the scouting team is trying to figure out "who has the bot with the balls on the arm".

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

downtime what downtime...i really never had downtime my entire time in FRC yet...but if I had the time i would meeting up with friends i've met from other states and going around and trying to learn like everyone else has said.
and championships going to some those workshops..a lot of them i've heard are really great and all.
also not only walking around to learn but to see if any team needs help.

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

Cheer for everyone else that IS competing that match. Go to other teams and challenge them to some spirited cheering. If your team is one of those who doesn't do much cheering, go find one that is cheering and sit with them (I've done it) - they are having fun and you will, too! Visit the pits and observe the other robots, make notes on the pit displays. Read their "judges information" - you will get lots of ideas of how your team can improve by reading about what other teams are doing. If they are a veteran team you admire, ask if they are competing in the Chairman's Award process and ask to look at a copy of their submission. If you are a mentor, organize a lunchtime meeting of other mentors. or whatever role you play on the team. Check out the mascot costumes to figure out how to make one for your team.

Your experience is whatever you choose to make it. Choose to be bored and sleep? Your choice. Just don't let me see you do it, or I'll give you the lecture that my former team members have heard from me before... I didn't spend all that time, all that money, and all my vacation days to come to this event to watch you sleep through it. This is what you've worked so hard for. Don't miss a second of it!

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last year, #340 had around 50 students. during the day we cheered and watched and fixed the robot when it broke down. at night we would always find something to do. we normally would go out to a restaurant that we reserved for 60+ people (including mentors). after eating, i recall going bowling some nights, and other nights just chilling at the hotel. we would go swimming watch the day's matches on video. that is what we would do. it kept us busy most of the time.

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

At competitions We don't have a ton of downtime but during lunch when the majority is out and around eating we enjoy hacky sack.

Most of our downtime is during build season while we are waiting in the hall for the advisor's to come open the door to the room. so if it is too cold outside to play in the parking lot luckily there is a kind of cul-de-sac in the hallway where there is room to fit 5 people comfortably playing the official game of 204 Hacky sack.

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

Thank you for all the suggestions so far, they have all been really helpful. I think Conor was referring to the new members. Team 1403 went from 20 active members last year to over 70 active members this year. We assign them roles at the competition, but its hard to find new things for a team that large to do. Cheering is always an option and those of you who went to Brunswick Eruption know how spirited 1403 was :cool: . The problem with playing with the hacky or ultimate frisbee is that much like FIRST its hard to stop and its easy to lose track of time :p . We are trying new methods at every competition, and we are starting to find our way in terms of management. We just wanted to know if anyone had any more suggestions for us to try out. Thanks a bunch!

GO 1403!!!

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

What i have been trying to convince my team to do since my freshman year but they don't seem interested but ill open it up to everyone now is have a wireless lan party in the stadium. Many teams bring laptops so you burn a lot of demos of a popular multi player game such as an fps or a rts. You might want to set it up for a specific time in a specific area so people don't suffer from weak signal.

playing an rts or a game like counter strike helps build inter team relationships, keeps the kids in the stadium, and keeps them thinking and adapting to new strategies

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

Im fairly certain that there's a rule against setting up and operating your own wireless network. You might want to check the "at the competition" section of the rulebook to be sure.

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

what do i do during freetime?? hey there is alot of loud techno so...
I DANCE!!!!!!!!!!!

anykind will do, even the numa numa dance....

besides dancing there is always heckeling the drive team to make sure they can take the pressure and sniffing for wifi so i can get the latest ctrl-alt-del

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

What no one seems to have posted yet filled up a ton of downtime for our team last year....BUTTON COLLECTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :]

Re: Downtime at Competition?
 

Mostly my team scouts other teams. But we still sneak in some time to play hacky sack.