[Jon Stratis]

I've been following this thread with interest for a while, but have tried to avoid posting because I don't think it's my place to tell Texas how they should run, and I probably won't post more past this. However, I can provide a little insight from Minnesota's association with the Minnesota State High School League and our state championship. This will be the 5th year we run the event, and it's been a success each year. Teams come, play, have fun, and a couple of teams walk away with trophies and recognition they otherwise wouldn't have gotten.

To say the State Championship is a big deal for a lot of teams here is an understatement. Attending, or if your lucky enough winning, brings with it a level of recognition and prestige in our schools that is unmatched by regionals or event champs - States is something that is on par with all the other sports, something everyone in the school naturally gets without having to have everything explained. Having those trophies, which look just like the trophies other sports get for winning their respective state championships, is huge. I've known teams that have won regionals, attended champs multiple times... But it's their attendance at and winning of the state championship that is recognized across their community. It provides them with huge boosts in recruitment and funding as well.

Aside from the championship, recognition from the MSHSL has had a measurable impact on teams. Teachers find it easier to get stipends for their work with the teams, schools provide more funding for teams, and even schools athletic directors are getting involved - in fact, the school I work with renamed the position last year to "activities director" in recognition that it's about more than just athletics. That support specifically brings with it a lot of help that we never used to have.

So, I'll always be on the side of "state championships are good".

For the "split" that's happening between UIL teams and non-UIL teams... That really is unfortunate. But I strongly believe that FiT didn't really have a choice in the matter. If UIL is going to recognize robotics programs, and schools are going to care so much about it that we see this level of discussion, isn't it better to be involved with that process? What would have happened if GoT turned their noses up at the UIL, said "everyone or no one"?. It's possible, maybe even likely, that the UIL would say "ok, we're going to recognize this other robotics program instead". Then where would all of you be? Would we have schools telling you "well, you can't do FIRST anymore because we want you to do this other program so we get the recognition. Oh, and you still have to refuse any non-UIL student."? I think refusing to be a part of UIL would have had many more downsides than joining up.

After all, what are we all supposed to be trying to do? The first 4 words of FIRST's vision is "To transform our culture". You don't do that from the outside. So get in there, get the UIL people hooked on the FIRST culture, and try to change theirs. It's up to each and every one of us to be a champion of FIRST, to constantly push our schools and community to change. It doesn't happen overnight, but it is something you can achieve.