A Request

[StillDefective]

Originally Posted by Wiifi

I toured the location before I left championships, did you go in and see the large ballrooms? I was able to find ramps to the ballroom from the large areas of the facility, the only area where I had to walk up and down steps was the foodcourt.

We couldn't get inside them, but there were no ramps that we saw. You can BARELY fit 64 teams inside a basketball stadium (Source: FTC North Super Regional). How are you going to fit 128 teams PLUS Jr. FLL (which isn't big but still) in Union Station?

[PayneTrain]

Originally Posted by StillDefective

We couldn't get inside them, but there were no ramps that we saw. You can BARELY fit 64 teams inside a basketball stadium (Source: FTC North Super Regional). How are you going to fit 128 teams PLUS Jr. FLL (which isn't big but still) in Union Station?

The workable floor of the Carver Hawkeye Arena is probably in the neighborhood of 6000 square feet (regulation hardwood is 4700, plus space from bleachers being moved). The meeting area at the Union Station Hotel is 100,000 contiguous square feet ("ballrooms" according to the website) plus an extra 43000 square feet in advertised flex space.

Am I missing something?

[Christopher149]

Originally Posted by StillDefective

How are you going to fit 128 teams PLUS Jr. FLL (which isn't big but still) in Union Station?

I could have sworn that Jr. FLL was going to be with FLL in Renaissance Grand, and FTC would have Union Station to itself.

[Bryce Paputa]

First off, in Michigan FTC is a middle school program, so it's rather unfair to compare the two here. My biggest problem with it is that team numbers change every year, making it feel like every team is a rookie with no history.

[cgmv123]

Originally Posted by Bryce Paputa

My biggest problem with it is that team numbers change every year, making it feel like every team is a rookie with no history.

FTC team numbers are permanent like FRC, unless Michigan does it differently.

[cadandcookies]

Originally Posted by Bryce Paputa

First off, in Michigan FTC is a middle school program, so it's rather unfair to compare the two here. My biggest problem with it is that team numbers change every year, making it feel like every team is a rookie with no history.

You might be thinking of FLL, which recently switched to permanent team numbers.

[Bryce Paputa]

Originally Posted by cadandcookies

You might be thinking of FLL, which recently switched to permanent team numbers.

No, I am talking about FTC. We must just be different with the changing team numbers, or maybe I just have a horrible memory.

[magnets]

FTC is in no way an activity for "inferior" students. There are some FTC robots that I would consider to be of higher quality than the majority of FRC robots. Does FRC have bigger and more expensive robots and competitions? Yes. Does FRC do a better job of inspiring kids to do STEM? Yes. Unfortunately, not everybody can afford to participate in FRC. FTC's finals aren't anything like Einstein, but the program itself is much larger. There's two programs because FIRST was not willing to compromise on the "varsity" aspect of FRC, but still wanted to get lots of kids involved in FIRST.

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by magnets

FTC is in no way an activity for "inferior" students. There are some FTC robots that I would consider to be of higher quality than the majority of FRC robots. Does FRC have bigger and more expensive robots and competitions? Yes. Does FRC do a better job of inspiring kids to do STEM? Yes. Unfortunately, not everybody can afford to participate in FRC. FTC's finals aren't anything like Einstein, but the program itself is much larger. There's two programs because FIRST was not willing to compromise on the "varsity" aspect of FRC, but still wanted to get lots of kids involved in FIRST.

I never said FTC kids were inferior. I just said FTC isn't interesting to me. I don't want to do FLL either. I just want to dedicate my energy to FRC. Simple as that.

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by magnets

There are some FTC robots that I would consider to be of higher quality than the majority of FRC robots.

I've seen VEXIQ robots better than the majority of FRC robots.

[cadandcookies]

On the whole culture change thing:

Minnesota was part of the original FLL pilot program in 1998. We've been growing an FLL volunteer basefor sixteen years now, and we have 600+ teams in the state. Our annual growth is around 20%. It has gotten to the point here where FLL is an expected school activity at the majority of elementary and middle schools in the state. Our FLL qualifiers have volunteers who have been volunteering for more than ten years. FTC is smaller, but we're looking at next year a minimum of doubling our teams next year to around 140. I would be very surprised if in the next three years the amount of sustainable FTC teams eclipses that of our sustainable FRC teams.

Why is this important?

By introducing kids to FTC and FLL at an early age, and expanding those programs, we help to make robotics an anticipated activity for elementary, middle, and high school students.

If you want to actually fix a problem, you don't go to the symptoms, you go to the roots-- in this case, the impressionable young students in elementary, middle, and high school. Like it or not, FTC and FLL are as important to culture change as FRC is. FLL is a large program than FTC and FRC combined, and FTC is going to catch up and pass FRC in terms of students and teams soon.

If you personally aren't interested in being involved with FTC or FLL, that's your deal and as intensive as FRC is I don't blame you-- you certainly aren't under any obligation to put even more of your time into it-- but don't diss the programs. They're as essential to the broad picture as FRC is.

[scooty199]

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

I've seen VEXIQ robots better than the majority of FRC robots.

314A from VEX IQ World Championships this year may be the best robot I've ever seen.

[ks68]

Originally Posted by scooty199

314A from VEX IQ World Championships this year may be the best robot I've ever seen.

It reminds me of 71's 2002 robot.

[Mk.32]

Originally Posted by scooty199

314A from VEX IQ World Championships this year may be the best robot I've ever seen.

Any photos or video?

[scooty199]

Originally Posted by Mk.32

Any photos or video?

[Oh yes. Yes there is.