[Jon Stratis]

Over the years, my team has been on both sides in matches - we've benefited from calls, and we've suffered. We've benefited from having good alliance members, and we've suffered from having bad ones. It's the nature of the game.

If you think losing a match for reasons beyond your control has an associated "cost" based on entry fee and number of matches played, then you're missing the point of FIRST. Yes, losing matches sucks. Yes, having it happen because of something you perceive as a bad call sucks. Yes, being ranked low because you were on the wrong end of the "alliance member coin flip" sucks. We've all been there. But whether you win or lose, it's not a question of monetary cost. You aren't paying for the individual matches. You're paying for the experience. You're paying for the privilege to work with professional mentors and to build something awesome. You're paying to show up and be inspired (and hopefully do some inspiring in return) by other teams.

When I talk with my students, I do my best not to let them dwell on a match. It's in the past. Look forward to the next match, or the next event, or the next season. Handle what is under your control, and strive for constant improvement. After it's all over, celebrate your successes, and the lessons that failure has taught you.

There's certainly room for a lively discussion on what can be done to improve the system we currently have - there always is, in every system. But please, through all of it try to remember why we're all here. It isn't just about the robot.