Medals or pins--A poll
 

In response to this thread, what would you prefer? You do not have to give a reason here, especially if you have already posted there.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

The "pins" Bill is referring to (at least the FTC ones) look nothing like buttons; they more resemble the Chairman's, Safety, and Gracious Professionalism pins.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

I'd go with medals as so many other pins are obtained throughout the competition that another pin probably wouldn't mean as much as a bronze medal.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

I went with medals,

because, you can"feel" them....they have a weight to them and it feels like they mean something....more than a pin atleast....

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

I don't like participation medals, i never take one from my team because i never understood the point of them. I only want a medal that says i won something. The bronze medal, is supposed to symbolize 3rd place, you don't get third place so why would you take it if you didn't get third place? I would much rather have a pin, it shows you participated and it doesn't give people false imprecations of how you did at the competition.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

Medals for awards winners only... pins for everyone (in addition to the medals)

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

Pins for participation...I've never taken a medal for participation

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

Pin for participation, the everyone is a winner philosophy cheapens winning. Bronze medal implies 3rd place and a team that went 0-8 shouldn't get a medal implying 3rd place.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

I like pins. They are smaller, brighter, and more versatile. Pin 'em to your hat, collar, sleeve, lanyard, badge, scarf, necktie, etc.

And a supply of pins sufficient for one regional event is fairly easy to manage, from the freight handlers' perspective^*. As a volunteer who has been responsible for FRC event shipments, I support making those shipments lighter whenever we can do so, while maintaining high standards for the FRC experience.

^* Anyone who has handled one of the Medallion Cases at an FRC event knows what I mean. Those things are VERY heavy, and have been known to cause problems if they get loose on a truck, or crash into something at the event venue.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

Chris, I know. I realized that after I'd put the poll up. I was thinking like the current RCA/CA pins.

As for medals, of course you'd keep the gold/silver ones in place.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

I think pins similar to the mentor or volunteer pins would be fine. They are certainly more "wearable" and safer than medals dangling from a ribbon.

Having the year and FRC game title on the pin would be a nice touch.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

Everyone's a winner is poor word choice, really. I think the idea is that a medal is a better physical representation of what you've accomplished as a team.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

Pin, cheaper, more unique and more interesting. I would collect pins from past seasons which you can't really do with medals. Also, you could wear pins to a comp which you can't do with medals (at least not comfortably) .

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

I vote pins.

Medals were cool in FLL, but they didn't exactly mean anything significant to me and they seem cheaply built. I prefer pins as they are small, I can put them on anything, wear them at competitions and not feel as though a medal will get in the way, and they have an overall professional look over medals.

But the gold, silver, and chairmans medals are still cool with me.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

Giving someone an "I was there" trinket is not cheapening anything. Is winning and losing so important that we forget why this program exists in the first place? Hint: it has nothing to do with building robots or entering them in competition. A participation trinket is a recognition that you got off the couch, dropped the video game controller, and CHOSE to do something amazing -- even if your robot didn't win a trophy. I don't think it has anything to do with "everyone's a winner."

In my own program, I feel the awarding of participation recognition does nothing to lessen the feeling of achievement that the kids in Exothermic Robotics have in successfully building robots and winning 25+ trophies in the last three years. I haven't polled all of them, but I'd bet a nickel that the kids in our program wouldn't even care about the question, let alone the answer.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

I voted for pins (buttons) because I have 2 medals from previous years...
Even though I bet they are more intriguing to look at then a pin...
Thats really all there're good for, being looked at.
You can't really wear them, you can't tote them around with you comfortably, and trading them is kinda pointless...
Plus all they really represent, is the fact that you competed in a FIRST competition, and that we are all winners in some way.

But can't a pin mean exactly the same thing?
Maybe even more so then a medal?
The lunacy medals only gave the year,
The pins could have the year, theme, maybe even the regional it was awarded at?
Plus, you could trade them outside of FIRST events for non-FIRST pins, and help spread awareness about FIRST.
I think a Pin would be a much better idea, under one condition...
They can't be some cheap little pin, where you have to squint to read what it says.
If FIRST switches to pins, they need to be THE GREATEST PINS EVER! :D

I also think FIRST could give out award pins to teams that won awards during the competition, along with stickers they can put on their robot, saying that the robot won the :blank: award at the :blank: regional.
(Think robot bumper stickers) :cool:
But thats just my $0.02

(actually that was more like a $1.50. Sorry if I over did it :rolleyes: )

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

Currently they give out pins for winning the chairmans award. Chris is me posted a link to a picture that has the chairmans pin in it, second to the bottom.

But it would be cool if some not all of the awards come with pins. Like winners, engineering inspiration winners, and maybe the finalists.

My $0.02

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

I didn't know about the bronze medals during my first regional last year. I remember how I felt when we packed up the pit after we were elimanted. It was probably the best feeling I've ever had. When I heard about the participation medal I considered asking my coach if we had any left, but I was weary about it because I didn't feel it carried much weight.

Now I look at the gold and silver medal I have from the season this year. They make me feel gratified, like I accomplished something. The pit crew button I have on them reminds me I worked hard to get them. I look at the pin the whole team got for having plenty of safety tokens, again I know I worked for it.

I do not feel that I needed that bronze medal from last year, and know that I didn't lose anything from not getting it. My team and I earned these awards and I am proud to have them. I do not like the idea of participation medals, I have gotten 6 participation trophies in bowling yet they don't mean anything to me while I can look at the trophy I got from winning the 2007 season and feel proud of myself and my teammates. Like Mr. Lim said I for one wouldn't bat an eyelash if these medals were to disappear next year. Am I wrong for thinking only winners should get awards? I hope none of you will look negatively upon me or my team for having an opinion.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

Lets make the bronze medal a third place medal (maybe for both teams eliminated in the semi's) and give pins to everyone, even those who got gold and silver medals.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

Medals are not a trinket, in nearly every other competition a bronze medal denotes third place. I am fine with a "I was there" trinket but not giving out an "I was there" medal.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

I like the medals, and here's why.

You put on a pin, and people can miss it in the fold of a shirt or see it upside down on a hat.

You WEAR a medal, and you remember you're wearing that medal, partly because people see it and maybe ask you where you got it.

I think that is part of the R in FIRST.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

I thinks pins would be interesting.

Also: While FIRST is not about winning, the competition aspect is what is attracting NEW people to science and technology. After all, FIRST is the Foundation for the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. If we lose the competition aspect, we will likely lose some inspiration and recognition.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

I voted neither. I honestly don't think there is a need for a rewards system. Just being able to say you did a good job and look forward to next year, is enough for me. I don't see why we need more. Never have. I guess I'd rather they cut out the rewards and lower the entry cost.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

Exactly! Guess I should've said this from the start.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

I find it interesting to look at the poll results--not the numbers, but who votes which way. What type of person votes for each option says a lot, at least to me. It's actually surprising, to some extent.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

The more I think about it the more I like the idea of the pin. But then the more I think of the medal the more think I'll miss it.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

I'm more curious what was in mind for "other". It got a vote so now I'm interested.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

Looks like a dead even heat for one vs. the other.

And I thought CD was relatively quiet this summer.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

I was about to make the same observation. I'm surprised it's so close. I'm sure whatever decision is made, people will be willing to adapt, though.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

I think the reason that the poll is so evenly divided is that the question was not medals only or pins only. Or for what? Medals are great for winners...not so good for participation....

My opinion (which is similar to many here..) is to do medals for champions (gold), silver for runner up... medals for Engineering Inspiration, silver, chairman's award gold... I don't know how you give out "third place" medals...it already takes a long time to bring up all the teams for Champions (3 teams) and Finalists (3 teams)... to bring up 2 more alliances would mean bringing up another 6 teams.... too long... so I say we should keep it to gold and silver

Everyone else should get pins... I like pins for participation ... You can wear them all at once... and collect them...

I have lots of medals at home.... they are hard to display... or to store...
Pins can be stored in a single frame...

The only thing worse than medals is giving trophies to everyone....

I would imagine that the budget for the bronze medals is HUGE...

I also wish there were a way to give back the bronze medals if you win one at a regional and then win gold or silver at a later regional... I know that this really doesn't help FIRST because they have to make enough for everyone. Our team has two boxes of bronze medals that were not even used because we had gold/silver ones from a later regional...


Pins are a good idea for participation or patches....
I personally like patches (with the year's logo on it...) They can be sewn on a jacket or blanket... a good reminder... Patches in bulk would be MUCH less money....

What would be even neater would be regional patches... LOGO and regional name.... but that would be tougher logistically...

I can imagine having a letterman type jacket with all the patches of the regionals that you attended on your back... pretty cool

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

Anything besides the options that are up there--trophies for everyone, T-shirts, bear hugs from Big Mike, game hints from Dave, photoshops from Heidi, book tours, you get the picture.



Some hyperbole included in this post.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

I think little customized pins would be awesome for all the teams who didn't get first, and second. I noticed in the other thread they had a question " what about the winners?" - well my answer is that like pokemon cards, they could get a 'special' holographic pin for the winners.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

Wow! Next year's game hints like 10 months early? I'm sold ^_-

It's also very curious that despite the vast majority of the posts in this thread being supportive of pins, there are more votes in favor of medals. Odd.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

Bill's Blog was already trying to spur some game hint discussion with a couple of references he made to the objects on the table at a recent GDC meeting where they were laying out the field.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

I'd love pins - you could stick them on your jacket and gradually collect a bunch of them, each a reminder of a year of competition.

I've got a ton of medals and ribbons from my competitive swimming days and they just sit in a box at my parent's place. You can't go around wearing medals and ribbons, but you can stick a pin in a hat or on a jacket and people will see it and ask about it.

On a practical spread-FIRST level, I think pins would be the way to go. More people would probably be willing (and allowed, in the case of those that have to wear business wear to work) to wear the pins day-to-day than would be willing to wear FIRST t-shirts or their medals. This means that more people will ask about FIRST, more people will hear about it, and potentially you'll get more mentor or volunteer support.

Those FTC pins look amazing, makes me want to switch to FTC.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

I voted for other... could almost have been both... but don't want both unless the team earns the medal, so... "other"

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

The objects all fit on a table. That's kind of a big deal no?

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

Many of you should rush over to http://frcdirector.blogspot.com/ right now.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

If this was during build season, that link would have crashed his blog by now.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

Given the picture shown, I think the pin wins over the medal.

I look at my bedroom bulletin board where I have a bunch of medals. Guess what? They all look alike other than year and color. But a pin can look different year-to-year. Take the one shown, then do one for Overdrive with flags, or for the 2010 game with the 2010 game object... Variety, cost savings, and ease of display. (Have a bulletin board? Stow the back piece of the pin somewhere and stick the pin in. Or pin to shirt.)

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

....traffic cones


:D

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

Guess I should say, that there are 4 of those in my family's garage right now (obtained for use with soccer--goal posts). I'd guess they weigh about 8-10# each, but they're plenty tough. (I think one of them has a minor crack, but that's it.) Barring sharp robot parts, you'd probably only need 2-3 spares per event--and if you needed more, you'd just have to find the nearest store that sells them.

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

2010 game piece--- participation medals

Re: Medals or pins--A poll
 

during my first year, i thought the bronze medals we got were for making it to the elimination matches. This was, to me, a sort of 3rd place medal. when i came to learn that they were a "thanks for coming" medal I was sort of bummed. I dislike participation medals. Since then I only accepted a bronze medal if we were in the elims.

I would say if participation awards must be given, pins would be the best choice. Regionals could customize their own pin design. I would like to see bronze medals go either for making it to the elims, or for the semifinals.