Quote:
Originally Posted by MrJohnston
Sure, the extended time would help the struggling team to get that "cross a defense, shoot that boulder" routine down. It would also give them some practice time. However, the "elite" team would be working on something that would score two or three boulders and practicing full scrimmages with multiple robots. The deadlines are tough on lesser experienced teams, but they also keep "elite" teams in check. Yes, every team would have a better-functioning robot. However, it would not overcome the design flaws inherent to any team without professional engineers and lots of FRC experience.
If we want to truly create better parity:Look to help poorly financed teams learn how to raise money. Help them to find mentors. Take them under your wing and teach them what you know. Etc. In a nutshell, help them to become better engineers and teach them to find resources. Isn't that what our focus should be anyhow?
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The extended time would drastically help lower resource teams because higher resource teams have more time to work with them. We helped a team redesign their robot starting in week 4 this year, if bag and tag didn't exist that team, that won't compete until Week 6, could be coming out every weekend to practice and we could help them iterate on the design. We could hold more in season workshops and practice sessions, we could help make all the robots and the product that ends up on the field that much better if we only had more time. Right now that dream is sealed behind a few milimeters of plastic for most teams.