Hosting A FRC Team @ A Middle School

[Alexa Stott]

Originally Posted by akoscielski3

Wouldn't struggling for sponsors be a huge concern in areas with 2 High school FRC teams too? Thats one of my biggest concerns about getting Funds when 2 or more teams are in the Windsor - Essex area. but then again there are a ton of manufacturing plants, and a lot of factories (right across from Detroit).

Yes, that would also definitely be a concern. However, neighboring towns is not the same as being in the same town. If someone started another team in one of the other Brunswicks, sure there would be some competition for sponsorship, but we would at least still hopefully be able to rely on North Brunswick residents. There are towns, of course, that have multiple teams and it works for them. It just might be risky to go ahead and started a middle school team in a town without an existing program for both the funding reason and because it would really kind of suck to be on a team in middle school, have a great time, and then get to high school with nothing to continue that.

I totally understand why people wouldn't want to do FLL. I think FTC might be a good solution in that case. It's a step up from FLL and a step down from FRC and would probably work well. If the students want even more of a challenge, then going up to FRC can be explored.

There is enough of a problem with FRC teams starting up and not being able to sustain themselves. Obviously, it has worked in the past (and works quite well for 155 apparently), but I just don't know if middle school students would be able to handle FRC. It is a lot to take on, even for high school freshmen. It seems risky to me considering where 11-13 year olds tend to be in the social, emotional, and cognitive development and whether that's really compatible with the environment created by FRC.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Just to throw a wrench into the discussion, school districts vary throughout the country and world such that the terms "middle school" and "high school" can encompass non-traditional definitions. I know of at least one district where "high school" is just juniors and seniors. In another middle school is 6-9th grade.