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Unread 06-12-2014, 17:13
cglrcng cglrcng is offline
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Cool Re: Robotics becomes official sport in Arizona!

Hey Ledge,

I have been watching this develop all year long now....And, while it is always great that Robotics is getting the recognition early on in our Great State (we all know we are usually last in line for major AZ State changes).

And, I don't want to be a "Debby or Danny Downer" whatsoever, but we are a huge mixture State of Larger Big Cities like "The Valley of the Sun", & Tucson, and a whole lot of smaller rural towns across our big tall & wide State...I know what it means in the larger 3 metro areas (comprising the majority of the teams in the State for sure, & that is why we could not ask the questions early on). But, I have been asking what it means for longstanding 22 yr. FIRST Community wide teams like ours, or even new rookie teams from the Rural Areas of our Great State also that may pr. up to create a team.

Our Specific Example...We are a 22 yr. FIRST FRC Team (60), our specific team is a Community wide team, made up of Students from 3 different High Schools -2 from HS's in the Kingman Unified District, 1 from Kingman Academy of Learning HS, and covering 2 different School districts (1 Public, 1 Public Charter), and we also invite Home Schooled children in the area to also join our Community Team. (The AIA has specific rules concerning that last bunch, very specific rules too, we recently found out...Home Schoolers playing on Public school sports teams or clubs, though I heard maybe they ironed those out a bit lately, or are doing so).

When we win, our Whole Community wins! (When we play the game, our whole community plays the game). So, let us say (though I have another question right here...State Championships AIA, 30 teams from each AZ Regional held qualify? Or Top 30 from both regionals 15/15? Do you know that answer?....The background didn't make for real easy reading), OK, back to the thing I have been trying to get answered as it relates directly to our specific Community team.....Let's say we do qualify, and we are blessed with winning the State Championships...Are all 3 of our Team consisted High Schools, now Combined State Champions? (A big question that begs an answer...Just in case...Or do we flip a coin or draw straws?)

We do have 3 different Robotics Clubs, at those 3 High Schools, and another Home schooled Club...But they all belong to FIRST TEAM 60 "The Bionic Bulldogs" when it comes to FRC. FTC or Lego Robotics are still under the banner of "The Bionic Bulldogs" and their individual team numbers, Kingman, AZ (One big happy family, inseperable as an entity).

I cannot see how this is going to fit the AIA rules easily. (All 3 schools are AIA members now though also. The Charter District use to be a member of another Charter School Athletic Assoc., no longer so).

I'll go one step further...Do to location and semantics, and dollars of course (Our team chose this year only, to do as usual, 1 AZ Regional, and 1 NV Regional back-to-back, those choices were made before the AIA final announcement of course...& also, the students made that choice based on our location (Vegas is an hour closer to us than PHX, is all, and we have longstanding donated church lodging in both places we really appreciate year in year out, hard to ask 1 twice in a few weeks in PHX is all to put us up again, and risk losing the other in later years also)...Will that only attending 1 AZ Regional, have a bearing on possibly qualifying for the State Tournament?

I hope asking important questions "to us" does not look like a selfish attitude, it isn't really (am trying to speak for many rural teams in the State, and many we hope to come in the future)...I would just like to know what the rules roadmap is before we reach a summit or crossroads, if possible, not after.

Our specific Community Team (which originally grew out of 1 High School Team, whose membership over the years dwindled a bit to lower membership long ago, then Team 60 "The Bionic Bulldogs" went Community wide), has been in this ever changing game way too long, and all the Students it impacts, deserve to know what road we specifically are on today, and in the years to come, with the AIA Recognition. (Overall a great positive AIA move!)

Though, any exposure and recognition for ROBOTICS in AZ is great for the entire Robotics Community at large, and FIRST also as a whole, along with other Robotics organizations, teams, classes, etc! (Our specific High Schools recognized Letters in Robotics a number of years back....But, AIA rules are different concerning Lettering in Recognized AIA Sports, though).

We just see many questions, few answers yet (though we will be patient & kind as the kinks for a few may be ironed out). Just personal observations, and I know you were just touting the Good News here, and are not the go to guy, for the answers to our specific problems.

The News is certainly great for you and those others in the major metro areas of AZ, having sole single High School Teams, and I think it is great news for you and us together. I just hope it does not lead to other issues, I can see happening on the horizon.

if you do know the sources for any of said answers...Please share. OK?
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