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Originally Posted by Jared341
2. Presently, a small, dedicated cadre of volunteers support many of the on- and off-season events in the Northeast (with similar patterns elsewhere). With the added time and effort of potentially twice as many field set ups/teardowns, inspections, etc., how big of an issue has volunteer burn-out been in Michigan? Do we think it would be even worse elsewhere, where there is a smaller pool of volunteer "regulars"?
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This was my first year volunteering, so I can't accurately comment on how big the issue of burn-out has become based on experience. All I know is that positions did get filled, because otherwise it would have been noticeable. However, I do believe that it would be worse elsewhere if the pool was smaller. We have a great volunteer base in MI, but in my opinion, I don't think that we could have gotten away with it with too many fewer key volunteers. "Key" in this case being the field supervisors, FTAs, refs, and other positions that require specific knowledge/training. Roles such as crowd control and safety glasses table workers are mostly filled by the required two volunteers per team per event.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jared341
3. With smaller district events, it seems like the average turnaround between matches for a team can be very short. On one hand this is great, as it allows for more plays. But on the other hand, a single malfunction or repair could conceivably affect the outcomes of more than one qualification match. How big of an issue is this in Michigan? Do we think it would be even bigger elsewhere, where there are fewer "elite" robot-building teams?
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Match turnaround sometimes IS incredibly short. The match schedule is random, though, so you can have a two-hour gap followed by a 3-match gap. Malfunction/repair effect on matches depends on the size of the problem and the capability of the team members in the pit, so it really isn't possible to judge how big of a problem it would be in a given area, and it isn't always based on how experienced a team is. Having "elite" teams at an event is very helpful if a team comes to the event with a problem and doesn't know quite how to fix it. For repairs that are a result of gameplay, it is easier for those familiar with the robot to do the work, but teams with high amounts of experience will oftentimes have some extra, vital supplies and replacement parts.
From experience, small repairs can usually be done easily even if there is a short turnaround time, and the distance from the pits to the queue usually isn't too far (and - apologies to the queuers for saying this - cutting it close in getting to the match on time is possible if the need is absolutely necessary). Large problems, however, can be devastating. We had an axle slip out of place at West MI, and it took us hours to get it fixed due to the need for machining and the distance to the machine shop. We missed several matches, and didn't get to our last match until the teams for that match were already loading onto the field. Had we been at a regional competition, I don't think that we would have missed as many matches, if any.