[weberr]

FIRST is not about the robot. Period.

Yesterday, my daughter who just graduated in the spring and started college this fall is taking Pre-Calc at college. The instructor is simply awful. To be successful, she goes to the Math Lab for tutoring.

Before I go on, you need some back ground. I m the coach of team 3641, The Flying Toasters. Both of my daughters did not like robotics, but were really into horses, or Equestrian. We have horses at home on the farm. I respect that they like working with horses, and support them with their choice. I honestly have to say, I wish that they were into robots, but again, I respect them and have always supported their decision. And they supported me in my decision to coach robotics.

Now back to yesterday. My daughter was in the Math lab for tutoring when she saw a young man come in with a chicken emblem and 217 on his shirt. Without hesitation, instinctively, she yelled out "Thunder Chickens!" The whole room went silent. The young man was dumbfounded by the recognition, but quickly struck up a conversation with my daughter. In seconds, most of the people in the room were asking about robotics, FIRST, and was really curious.

My daughter was there for tutoring as she had a test that night. Her first test of college. She was nervous, felt ill prepared, and was working herself to being sick. Following her conversation with the young man from 217, she was so excited and geeked, that it carried her through her test that night as she couldn't wait to tell about the experience.

This is what FIRST is about. Human connections. Inspiration. A feeling of belonging. A brotherhood & sister hood. Being excepted.

A robot is just a robot, it is like a drill, like a wire crimper, like a computer. Just a tool. Humans are what we are all about; it is what Dean is about, it is what Woodie is about, it is what GP is about, it is what Chairman's is about, it is what Mentors are about.

Lets look at this another way. Our team is only 6 years old. Our first two years were ugly. We, as a team, did not start getting better and achieving until we befriended other teams, made connections, networking, and sought out working with other teams. When we go to a competition, we go there looking for our friends (other teams & their members). and then we play with robots.

If I had limited time and needed to make a choice between finishing the robot or inspiring a person, what would I do? Simple. Inspire the person first, stay up through the night finishing the robot. Sleep and FIRST are not synonyms. LOL.

FIRST: We build people. Robots are only the vehicle, the connection.
If it was all bout the robot or the game, we'd call it football.