2013 Lessons Learned: The Negative

[JackN]

I was personally not involved with any team for Build Season this year. I did help work with Team 70 during the competition season, so these observations and issues that I have noticed/felt this season and there are some potential solutions:

1) The number of qualification matches at Championship was too low. Everyone agrees with this being an issue, I don't think anyone is going to disagree with it. There are several proposed solutions that I think could solve it. FIRST needs to decide who they want to appeal to when it comes to Championship. Removing the wait-list will make it a more competitive and maybe a more positive experience for the teams that qualify. Expanded the divisions/adding another will certainly decrease the quality of play, but gives more students the opportunity to attend championship.

2) Third event teams at the Bedford District Competition. This is obviously a Michigan centered issue, but the fact that 22 of the 24 teams that were playing in eliminations were competing in their third event left a sour taste in my mouth. I am generally a fan of teams being allowed to compete in extra events to fill up the spots, but I really wish that there was a better distribution of teams at the events from earlier weeks to make it less likely something like this might happen.

3) Real time and Autonomous Scoring issues. I am not that mad about the real time scoring. For better or worse I have more or less given up expecting to see a quality real time score. One thing I wish they would have done is added in a pause following the end of Autonomous mode, similar to what was done in 2006 to give counters the ability to verify and accurately count the discs.