[FRC Blog] We're Listening

[Squillo]

Maybe I'm remembering wrong (it happens...), but it wasn't that long ago that ANY veteran team could simply sign up to go to Champs. I don't remember a lot of complaints about that. There have always been lots of robots at Champs that do not embody "world class" engineering, do not score in the top 10% at their local events, etc. Champs IS about "more than robots" and IMVHO, it should stay that way.

(When we went to Champs in 2010, we certainly didn't have a "world class" robot - we got there by winning the EI award at regionals. We competed, we contributed to our alliances - our robot was not bad, but not "Einstein material" by a long shot. Attending that Championship event was the most inspiring thing that happened to our team for a long time. It was what got me and several other mentors involved, and prompted us to start a non-profit organization to support all robotics on our island. It got many, many students involved in our team for the first time. Seeing what Miss Daisy had done showed us that the CA was not just something we had to do because of the NASA grant, but so much more!)

Back then, and before, there were fewer teams in FRC, and I don't know what percentage of them went to Champs, but it definitely wasn't only the "cream of the crop" in terms of robot performance or engineering. Even our little "Home Depot" robot finished in the solid middle of our division. And no one was complaining about the field being full of "boxes on wheels" then!

I just don't get the outrage over (a whopping) 25% of teams getting to go to Champs. 75% still won't get to go - and I doubt the 25% will include that many more "bad" robots than currently go to Champs. There are just a whole lot MORE "decent" (but admittedly not "world crushing") robots out there now that there are so many more teams, and I see nothing wrong with letting a few more of them get inspired.

Just curious, what percentage of teams attended Champs in 2008? 2009? 2010? 2011? Based on what I've seen at our regional over the past few years, if twice as many teams attended Champs this year as in 2010, the "worst" robot/team* attending in 2015 would still be "better" than the worst in 2010. Even the rookie winners now are competitive, and back then, I'm not sure that was always, or even often, so.

While I can see that folks might get annoyed about there no longer being "one world champion" alliance (which FIRST seems to be considering remedying), the actual location of the events (which may be the result of factors beyond their control and in any event, probably can't be changed now, and couldn't please everyone anyway), and the inability to 'hob nob' with ALL of the teams from around the world, I just don't see the outrage about allowing 800 teams, or 25%, to attend a Championship event. OTOH, I have no problem with calling it a super-regional if you like, and then having another event for only the "super elite" to attend (which should be free, in terms of entry fee and robot shipping, with subsidized housing, lots of free food, and maybe transportation - talk about EARNING something! THAT would inspire my team to really work hard!!).

*I'm talking about engineering and scoring performance of the robot and drivers, but I think the same would hold true for just about ANY measure of a team's "ability" - the quality of their CA efforts and presentation, their "team imagery," scouting - except maybe GP, which seems to have been fairly consistent (and high).