Robotics becomes official sport in Arizona!

[RomeroFRC5012]

Originally Posted by falconmaster

The Arizona Interscholastic Association recognizes robotics as a sport in Arizona! We were lucky enough to have been chosen to be present when they made the announcement. We also got to deliver the game ball and the silver dollar for the coin toss. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9BV...ature=youtu.be
How do you like that Dean and Woodie?AZ became the second state after Minnesota to do this! Its nice that AZ is not last for a change in something! There is nothing wrong with your sound there was no sound with the video. There was idle chit chat so I decided not to put it.
Extremely honored to have been chosen to be there for this!

Congratulations! now to get it recognized in every state!

[sergioCorral842]

Originally Posted by Francis-134

This is wicked cool! Is this mostly a "symbolic" victory, or does it confer some sort of specific benefits to robotics teams in the state (i.e. the can hang banners in gyms, have access to more school facilities, easier funding process etc.)?

Congratulations to the parties involved!

So far, I only know that we will be able to get varsity letters and jackets. Other than that, I am not sure.

[MooreteP]

The state of Connecticut, though the CIAC (Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Association) has also recognized Robotics as a high school sport:
http://www.firstct.org/news-events/c...-championship/

[AllenGregoryIV]

I found this article that makes it sound like its only FRC and not all robotics.
http://www.aia365.com/articles/4644/...tics-is-coming

From this and what happened with UIL in Texas this summer it seems like HQ is lobbying state interscholastic leagues to make FRC tournaments like MN has.

[MattRain]

Originally Posted by AllenGregoryIV

I found this article that makes it sound like its only FRC and not all robotics.
http://www.aia365.com/articles/4644/...tics-is-coming

From this and what happened with UIL in Texas this summer it seems like HQ is lobbying state interscholastic leagues to make FRC tournaments like MN has.

It is only FRC. The FTC side hasn't heard a thing from them.

[gblake]

Originally Posted by MooreteP

The state of Connecticut, though the CIAC (Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Association) has also recognized Robotics as a high school sport:
http://www.firstct.org/news-events/c...-championship/

Originally Posted by MattRain

It is only FRC. The FTC side hasn't heard a thing from them.

OK - So I'm going to be a bit of a broken record here... I know I seem overly grumpy but, dang it, it's so easy to get this sort of thing right. As a community we need to avoid wearing FRC or FIRST blinders.

These announcements are that FRC state championships are going to be endorsed/sanctioned by state bureaucracies. These are not announcements that "robotics" is an official / high school sport. FRC is not the end-all, be-all, of "robotics". FRC is an excellent part of "robotics"; but it is only one part of "robotics"; and by several measures it is not the even the biggest or best part of "robotics".

If "robotics" did equal FRC, and FRC alone, FIRST (and I as someone who has invested hundreds of hours in FIRST's success) would have failed. The cultural shift FIRST seeks can not be gotten by only forming FRC infrastructures. Many would argue quite effectively that FRC infrastructures should be put into place only after other programs' infrastructures exist to create a solid foundation for FRC activities....

Switching gears a bit - This is both excellent news on many levels, and maybe not so good news of a few others.

Some of the things to consider are that:

• Team membership rules created by the states are probably going to slowly start to encrust the FRC events governed by these organizations, and then effect student participation in the teams.
• Many/all aspects of Mentor and volunteer participation in the teams that compete in these events) are probably going to slowly start to be affected/governed by the state organizations sanctioning these events.
• Expect that state rules and regulations will begin to creep into determining when and where teams may do their business (activities like building the FRC robot).
• Expect a constant low-level of confusion about how non-school FRC teams participate in state championships (and the events that feed into to them). FRC teams usually are associated in some way with a single school, but that definitely isn't required or always true; and it certainly isn't true for other, popular, non-FRC, robotics programs that also deserve our best efforts.
• Etc.

To exaggerate a bit to make a point, let me quote Mark Twain, “No man's life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session.”

To sum up: Please, please embrace (and ensure your actions reflect) the fact that neither FRC, nor FIRST, nor any other single STEM program is the right "robotics" solution for the entire culture we seek to change; and be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.

Blake

[gblake]

Maybe I have too strong of a libertarian streak in me, but I think that maybe I would be happier seeing headlines that joyfully announce something like this:

"Popular, affordable and inspirational, grass-roots, student-robotics competition(s) avoid(s) entanglement in government bureaucracy, and remains free to continue charting its own course."

Think about it....

Blake

[The_ShamWOW88]

Good to hear!! Hopefully soon, robotics will be viewed and treated as a sport nationally and internationally

[falconmaster]

http://kjzz.org/content/73371/aia-re...h-school-sport

[falconmaster]

Originally Posted by gblake

OK - So I'm going to be a bit of a broken record here... I know I seem overly grumpy but, dang it, it's so easy to get this sort of thing right. As a community we need to avoid wearing FRC or FIRST blinders.

These announcements are that FRC state championships are going to be endorsed/sanctioned by state bureaucracies. These are not announcements that "robotics" is an official / high school sport. FRC is not the end-all, be-all, of "robotics". FRC is an excellent part of "robotics"; but it is only one part of "robotics"; and by several measures it is not the even the biggest or best part of "robotics".

If "robotics" did equal FRC, and FRC alone, FIRST (and I as someone who has invested hundreds of hours in FIRST's success) would have failed. The cultural shift FIRST seeks can not be gotten by only forming FRC infrastructures. Many would argue quite effectively that FRC infrastructures should be put into place only after other programs' infrastructures exist to create a solid foundation for FRC activities....

Switching gears a bit - This is both excellent news on many levels, and maybe not so good news of a few others.

Some of the things to consider are that:

• Team membership rules created by the states are probably going to slowly start to encrust the FRC events governed by these organizations, and then effect student participation in the teams.
• Many/all aspects of Mentor and volunteer participation in the teams that compete in these events) are probably going to slowly start to be affected/governed by the state organizations sanctioning these events.
• Expect that state rules and regulations will begin to creep into determining when and where teams may do their business (activities like building the FRC robot).
• Expect a constant low-level of confusion about how non-school FRC teams participate in state championships (and the events that feed into to them). FRC teams usually are associated in some way with a single school, but that definitely isn't required or always true; and it certainly isn't true for other, popular, non-FRC, robotics programs that also deserve our best efforts.
• Etc.

To exaggerate a bit to make a point, let me quote Mark Twain, “No man's life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session.”

To sum up: Please, please embrace (and ensure your actions reflect) the fact that neither FRC, nor FIRST, nor any other single STEM program is the right "robotics" solution for the entire culture we seek to change; and be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.

Blake

I can't speak for the AIA but I can say that it is a great step. As far I as I know it is FRC, they are concentrating on high school right now. As the popularity grows and everyone become used to the idea I am sure it will include more robotics categories just like there are many different sports. rather than looking at this as for what it is missing, try looking at it for what is there. It's a start! Let run with it. I agree that FRC is not everything, in fact we, TEAM 842, know this to be true. We also do AUVSI Robosub and NURC.

[sgeckler]

Fredi,

Can you point us to any material or narratives about HOW this was accomplished? It think making an example road map available would give other areas some ideas about how to undertake the process. Who were the principles actors, who were the champions, what were the challenges and how were they resolved?

Congratulations!
Sam Geckler
Mentor
#4926

[falconmaster]

Originally Posted by sgeckler

Fredi,

Can you point us to any material or narratives about HOW this was accomplished? It think making an example road map available would give other areas some ideas about how to undertake the process. Who were the principles actors, who were the champions, what were the challenges and how were they resolved?

Congratulations!
Sam Geckler
Mentor
#4926

We have an organization in AZ that is called Science Foundation Arizona, http://www.sfaz.org/, that we have been in contact with for many years. We send them updates on what we are doing and other teams are doing in the state. After many years of watching what robotics can do and seeing teams struggle for recognition and funding they thought they would lean on the AIA to consider it. The AIA went on a trip to Minnesota to check out what they had there and were blown away! They decided that they wanted that for Arizona and here we are. They also consulted with FIRST before implementing the plan. So basically keep blowing your own horn and the horn for others to who ever may have any political sway to move the powers that be. Invite them to your school and show them what you can do. Let them see the kids excited. Send the all the press coverage to them. Invite them to tournaments. anything you can think of to engage them. The more teams that band together to do this with the help of your regional FRC directors the better. Ours RD was very active in providing info and pushing forward the agenda with Science Foundation AZ and the AIA. Does that help? Let me know if you need more detail

[falconmaster]

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/...tion/19811795/

from the state paper

[techhelpbb]

Originally Posted by Ether

Is that an inside joke?

I should hope this is an >inside< joke cause <outside> in some parts of Arizona is not so funny hot

[MooreteP]

Originally Posted by Ether

Is that an inside joke?

I think it is in reference to the MLK holiday.