[EStokely]

I believe its a multi surfaced problem but would include funding, interest, and in some cases, a teacher willing to continue to do it.
I know in the school I left there was a scramble to find a robotics coach to replace me. In the end it was a retired engineer who is on the books just for robotics.

Funding is always a problem. if it were just 5k for the regional and a scramble to make national if you won the regional I think it would be easier, like in most HS sports. Its the multi regionals/nationals that start really running up the budget.

Interest. The life span of a HS student is 4 years. if the core of the team graduates with no replacements then that will kill a team also.

In the long run it *should* get easier. Once robotics become established in more places it will start to be expected at a school. i.e. funded by the school to some extent (yea the sky is blue in my world also, well not now, its raining)

I hope schools explore the option of merging several schools together before bailing on FIRST

Later all

ES