Some folks don't pay attention ...
I believe that most of the problems related to questionable materials evolve from three things:
1. Many folks are not paying close attention to the rules. Even on a veteran team, it can be difficult keeping everybody on the same page when it comes to materials. Too often, I have to look someone on my team in the eye who has spent many hours developing something and say "Sorry, can't do that, it's not legal". Folks just don't like to read and pay attention to the rules. Many veterans try to apply rules from prior years to the current year. If there isn't someone on the team dedicated to keeping everything on the up and up, then it's easy to go to the show with something questionable because most don’t know the difference.
2. Interpretation of the materials list and rules also leads to confusion among other teams. You and I may read something in the materials list and interpret it in two different ways (last years “timing" belt rule comes to mind). To me, a timing belt is a cogged belt that maintains a constant relationship between the two pulleys it’s connecting (no slip). To others, it could be a v-belt that has relief cuts in it for flexibility reasons.
3. Communications between FIRST and the teams clouds the “what’s legal” issues. No need to explain this one. I think we all have beaten this horse …..
It all boils down to that “Gracious Professionalism” thing and your conscious. If your team isn’t paying attention to the rules and you can live with that, then you don’t get it. If you are playing to the best of your ability and are satisfied that you have made every effort to play fair, even if a few others disagree with your interpretation, then your A1 in my book. I never have taken another team to the mat at a competition. I explain it to our students as a difference in interpretation when I can. I wait for the FIRST feedback session to lobby for more concise rules and/or changes. I urge you to participate in this feedback.
Last edited by Ed Sparks : 15-04-2002 at 19:14.
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