Minnesota FIRST Robotics accepted into MSHSL

[Aren Siekmeier]

Originally Posted by keehun

While I am very excited, I am also very reserved in expressing excitement because of the perceived threat to the open innovation and red-tape-free environment the teams have been able to grow under. I am very glad MSHSL is recognizing FIRST, but I hope that the red tape they throw for the athletic departments will not be applied to FIRST as it will add a lot more headache to strapped teams in Minnesota

This is exactly what has made me wary. I participated in 3 MSHSL sports in high school (Cross Country, Track and Field, Nordic Skiing), and I can attest to the ridiculous rules and regulations that have been instituted just because there are people who will take advantage of the situation because they are so crazy about the sport. The blunt way I like to say it is "stupid rules are for stupid people." But unfortunately this doesn't exempt the rest of us from having to follow, and quite frankly they would not be conducive to the growth of a program.

I think FIRST is blessed by a relative lack of these kinds of "stupid people" due to the competition model, culture, ethos, etc., so we hopefully don't have much to worry about here. Also, I get the feeling that robotics will be treated more like band, choir, debate, theatre, and other non-athletic extracurriculars, because no matter how much FIRST tries to mimic the sports model, robotics is not a sport.

From what I've heard, the MSHSL will be pushing for more support of the mentors/teachers heading the school teams (i.e. stipends), and will also be sponsoring/organizing this "State Championship" event, which I'm looking at as the first large, permanent off season event in Minnesota. (We've had others in the past, but they've moved around, the dates are usually different, and there hasn't been as much manpower behind the organization of them). I'm mostly just wary of the extra bureaucracy we'll have to deal with.