How does the Districts system work?

[gabrielau23]

Hi, I'm relatively new to FRC, and while competing in DC and Chesapeake, I heard rumblings that the MD/VA/DC area was moving to districts. At the same time, while monitoring Chief Delphi, I've noticed several threads on the subject of districts. So I have a few questions.
1. How does the district system work? (duh) Does that mean that only teams from within that district can compete against each other? If so, I'd be hesitant to move to districts. At DC, it was awesome to see teams from Brazil and Israel, as well as Florida, North Carolina, and so forth. Likewise, at Chesapeake, New York teams and some Pennsylvania teams were very fun to interact with.
2. How does the district system offer advantages over the Regionals system currently in place?
3. What are the complaints of the current Regional system?
4. What is a Super Regional? I can't imagine that it could only take winners from the districts, as you would need A LOT of districts to currently call a Super Regional "Super" when both the DC and Chesapeake comps are usually 60+ teams.
So I guess those are all my questions. Links, flowcharts, videos are all welcome.

[Gregor]

This should answer all your questions: http://www.firstinmichigan.org/FRC_2...Supplement.pdf
Further reading: http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/papers/2804

[Nate Laverdure]

Originally Posted by Gregor

This should answer all your questions...

Not really. There are a huge number of questions that will apply specifically to VA/MD/DC.

For example:

• VirginiaFIRST, Maryland FIRST, and (I think) DC FIRST are all their own 501(c)(3) non-profit corporations. Will they merge into a National Capital Region organization? If so, who will make up the new leadership?
• Western PA (counties west of Harrisburg) is not part of MAR. Will a similar boundary exist for Maryland and Virginia? Teams in these areas are geographically closer to the regional events in Pittsburgh and Knoxville.

[bearbot]

As VA,MD,and DC gain more teams i think they will outgrow the current regional system and move over to the district system .For example Michigan has over 200 team and adapted this idea several years ago and only the best robots qualify for the district championship based on a ranking system.As for a set year for the "Capitol region championship" i can only assume this will be name is anyone guess when it will take place

[M. Lillis]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought a super regional is where there are 2 fields in one location. Also, was this or was this not considered or used in Michigan before districts took over?

[PVCpirate]

Usually I hear that called a dual or double regional, like the ones in Minnesota and Seattle in previous years.

[cadandcookies]

Originally Posted by PVCpirate

Usually I hear that called a dual or double regional, like the ones in Minnesota and Seattle in previous years.

Or perhaps a Double DECCer?

[PayneTrain]

Originally Posted by Nate Laverdure

Not really. There are a huge number of questions that will apply specifically to VA/MD/DC.

For example:

• VirginiaFIRST, Maryland FIRST, and (I think) DC FIRST are all their own 501(c)(3) non-profit corporations. Will they merge into a National Capital Region organization? If so, who will make up the new leadership?
• Western PA (counties west of Harrisburg) is not part of MAR. Will a similar boundary exist for Maryland and Virginia? Teams in these areas are geographically closer to the regional events in Pittsburgh and Knoxville.

DC FIRST was "spun off" as its own 501(c)(3) organization in 2012, though I believe the leadership for DC FIRST and VirginiaFIRST are still the same. There is a lot of history and money in the VirginiaFIRST "brand" (it was the second state organization developed to support FIRST but independent from HQ, IIRC). I believe that all 3 organizations currently raise funds for the three regional events together and have done so for at least the last 3 years, while the individual organizations run their own FLL and FTC programs and will likely continue to do so.

As a Virginian involved with VirginiaFIRST, I personally would like to see all 3 stay separate but transition the current competition of the tri-region over to the district system, which would likely result in 8 district events and a championship at VCU. For those who don't know, VCU's Siegel Center is the closest you can get to "grandaddy of them all" for FIRST venues, behind only Eastern Michigan University for oldest active regional locations, once again, if my memory doesn't escape me. In addition, it's not out of the question to see the commonwealth of Virginia grow to a number of teams in the next 5 years where VirginiaFIRST would prefer to structure its own district system structure separate from DC and Maryland, much like Michigan.

Whether teams that are closer to Pittsburgh and Buckeye will allow to opt-out from travelling down to Richmond for a championship every year has not been discussed (probably because those teams unfortunately didn't attend any events where the district system was discussed).

Regardless, Virginia is one of the oldest states to host FIRST Robotics Competitions and yet it continues to struggle mightily with making strides to keep up with its older brother in the Great Lakes area because it exists in this unhappy medium. Now, there are too many teams to support one self-contained in-state event and too few teams and resources to actually hold two worthwhile traditional events. This has resulted in stagnating team counts and numerous veteran teams going the way of the dinosaur. Thanks to economic climate of the last 5 years combined with the decreased emphasis of match-play per team in Virginia (down to 8 matches this year...), VirginiaFIRST has had over 3 dozen teams abandon the program in the last few years because their schools switched to FTC or decided to make marching band, athletics, ESL classes, and ROTC a priority over FRC.

It is a problem both the alumni of VirginiaFIRST and FRC Team 422 are looking into adequately addressing, but a big catalyst for returning teams would be the low cost model coming as soon as it can.

[ehfeinberg]

There is no doubt in my mind that there will eventually be a Capital Region District. The Virginia, DC, and Chesapeake regionals have been filled with 60-65 teams for as long as I can remember. With the growth in the region, we will eventually have to add a 4th regional in close proximity, or switch over to a district system.

Originally Posted by PayneTrain

...which would likely result in 8 district events and a championship at VCU. For those who don't know, VCU's Siegel Center is the closest you can get to "grandaddy of them all" for FIRST venues, behind only Eastern Michigan University for oldest active regional locations, once again, if my memory doesn't escape me.

If there is a Capital Region Championship, I would think that it would be located in or near DC. I understand the point about how VCU has long ties with FIRST, but the problem is that the biggest density of teams which would be located in the Capital Region are in the DC - Baltimore corridor.

After looking at the 2013 Team map (358's team map for reference), I have counted about 35 teams spread out between Richmond and Norfolk. However, there are about 65 teams centered in the DC - Baltimore corridor.

If the championship was held in either location, I would see a good number of teams from Virginia or Maryland heading to either the North Carolina or Pittsburgh regional. Maybe the location of the championship should switch every year.

[Lil' Lavery]

The Virginia regional also has to line up with the VCU spring break, which likely puts it too early in the season to hold a Capital Region Championship. VCU could still hold a district event, though. While most FiM/MAR districts are in high schools, a few have been hosted by universities (Kettering, GVSU, TCNJ, Rutgers).

[PayneTrain]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

The Virginia regional also has to line up with the VCU spring break, which likely puts it too early in the season to hold a Capital Region Championship. VCU could still hold a district event, though. While most FiM/MAR districts are in high schools, a few have been hosted by universities (Kettering, GVSU, TCNJ, Rutgers).

Lining up the VCU academic calendar and the dates of prior Virginia Regionals, it was not held during the VCU Spring Break in 2011 or 2013.

[gabrielau23]

I've only been on 2537 for two years, and I'm always stunned by the sheer amount of people at the regionals. (Something I always like to do--listen to 2000+ people clap during the Cha Cha Slide--it's AMAZING). I went to a smaller regional over spring break, actually, and I had to get used to the smaller field. The teams were closer and they got more matches in, but the "Big Event" feeling wasn't quite there. Regardless, it was an awesome regional. I'm only not saying which regional I went to so that I'm not telling everybody online where I went over spring break .

[Maldridge422]

Originally Posted by ehfeinberg

If there is a Capital Region Championship, I would think that it would be located in or near DC. I understand the point about how VCU has long ties with FIRST, but the problem is that the biggest density of teams which would be located in the Capital Region are in the DC - Baltimore corridor.

After looking at the 2013 Team map (358's team map for reference), I have counted about 35 teams spread out between Richmond and Norfolk. However, there are about 65 teams centered in the DC - Baltimore corridor.

If the championship was held in either location, I would see a good number of teams from Virginia or Maryland heading to either the North Carolina or Pittsburgh regional. Maybe the location of the championship should switch every year.

Although the DC tournament is immediately closer for many teams, Virginia is a very big state and I think we should be concerned about growth in the region, not just the metropolitan centers. Using the map you referenced, the most remote team in Maryland is 4 hours away from VCU. The most remote team in Virginia, however, is 6 hours away from the DC Regional.

I think holding the championship in DC would damage both the growth and sustainability of FRC in western Virginia, which is certainly a large enough area to be concerned about.

[PayneTrain]

Originally Posted by Maldridge422

Although the DC tournament is immediately closer for many teams, Virginia is a very big state and I think we should be concerned about growth in the region, not just the metropolitan centers. Using the map you referenced, the most remote team in Maryland is 4 hours away from VCU. The most remote team in Virginia, however, is 6 hours away from the DC Regional.

I think holding the championship in DC would damage both the growth and sustainability of FRC in western Virginia, which is certainly a large enough area to be concerned about.

In addition, costs for teams travelling to Richmond are far, far, far lower than costs for teams travelling to Washington DC.

[ehfeinberg]

Originally Posted by Maldridge422

I think holding the championship in DC would damage both the growth and sustainability of FRC in western Virginia, which is certainly a large enough area to be concerned about.

I would disagree with this because for most of western Virginia, (or at least the part I consider western) the North Carolina Regional is closer than the Virginia regional is.

However, I will agree that housing the championship in DC would be more expensive for teams traveling and staying overnight.