Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

I didn't do any further follow up, Kim. I put it in a rough draft form and then got *stuck* because of another group funded by a grant, I believe, that is doing something along these lines that is connected to FIRST. I wasn't sure whether to move forward with it or just leave it.

Suggestions? Basically, I'm confused and don't know whether to go ahead and write the white paper or not.

Jane

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

Just to comment on one of the recent discussions in this thread:

The thing I do to make sure my energy is up for all 3 of the longest days of my life is to get plenty of sleep for the entire week before the competition, not just Friday night. Having a good night's sleep for 3 or 4 days in a row will really boost your mood and keep you energized. Also, Red Bull. Red Bull helps. A lot.

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

This is my biggest beef with the FIRST policy of not bringing food to the competitions: In some sports arenas, all they have is hot dogs, candy and chips. That's fine for a crowd that comes for a few hours to see a game. It's not good at all for people who will be there for three long days. I object more to the "variety" of "food" than I do to the inflated prices. A hot dog for lunch one day is a treat, but not for three days in a row!

Then, even though you're not allowed to bring in your own food, the concessions are closed well before the end of the day. For the two or three longest, most physically demanding hours of the day, when many people could really use a nutritional boost, there is nothing. One year, even the vending machines sold out of everything except chewing gum.

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

It is the venue policy I believe unfortunately, so please do not be angry at FIRST for these attempts to profit off of a program to promote STEM. At Traverse City District Competition food is freely allowed in, which takes place at a highschool. Maybe attempting to push FIRST to try and insist on allowing food to be brought in by team members participating in the competition.

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

Most venues rely on the profits from food sales. If FIRST allows food to be brought in, the amount FIRST has to pay to the venue will increase, which will be passed on the teams in some form.

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

I know FIRST may have to bow to some of the venues' policies, and profits need to be made. I also know attempts have been made to upgrade the food. But FIRST seems to post the same "rules" regardless of whether it's a commercial venue, or a taxpayer-supported school. There remains the question of health. If the city of Los Angeles can pass a law banning new fast-food restaurants in parts of the city because of health concerns, why can't they control what goes on in their public venues? I don't know if Long Beach, CA has also gone the "Government Nanny" route, so maybe they're still supportive of free enterprise. At least last year, there was decent food available, even if the price was high.

By the way, does anyone care to address the concerns I expressed in my second paragraph? It seems to me that the concessions are losing a chance to increase profits.

In Arizona, they are officially allowing people to bring in a bottle of water (up to 1 liter per person). Since the weather is forecast to be warm, it would be a good idea to bring water.

Re: Best Practices For Staying Healthy During Build & Competition Season
 

For 7 years the Chesapeake Regional was held at the US Naval Academy. Although FIRST posted the official lingo, the planning committee communicated with all the teams stating they were welcome to bring in their own food into the pits as long as they continued to clean up. It was a great perk.

The event is now held at the Baltimore Convention Center and we are back to all the rules and concessions.

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