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Originally Posted by GB330033
NASCAR is the only viable comparison, and while I don't consider it a sport either, I would say it is moreso than FIRST. Why? Contrary to your post, between the maintainance of the car, the fuel conservation, the driving techniques, the skill it takes to drive at those speeds, the considerations that the drivers have to take (surface, temperature, weather, etc), and everything else, FIRST doesn't even compare.
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Yes, this is just my opinion, but I have to disagree with the above statements. As one of the drivers for my team, I know exactly what it is like to be under the spotlight, to get your robot from point A to B while avoiding the opponents, and cordinating your actions with those of your alliance partners.
Examples: Maintainance of the
car robot,
fuel battery conversation, driving techniques, the skill it takes to drive
at those speeds the robot successfully with
two drivers, the considerations the drivers have to take (surface,
temperature other robots,
weather the quantity of poof balls left in your alliance's goals, the number of poof balls in the opponent's goals, how easily the other alliance will will score, etc, and
much more!). The amount of strategy that goes into winning is immense. What about alliances? The amount of strategy that goes into coordinating your moves with your alliance partners to maximize your score with your team's abilities is unparallel in NASCAR.
FIRST is an "apples to apples" comparision with NASCAR, and because of the intensity of both they are
both sports.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by GB330033
All in all, by calling FIRST a sport, you're trivializing what real athletes have to do, just as someone saying that building your robot is easy trivializes the hard work you have to go through for FIRST.
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I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with this as well. By calling FIRST a sport, you are not trivializing what real athletes do. In fact, you are calling to light what real FIRSTers do. If someone was to spend 30 hours a week at robotics meetings, staying up until 3 AM every night working on their team's website, teaching themselves CAD and Inventor along the way, being the co-driver for their team, being on multiple sub-teams, and much much more, would you say that this person trivializes what real athletes do? On the contrary, I think this person would prove how much effort really goes into FIRST, and would prove that FIRSTers are not trivializing athletes.
Trying to be humble: All of those describe what I do for my team, so yes, those are based of a real person.