[tennispro9911]

Sometimes its fun to argue. I don't mean pointless arguments but discussions that provoke your thoughts. There isn't one right answer to many questions. As a community it is good for us to discuss our beliefs and opinions.

All teams are not created equal nor do all have equal opportunities. Teams can work hard to overcome obstacles, but some teams have inherit advantages. Our team for example has a mill at our school. That is an advantage over some teams that we did not have to work for. We also have numerous other advantages and disadvantages over some teams. That's life. That's reality. FIRST does a great job of leveling the playing field with the KOP, but the playing field is never completely level. For example, a team from a very rural area with no CNC mills within 100 miles of them would have a disadvantage compared to a team that can walk up to a community college, take a course, and use their equipment. Hard work does not completely level the playing field either. Hard work makes it more level, but the team with more resources will use their hard work to expand them to a level that might be impossible for some other teams.

However, we are forgetting the purpose of FIRST. Even though we are in FIRST because its fun, and I know that everyone would love to win a championship or, in some cases, a regional, we are really in FIRST to develop a love and appreciation for Math, Science, and Technology. This is our goal. Every team can do this effectively regardless of how well they do in competitions.