Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon Stratis
Please note that rule only applies if the pits are open. If an event determines specific times that the pits are closed (for example, during opening/closing ceremonies), then the pits are closed. Many volunteers want to see the ceremonies, but we can't if we're stuck back in the pits ensuring the safety of everyone there.
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I have a big problem with this, the manual clearly states rules for people in the pits during ceremonies, meaning it is not against the rules to be in the pits, thus they should be open at ALL competitions. I am going to address this and several other comments below
PLEASE NOTE these are my feelings and are not meant as a personal attack on anyone just me stating things:
At the 2010 Florida Regional (Now Orlando Regional), my final competition as a student, we had a brutal schedule, and a sub par robot. When awards ceremonies came on Friday as de facto team captain I made the decision that the rest of the seniors (4 of them) who wanted to work on the robot could but the rest of the team was to be in the stands. We wound up winning the Website award, while walking down I grabbed one of our rookies and told them to go to the pit to get he rest of our team for the picture. Why am I telling this? One of those seniors was not only our lead mechanic, but one of only 2 people to work on the Website in attendance, so he missed walking down to the applause and getting the trophy but we made sure he was in the picture from the event. When I talked to him about later he said something that stuck with me, he was working on this robot for the kids in the stands who were going to be around after us so they could see what we could do with hardwork, was he upset that he couldn't go down to the fan fare and the shaking of hands, yes but it would be worth it down the line.
After 4 build seasons on a team, getting no accolades from FIRST, he received one that really only he worked on to get, and he couldn't receive it, and he wasn't upset by it. Volunteers make the decision to volunteer, that means a time commitment to what you are doing, that means missing speeches, or awards, heck as a mentor I missed Dean attending Orlando in 2013 because when he was in the pits, we were queuing for a match, and when he went out to make a speech I had to rush back to the pits to do an emergency repair because I didn't want our students to miss what he was going to say. As adults, whether we be parents mentors volunteers coaches or teachers, we make sacrifices of our time, energy, and even happiness for our teams or even the community as a whole, because it is all worth it to see the looks on the faces of the students when they win a match, or get an award, or even just get the robot to finally move on the field.
If there are people who are speaking at these events who are upset that not everyone is out in the stands to hear them, then they don't get what we are trying to do here, if we could inspire people by talking to them, then we wouldn't need FIRST.
Sorry for the long rant but seriously guys remember we are doing this for the students, the students worked on this robot for 6 weeks or more, let them do what they feel they need to, and let the teams decide what that is.
*steps off of soapbox*