[archiver]

Posted by Patrick Dingle at 04/15/2001 6:45 PM EST


College Student on team #639, Red B^2, from Ithaca High School and Cornell University.


In Reply to: In & Out
Posted by Robby on 04/15/2001 6:25 PM EST:



Some excellent comments Robbie... Couldn't agree with you more.

One thing about team function -- Having been on both sides of the spectrum (HS student in '99 & '00, Mentor in '01), I have looked at team function from both angles. As a student in '99 & '00 I sometimes ran into things I didn't like about the team structure. However, I never said anything. Now, having been a mentor this year, I realize that it's hard to realize students are dissatisfied about something unless you speak up!!! Especially after a rookie year, the best thing you can do is have meetings with the students, mentors, engineers, and parents, to find out everyone's true opinions and make changes accordingly.

I couldn't agree with you more about going to comps to just have fun -- Back in '99, I gotta admit my attitude was all about winning, but now I know that winning is nothing. It's great to be rewarded for a lot of hard effort, but I strongly believe more is learned when one doesn't take home the gold.

Patrick

: Reading through the posts recently I've noticed a lot of people either fed up with FIRST or thier team or just leaving for thier own reasons. Still others are addicted as ever continuing thier fanatacism for 8, 9, and for a lucky few 10 years.

: I'd hate FIRST to become like everything else with people being totally against it or totally for it. What reason would there be to hate it? It's a lot of work agreed, but in the end it's worth it if one has the patience.

: For me I know I got fed up with the way the team I came from functioned. It seemed like there was no logic to the way it was run, just a lot of patting on the back and "good job" when there were few good job's done.

: Now for anyone from that team who is reading this post, dont take offense just yet. I dont mean everyone, but certain big-egoed others. They really can bring down a team by consistantly putting other ideas down or out of the way. And there are more way's of killing the FIRST spirit than that, and one is to be only in it for winning.

: There are a lot of great teams out there who are bottom of the bunch with lowest of the low scores. Yknow what they do at competitions? Have a good time. That's what it's all about folks. Having a good time. If an individual is not having a good time, why spoil it for the rest? Find some other way of still participating in FIRST without having the troubles that are bringing you down.

: If I had allowed the effects of my last year on a team affect my outlook on FIRST, I would probably hate everything about it too. I used to have a best friend who was on the team with me and he did just that. Let it all go because the team wasnt working out the way he wanted. He doesnt participate in FIRST anymore and in some ways I think it was a loss on both sides. He really had some good ideas and I would hate to see a leader of the community leave because of a bad year.

: If nothing else help out where you can. Volunteer as a referee or email FIRST asking how you can help out. At least until you find another team you can work with. Right now I'm doing just that and will continue to even if I join another team.

: I hope everything works out for the better no matter what choice these people make. Stay. Go. Join another team. Bah... where the heck was I going with this? Ah well, it'll be just another post. Well, since I just killed all the emotional parts of this post, anyone care to post a follow-up?

: -Robby O
: FIRSTanimators Moderator