[gblake]

I was smack in the middle of carrying out part of a big sponsor's S&EF contributions (exhibits, not $) at last October's festival. When I saw the date for the next festival I too was disappointed.

My suggestion to an FRC team that wants to attend both the World Championship and do something in the S&EF festival (out of gratitude or because the S&EF is important) is too remember that a team is perfectly able to send members to each of two places at the same time.

No single person, or the entire team, can be in two places at the same time; but that is true any and everywhere the team does something. Individual people can't scout, work in the pits, drive the robot, give presentations, watch matches, get lunch, etc. all at the same time even when everyone is at a single event.

So, if the team is already familiar with giving individual members separate duties within one venue, it's a small step (part of growing and maturing) to give people separate duties in two venues.

Little kids who play soccer huddle around the one ball. Older players learn to spread out and play various positions. An FRC team can go through the same change in thinking.

Having a robot, trained students and adults, and support equipment in two places can entail some challenges; but the solutions are all pretty obvious. Borrow from and collaborate with other teams. Buy what you have to or want to buy. Train whoever needs training.

Then feel good about becoming able to claim you and you team are able to juggle two activities at once.

Blake
PS: If it turns out that no one is willing to volunteer to forgo the WC for the Festival, then maybe that important sponsor isn't really all that important??? Sometimes hard choices have to be made.