Body painting and first
 

this year at UTC regional, on the last day of competition me and a couple of my friends decided to paint ourselves orange & black (school colors) and have our team number written on our chest and back. This idea was a fairly big hit from expressions ive seen among judges, participants, spectators, students, and people of all ages.

So that being successful, we decided to do the same thing to our travel competition whcich was this year in Las Vegas. Thursday and friday we were painted orange and black, and many people including some judges, LOTS of students and adults/menotrs liked our spirit and enthusiasim. The two days went by without anyone saying negative to us except for that we canno be in the pit areas without a shirt... okay a little annoying, especially while trying to interview teams for scouting, but fair enough, so we did not re enter the pits.

Now Saturday the final day of competition comes up, and we decide to do something a little different, half orange, half black, split right down the middle with the number painted on our chests and back. The part of the number on the black side was orange, and part on the orange side was black. Now Im describing this because it took a while for the three of us to do, longer than the previous days.

So we walk outside and after cheering for our team me and my friends were pulled aside by a member of the staff from first and told that we need to put shirts on. They had never said anything to us previous to that day and on that day teams should probably have the most spirit. We were given two reasons which I personally found very dumb. The first being that, "Body painting is good for football, but not qquite for FIRST." Football fans paint hemselves to cheer for their team which is exactly we what are doing here...ITS SPIRIT, GIVE ME A BREAK!. The second and my personal favorite of the two was,"It does not convey the image of FIRST." Im sorry but isnt FIRST about being yourself? Isn't FIRST about being Spirited and enthusiastic about your team? Look I'm not complaining at all because honestly one person saying that to us when so many others appreciated and encouraged it does not really make a big imprint in our minds. so we put on shirts for the mean time but during the quarter finals semi final matches. we werent going to let that phase us and take away our spirit.

I say this not to whine or complain, or beg for attention. I say this because I want to hear your responses to the matter. and also if you have pictures of the three body painted guys from the regional in Hartford or Las Vegas I would really like to see them. so please post your replys

Re: Body painting and first
 

I remember seeing you guys at Hartford and it was really cool to see people that into FIRST and the competition, even if it does seem to belong at a Football game more. However, I had no problems with it, and one member of our team painted his face and arms and made a custom beater for the Saturday at Philadelphia. I don't believe anyone talked to him to take it off, and some people commended him for having done it. I don't think that if someone in a team wants to be spirited, and isn't making a negative image by doing so in whatever way, they should be allowed to use body paint.

Re: Body painting and first
 

Last year a member of our team (he was pretty enthusiastic) painted our actual jersey on his body, details and everything. It was cool looking, got our spirit up higher. I think it's a great idea, there shouldn't be anything wrong with it unless you go a bit too far with it, if you catch my drift. :p

Re: Body painting and first
 

What does staff from first mean? Is this person a civilian person who is a regular volunteer/committee member or is it a real FIRST employee?

Re: Body painting and first
 

That actually sounds pretty cool! I totally agree with you that you should be able to wear body paint in FIRST. Even if it is like football, isn't that what FIRST is always trying to do; make a connection to other popular sports? Even the game this year is based on a combo of basketball and soccer!!

The only reason I could think of for them telling you that is that walking around in the pits with that much open skin MIGHT be unsafe. :eek: But honestly I don't see the problem!

Maybe you could wear a tank top and dye it the colors of your team then paint the rest of your body to match! :D

Re: Body painting and first
 

That's such a neat idea! What an awesome way of showing team spirit in a very unique way, one that most people might not associate with robotics, but still... I can't believe that someone told you to put a shirt on! Some people painted their faces and chests at the philly regionals as well, i always love seeing people that spend time on getting ready for robotics, it shows that they care! Don't let that one person stop you! (I'm pretty sure that if we weren't an all-girls team, we'd also paint our backs and such) :D

Re: Body painting and first
 

Personally, I wouldn't have minded if you and your team were seated next to mine in the stands. We got stuck next next to this crew who kept slapping pool noodles together and on the floor producing a decibel level greater than that of a Megadeth concert. Man, just the memory of those guys is bringing back migraines. For the record folks, there are three acceptable uses for pool noodles only. One, they make great bumpers for robots. Two, you can use them for swashbuckling pool noodle sword fights. Nobody gets hurt but the light fixtures, eh? Three, though it is still unconfirmed, we have reports that some people have in the past used them for some sort of entertainment while swimming in a pool though how that would be possible escapes me.....

I think guys getting fired up and painting themselves like they were going to a sports event sounds pretty much exactly what FIRST is supposed to be accomplishing, and I feel your pain. A couple years ago we organized some guys to get painted up for a football pep rally. Same deal. They were a giant hit with everybody, but The Man said, "We appreciate your enthusiasm, but normal dress code still applies." Kay kay. Got it. No problem, boss. Of course, sometimes the folks in charge aren't really worried about you but the guy who will come after you and take what you did a step too far so they gotta look ahead and worry about precedents and such. That might be the case here. Dunno.

vic

Re: Body painting and first
 

Team 33 did this @ GLR during the finals. Only they just had their number on their chest. Until that point they wore shirts- as far as i can remember. But they were standing on the edge of the field-where spectators stand. and they got a great response from the crowd and some of the refs were really into it as well and came over and started cheering but i noticed that they never were shot on the big screen and after one match of doing this one of the staff came over and told them they needed to put shirts on it was un-FIRST-like or something to that effect.

I can also see where no shirts in the pits could be dangerous but i support body painting as long as it isnt taken too far as said above.

Re: Body painting and first
 

Back when FIRST was still at Disney, this was really common. In fact, in the FIRST booklet given out at regionals in 2003 there was a picture of this with people with body paint on them at the 2002 Championships. Things change though.

Re: Body painting and first
 

I remember students for 229 did this at BAE in 2004 by painting numbers on their chest. I thought it was awsome, and they seemed really spirited. Next year they did it again, but were told to put their shirts back on for indecent exposure. Go figure.

Re: Body painting and first
 

a few of us painted our chests at Boston, nobody said anything, they were more amused than offended

Re: Body painting and first
 

This is one of the things the press noticed when we were interviewed at another robotics competition and the interviewer was thoroughly impressed with the fact that there were people that did paint up. I think that people should be allowed to paint up and I can understand the concern in the pit. FIRST tries and succeeds at trying to make enginering and sceicen fun and enjoying. It seems to me that people painting up most certainly shows the enthusiasm people are beginning to show for FIRST Robotics and what it stands for.

Re: Body painting and first
 

I think the issue is the same issue with other public places (stores, malls, resturants, schools, churches, government buildings....) No shirt, no shoes, no admission. Its not a dress code thing, its a sitting-next-to-a-half-naked-person thing.

A tank top is a reasonable compromise.

EDIT: consider that it might also be a requirement of the venue that was rented for the event, esp if they are serving food.

Re: Body painting and first
 

I am all for the body painting/ face painting. I think it is an awesome way to show spirit. I totally agree with the notion that you shouldn't be allowed in the pits with no shirt on, seeing as it's a safety hazard. I don't agree with the idea that body paint conveys an image FIRST doesn't want. Just because we are nerds doesn't mean we can't show spirit! I have done full face paint (see WAI pic) and 4 of us did our team number on our chests 2 years ago at the Canadian Regional and weren't hassled for it.

So body paint in FIRST? I say GO FOR IT!

Re: Body painting and first
 

I think another real issue is that FIRST is still in a somewhat new state...while those of us involved with the program can understand the excitement and the team dedication/spirit, outsiders to the program (like corporate sponsors, mayors, governors, etc.) might be a little startled by a bunch of rowdy, shirtless team members. Team spirit is essential and the excitement of the crowd is what makes competitions great, but sometimes decisions have to be made in the interest of those who might not have the same experience in FIRST as the rest of the crowd.

Re: Body painting and first
 

lifes short party naked

Re: Body painting and first
 

at the ucf regional in florida a few of our students did that and they had to put their shirts on, the staff said they didnt want it smeered on the stands and seats and whatnot

but to say it doesnt convey the spirit of First i believe isnt rite

Re: Body painting and first
 

We started doing that in 2003, and as far as I know they've done it ever since. Here's a pic of the "founding fathers" of the Killer Bees body painting (actually in those days we used permanent markers and it would last on us for a few days!) :cool:

Cool fact...I was the "I" back in the day, and this year at Great Lakes they recruited my 9 year old brother to be the "I"....my other brother that is on the team now couldn't do it because he was the human player.

As you may imagine, I don't have any problem with body painting at all!

Re: Body painting and first
 

I think it's more of the person's personal beliefs too. I'm sure any FIRST-respsecting volunteer would allow it, but someone with their personality-factor going into it might make a difference.

We were going to paint our chests, but we didn't have enough paint. So we went with faces.

Re: Body painting and first
 

Like Jason Kixmiller said, FIRST is a new program, that isn't widely known about. Therefore, the image of a bunch of loud teenagers, prancing about without shirts on. Personally, I don't think that one needs body paint to show your spirt. There are so many other ways one can accomlish that goal, there is no reason to be getting up in arms about the whole bodypaint thing.

Re: Body painting and first
 

I think this is just an issue at the venue
At GLR this year there was this really strict security gueard
she kept coming over to us when we were hitting baloons around in the stands and taking them and poping them. i mean come on...balls were flying around ont he field, so whats the point?
and last year at Midwest regional we wernt aloud to get up and dance or do anything or else security would come over and tell us to sit down and stuff.
personally i think you should be able to show spirit as long as its not hurting anyone, people had their shirts off at GTR but i dont know if anyone said anything to them.

Re: Body painting and first
 

Ya, some of us had that problem at the philly regionals as well. every time we would stand up and cheer for our robot, people would complain. i understand that we were blocking them, but it was for like ten seconds! I think that everyone should be able to express their spirit, especially when their robot is up, but hey, that's only my opinion... I think that they should make a huge assigned section for people that want to dance, that way we wouldn't block anybody and we could cheer for our teams properly! Maybe they could even make this assigned section a place for people who want to show off their paint! :D

Re: Body painting and first
 

Really? We were loud, had a couple hundred ballons (At one point), big blue streamers on 10ft pieces of PVC, and the only thing we were asked to do was to keep the ballons off the field/in the stands!

-Dillon Compton
Team 1394

Re: Body painting and first
 

217 did that a lot. When we became the Thunderchickens though, the teachers stopped us because it wasn't "sophisticated" enough. Not like it's really put a damper on 217's spirits, of course...

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/24383

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/24380

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/24381

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/24382

Re: Body painting and first
 

For the Milwaukee Regional, Team 857 bought facepaint. I told the students that they could paint their faces but to limit it to that - no full body painting. When they asked why I told them:

1. It's not appropriate to run around the venue without your shirt on; mostly because it's potentially damaging to our team image. What if one of our sponsors saw you and thought, "I'm paying $8,000/year for these kids to run around half-naked?? No way!"
2. You won't be allowed in the pits and we might need you there.
3. It's cold outside! You'll need to put your jacket on anyway to eat lunch (and your mom will kill you - and maybe me - if you come home with blue paint all over everything)

If another team wants to paint their bodies - go for it! :) As for my team, I'd rather have them running around with blue faces and our team shirt on (which has our logo, number, sponsors, etc) than with a big "8" on their chests.

Re: Body painting and first
 

I saw you guys at hartford during the timeout in the semi-finals.. There was nothing wrong with what you guys did.. Plus Dean Kamen's goal is to make students excited about FIRST and have the events run like a sporting event.. I don't think I've see any college basketball or football game on TV without seeing fans with body paint..

The fact that somebody told you that you can't go into the pits without a shirt means that a pit admin or supervisor saw you guys and didn't see anything wrong with it, as long as you weren't in the pits where you could get cut up on some machines... I'm under the impression a voulenteer (probably an adult one) saw you guys and they probably felt you were out-of-line.. But, I'm sure guys did the right thing and shut up and just put on your shirts. If this happened before lunch you could have asked to talk a supervisor or somebody on the planning committee and I'm sure they would have told you that you were OK to have the body paint.

Re: Body painting and first
 

Whether times change or not, FIRST at one time endorsed (if only by implication) this kind of team spirit, and there has never been a rule against it. I think that unless your lack of attire is legally indecent or you're in the pit (there's a legitimate safety concern) FIRST volunteers are out of line to discourage or disallow it.
However, if they do tell you to cover up, they're in charge, so you have to listen.

Re: Body painting and first
 

That's surprising... It definitely not the judges that prompted that... And I doubt the regional director, refs, or field volunteers would mind... They'd be all for that type of spirit. In fact, the judges are looking for that kind of spirit for the team spirit award.

One thing that should be remembered throughout this discussion, the vast majority of people at the events are volunteers. I'm not saying that excuses them, but before being too harsh, everyone should remember that these people are giving up there time to help out. Personally, I see no problems with it myself as long as the half-naked painted spirited individuals are still decently attired... My team did this a number of years ago at VCU, Philly, and Epcot with no problems...

Re: Body painting and first
 

Keep in mind at EPCOT we were in a glorified parking lot.

They will not let you into any of the theme parks now without a shirt. I suspect its because, if they do, then sooner or later some organization will get behind some woman who files a lawsuit for 'equal access'.

If guys can run around wearing nothing but shorts and body paint then.... ?

(Whenever something doesnt make sense at face values, there are lawyers involved :^)

Re: Body painting and first
 

This year our team had some face paint on. I don't recall any teams having body paint though.

However, last year the pink team came to the Colorado regional (I have never seen more pink in my entire life) and I think that some of the pink team members were wearing body paint.

Re: Body painting and first
 

Yeah, theres been a really pink Pink Team at UCF the past few years. As for being fussed at for cheering for your team, I don't agree with that. There seems to be a general concensus in the stands that teams can stand up can stand up and cheer for their team while their on the field..as long as they sit back down!

Body painting doesn't bother me, just like dying your hair- its showing spirit.

"Look out! Its a balloon! It'll take your head off! Pop it quick!"

Re: Body painting and first
 

It is perfectly okay for you to paint your entire body while at a FIRST event, whether or not you are a gal or a guy. Just keep proper clothes on and no one will complain. The beachbots might be on the field, but on the beach we aren't...

Re: Body painting and first
 

I see nothing wrong with bodypainting so long as it is tactful, which i beleive this was. To me this seems like much ado about nothing. Surely we have more important issues to gripe about than one team's display of spirit eh?