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Originally Posted by Alan Anderson
That you use the word "competition" instead of "program" is a good clue to your mindset here. Try to broaden your goals to include the stated mission of FIRST, rather than focusing on winning medals. Does it sting to be beaten by a powerhouse veteran team? You bet. Does it make me want to pout and go home? No way! It makes me want to do better next time. It inspires me to do better next time.
Originally Posted by Alan Anderson
I don't believe teams automatically deserve to be recognized for their efforts. They should be recognized for their accomplishments.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DanTod97
To me, these two ideas contradict each other.
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I'm not sure they contradict each other. But what does it mean to be recognized? And where do we draw the line between effort and accomplishment?
In its June 2005 newsletter,
FIRST recognized its champions, but the lists linked from page 3 (Spotlight on FIRST Teams and Spotlight on FIRST Champions) do not include any teams that were awarded medals or trophies at the Championship. Even the Chairman's Award winner for that year is mentioned only in passing (on page 13)! Whatever the rest of us consider important, reading this newsletter forced me to realize that FIRST does not care at all about which team wins what award. The FIRST idea of what makes a champion diverges from what we think a champion is. So does the FIRST idea of accomplishment. Nor do I think that FIRST cares how many regionals a team attends, as long as that good ol' "Inspiration and Recognition" keeps flowing.