Minnesota FIRST Robotics accepted into MSHSL

[ehochstein]

Originally Posted by compwiztobe

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.

This is what I have heard as well, this information of course being limited. Talking to the instructor and administrators at the school district I mentor for I know that MSHSL provides stipends for sports, and other activities. So one could rightfully assume that it would do the same for a Robotics Team. Although I believe that MSHSL will charge an entry fee for students to join the program at their high school, at least when I was in band that is what happened.

I wonder if this also means that super-seniors will no longer be allowed to participate in the program, I believe that is a MSHSL policy. They don't want those robotics nerds cheating by sticking around an extra year

[laurenlacy]

While I see the concern for red tape, etc; I can also see it from the perspective of someone who was on an early MN FIRST team. We had huge struggles with our school district to be recognized as a legitimate student organization, I was called into the principal's office for violating the school attendance policy (the only classes I missed were due to illness or competition travel), and a wonderful veteran FIRSTer friend of the team ended up calling our school superintendent to try and impress upon him that FIRST was actually worthwhile.

Fast forward to today... this recognition will help these teams with the support offered by the MSHSL, show administrators the legitimacy of FIRST, allow for friendly competition within the state, and hopefully better support the teacher/mentors who help the teams so much!

Congratulations!

[gyroscopeRaptor]

The sponsored idea for a state championship in the offseason has been thrown around since the double regional wrapped up, and from what I know of the plan that was written up then is that the team's first regional in MN would be given points ranking similar to Michigan's system but with less emphasis on awards and more points given to seeding. Then, the top 30 or so teams would be invited to an event in the off season that would be held over 1 or 2 days to determine the state champions.

Do note that the plan could be completely changed between now and next season.

[Bryan Herbst]

From what I have heard, FIRST will be handled similarly to marching band, dance, concert band, orchestra, choir, and drama; all of which are MSHSL-sanctioned activities.

Most of these are not as restricted as the MSHSL sports are. They are in a different class of MSHSL activities with different regulations. I am not sure exactly what the differences are, but I never felt as though the league hampered any of the other activities at all.

EDIT- You can find the fine arts rules and regulations here on their website.