
28-04-2014, 17:29
|
|
Registered User
AKA: Harrison Zheng
 FRC #0449 (Blair Robot Project)
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2012
Rookie Year: 2012
Location: Rockville, MD
Posts: 36
|
|
|
Re: 2014 Lessons Learned: The Negative
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris is me
I have one more random negative I really want to discuss.
Why are practice day matches from 10 AM to 4 PM??? They should be 12 to 6 PM instead.
In my five seasons on 2791, we have never, ever been to a practice match before noon. Regardless of how few or how many upgrades we had, getting situated and then inspected would always be the first thing on our minds. Maybe a half dozen robots actually make it to the field before noon.
On top of that, practice matches end super early, at 4 or so! This means teams doing serious upgrades maybe get one match. Then from 4-7, when your robot is *actually* ready to go, you can do nothing. The practice field is already full (and depending on the event may already be full for the NEXT DAY), your robot is ready to go but you have nowhere to use it, so you can either twiddle your thumbs in the pits or go home way early. If we shifted the matches 12-6, field volunteers would be working for the same amount of time, more teams would make it on the field, and everyone would get more practice.
|
While I agree that there definitely needs to be more practice time at regionals (especially since pits close so late), I think they should still start early since it incentivizes teams to actually finish their robot during build season.
|