Posted by Patrick Dingle at 02/23/2001 10:00 PM EST
Coach on team #639, Red B^2, from Ithaca High School and Cornell University.
In Reply to: Re: Dedicated few...
Posted by David Kelso on 02/23/2001 9:37 PM EST:
I think I once heard, I think from Dean or Woodie, that once involved in FIRST, your hooked for life...
This year I was one of the few people who worked on our team virtually all the time on our robot. I sacrificed time, energy, blood, grades, and sleep.
FIRST is an investment. True, you sacrifice during the 6 weeks, but it all starts to pay off once you get to the competitions, and see the effects of your sacrifices. These effects can permanantly change the mindsets and futures of students (it did for me), and this is why we make these sacrifices. It is easy to forget this during crunch time, especially tuesday morning after not sleeping for 24+ hours.
You got involved with FIRST, and as either Dean or Woodie said, you're involved for life -- whether you like it or not
Patrick
p.s. Looking at FIRST in this way reminds me of those crazy religious cults... I have no idea why.
:
: AHH Nick...you sound like a rookie...I have played this game for 8 years now. Every year at this time I say that it is my last year. This year I did not even listen to myself because I know the feeling so well. Those feelings are partly caused by the daily drain on the advisors, the lack of sleep, the decisions that we have to make and the realization that this is not a perfect world because everyone does not think the way I do.
: You mention that Steve is your oldest, you know what FIRST has done for him (even if this is a lousy game this year.) So, you have the nerve to deprive your younger ones...Ask Little Kristen Kelso if she would have appreciated it if I quit when her older brother graduated 4 years ago.
: You owe it to them and FIRST is in your heart...take it away and what do you have...a short guy with a funny accent. On the other hand, when you work with these kids, you become 7 feet tall! (but still have a funny accent)