The District System

[Pault]

The dawn of the districts is upon us. There are many areas that are in the process of implementing the system, a system which has seen so much success in the past, despite a significant amount of resistance early on. So now, FIRST wants to slowly bring everyone into the model.

I encourage everyone to check out slides 4-8 of this slide show to learn more about what such a large scale implementation of districts is planned to look like.

So I am interested to find out about a few more things:

Is your area trying to go to districts? How close are you to seeing it actually happen? Is there anything that your area wants to do to break the mold set by FiM and MAR?

Do you want districts in your area?/Are you happy that your area has districts? What are your main reasons for this opinion?

Given the above slide show, which I am sure you all looked at, how do you think FIRST will deal with international teams?

Side note: I understand that some of these question have been discussed before in various threads around Chief Delphi, but I have not found a place which really looks at the district model and just tears it apart for its benefits and flaws.

[wilsonmw04]

Maybe I'm doing something wrong, But all I can see in the title slide and I can't get the slides to advance.

[Pault]

Originally Posted by wilsonmw04

Maybe I'm doing something wrong, But all I can see in the title slide and I can't get the slides to advance.

My fault, I linked to the mobile version of the slide show. It should be fixed now.

[Gregor]

I've seen the image in slide 8 a few times now, but where did it come from. It's titled "FIRST's Vision." Is it an official FIRST document? If so, why was every team not located within US borders ignored? I sure hope "FIRST's Vision" isn't to close its borders to international teams...

[wilsonmw04]

Originally Posted by Gregor

I've seen the image in slide 8 a few times now, but where did it come from. It's titled "FIRST's Vision." Is it an official FIRST document? If so, why was every team not located within US borders ignored? I sure hope "FIRST's Vision" isn't to close its borders to international teams...

They do say that Worlds will have 24 international teams. I don't think they have thought that far ahead yet.

[DonRotolo]

Funny, it worked great on my iPad...

IMHO international teams can be invited to specific "region" level events, or perhaps to the super regionals, to qualify for CMP. The big issue there is their inability to attend multiple events unless they are adjacent weekends.

[Steven Donow]

Originally Posted by Gregor

I've seen the image in slide 8 a few times now, but where did it come from. It's titled "FIRST's Vision." Is it an official FIRST document? If so, why was every team not located within US borders ignored? I sure hope "FIRST's Vision" isn't to close its borders to international teams...

"24 international teams" is mentioned in the top "bubble". And I believe that it is either an official FIRST Document of NEFIRST's graphical interpretation of an internal FIRST memo during District negotiations.


Also, having firsthand spent two years as a student in both regional competition and district system, despite initial hesitance towards the "feel" of districts, by my second district event, I was hooked and fell in love with the system.

[Gregor]

Originally Posted by wilsonmw04

They do say that Worlds will have 24 international teams. I don't think they have thought that far ahead yet.

24 teams=4 regionals. 2011 was the last time there were 4 international regionals (Waterloo, GTR East/West, Isreal). Since then, Montreal and Calgary have been added. We want districts too!

[Steven Donow]

Originally Posted by Gregor

24 teams=4 regionals. 2011 was the last time there were 4 international regionals (Waterloo, GTR East/West, Isreal). Since then, Montreal and Calgary have been added. We want districts too!

I think that's what it's implying...that these teams would come from districts. Also, remember, 2011 was when this chart seems to be made(and it seems like it was a vision for 2013...ha...). From what I saw discussed here, no one could have expected the growth in Calgary-area this year(you go, 4334). I think it'll be a LONG time before we see a system like the one in this chart come to life, and who knows what the area-specific team breakdown will be (ie. states splitting up, states doing double region championships[like the NEFIRST proposal])

[wilsonmw04]

I'm not sure I buy the idea that this is going to save all teams money. The new and smaller teams are going to get more bang for their buck. I get that. What about the teams that go to Worlds? It's going to cost them more than it does now. Realistically, you can get to worlds with $9k in registration fees. With this new system, $9k will only get you to the State Champs. I'm guessing another $5k would be needed to pay for Worlds. This will increase the costs of teams going to worlds over the current system.

Another question: If you won Chairman's or EI at the district level, are you allowed to compete on the field with your robot at the state level? Will the tradition of having RCA winners on the field at Worlds change in this new model?

[Steven Donow]

Originally Posted by wilsonmw04

I'm not sure I buy the idea that this is going to save all teams money. The new and smaller teams are going to get more bang for their buck. I get that. What about the teams that go to Worlds? It's going to cost them more than it does now. Realistically, you can get to worlds with $9k in registration fees. With this new system, $9k will only get you to the State Champs. I'm guessing another $5k would be needed to pay for Worlds. This will increase the costs of teams going to worlds over the current system.

Another question: If you won Chairman's or EI at the district level, are you allowed to compete on the field with your robot at the state level? Will the tradition of having RCA winners on the field at Worlds change in this new model?

Well, generally, (at least in MAR), there are grants available for teams from the region committee, and, from Jim Zondag's (amazing) FiM whitepaper, an effort was made to make MSC free for teams. With the system being more widespread, FIRST could possibly allow it in the future.


Also, is that question about what happens currently? In both MAR and FiM, Chairmans autoqualifies you for region/state championships, but EI does not. Teams that win EI but don't make it to region/states do make an EI presentation to judges, however, and can still win it(as evident by 321 winning it at MAR Champs this year)

[P.J.]

Originally Posted by wilsonmw04

Another question: If you won Chairman's or EI at the district level, are you allowed to compete on the field with your robot at the state level? Will the tradition of having RCA winners on the field at Worlds change in this new model?

I'm not positive about MAR or any new districts, but I know that FiM invites all district Chairman's winners to compete with their robot at the State Championship. However, EI winners do not. They come and can compete for the State EI without their robot, which if they win will then get their robot invited to the World Championship.

[wilsonmw04]

Originally Posted by DevenStonow

an effort was made to make MSC free for teams. With the system being more widespread, FIRST could possibly allow it in the future.

This is would make a load of sense, but this is not the way things currently are, correct?

[Steven Donow]

Originally Posted by wilsonmw04

This is would make a load of sense, but this is not the way things currently are, correct?

Correct. Also to note is that registration costs do not go towards running the events(this is known already, even outside of districts). Also, both MAR and FiM do not use official FIRST fields(except for, in MAR, weekends when there are two districts), but fields owned by the regional committee. MAR's this year were transported in POD storage units.

[wilsonmw04]

Originally Posted by DevenStonow

Correct. Also to note is that registration costs do not go towards running the events(this is known already, even outside of districts). Also, both MAR and FiM do not use official FIRST fields(except for, in MAR, weekends when there are two districts), but fields owned by the regional committee. MAR's this year were transported in POD storage units.

Are these lower quality versions than what we are used to in a Regional? Do they have an FMS?

Hate to be throwing out simple questions, but I missed the conversations out districts during the VA and Baltimore Regionals.