Georgia Districts

[Anupam Goli]

From an email I received today:

GeorgiaFIRST Robotics is in the process of gathering information to make a decision in regard to our structure of play for the 2016 season. We are asking for your input to help us make this decision. Please read the information below and click Going District Survey to complete the survey no later than April 20, 2015. Thank you in advance for your participation.

Current competition structure in Georgia: Regional Model
FRC teams pay: $5,000 for a veteran team and $6,000 for a rookie team
They receive: A kit-of-parts and entrance into one regional event (45 or 66 team event)
Additional regional events: $4,000
Seeding Matches per regional event (mandatory one event): 8-10 matches

Competition structure being considered in Georgia: District Model
FRC teams pay: $5,000 for a veteran team and $6,000 for a rookie team
The team receives: A kit-of-parts and entrance into two district events (30-40 team events average)
Additional district event (3rd ): $1,000 (Optional)
State Championship event: $4,000
Seeding Matches per team playing two district events (mandatory two events): 24 matches

• Two opportunities to compete and advance to the district (state) championship
• Opportunity to evolve robot design/fix technical issues
• Reduce travel time and cost/shorter event structure
• Better opportunity for family and friends to attend an event

District Events are usually two-day events and the district (state) championship is a three-day event.
Bag and tag implemented within both models.
No difference in types/categories of awards/medals.
All teams within our district qualifying to attend the FIRST World Championship would be from Georgia.
Number of teams qualifying to attend FIRST World Championships would be based on number of teams within the
state. (Example: Indiana currently has 49 FRC teams, 3 district events (30-34 team average), 1 state event (30
teams) and they qualified 10 Indiana teams to attend FIRST World Championship).

You are required to compete at two district events within our state to earn enough qualifying points to advance to the district (state) championship event. You are only allowed to play at a third event out-of-state or within state if capacity is available. A third play does not count in terms of qualifying points. Average cost of a third play is $1,000.

Thank you for taking the time to give us your thoughts. Watch for additional information as it becomes available at gafirst.org.

GeorgiaFIRST Robotics

FIRST's site lists 75 teams in Georgia. We'd likely have 4-5 district events and maybe a 40 team championship. I'd like to see us send 12-15 teams to championships with this new model.

Also I'm glad we are finally trying to ditch the 65+ team regional model. I was not at all happy with the number of matches we got, and this district model would fix all of those issues.

Thoughts?

[ehoyla]

After seeing how big Peachtree was this year and how few matches each team got to play, I like it.

[robochick1319]

As a South Carolina team with rapidly decreasing regional options, I don't like the idea of losing two regionals. But it could be very good for Georgia.

Any idea of when Georgia may move to this model?

[Anupam Goli]

Originally Posted by robochick1319

As a South Carolina team with rapidly decreasing regional options, I don't like the idea of losing two regionals. But it could be very good for Georgia.

Any idea of when Georgia may move to this model?

The survey said the move is happening in the next two years. They're strongly pushing to move next year though. I'd personally like to have a district with South Carolina, since our regionals have a lot of overlap in terms of teams. From what I've heard, North Carolina is almost dead set on going to districts next year as well.

[robochick1319]

Originally Posted by Anupam Goli

The survey said the move is happening in the next two years. They're strongly pushing to move next year though. I'd personally like to have a district with South Carolina, since our regionals have a lot of overlap in terms of teams. From what I've heard, North Carolina is almost dead set on going to districts next year as well.

Yes, that would be good. I have this fear that NC and GA will move to Districts and somehow SC will get left behind. I don't think we're big enough for a SC district but it could make sense to lump a couple states together for a Southeast District.

[Anupam Goli]

An Alabama Regional seems to be in the works, but it would be weird if the only options for south carolina teams would be an overcrowded Palmetto Regional, a growing Smoky Mountain Regional, or hop over one state to Alabama. Ideally we'd have SC and NC or GA and SC combine into one district. I'd wager Tennessee and Alabama would both take a while to form districts, and Tennessee would likely split and join up with an established system or have its own district due to the size of its state.

[ehoyla]

They announced at the Smoky Mountains Regional that there will be an Alabama Regional next year.

[Tim Sharp]

It's official, the Rocket City Regional will be held in Huntsville, AL next year. Time and location TBD.

[jman4747]

I am in support of GA districts and it's great to hear AL getting a regional now too. With Palmetto, GSC, and Peachtree full this was something I expected soon.

[Zflash]

First off congrats GA for reaching district potential. We will miss competing with you all if things go this way however districts are rather appealing and that is where it is at.

Somewhat off topic I would like to suggest the following....

F.I.S.
FIRST In the South

South Carolina:37
North Carolina:42
Georgia:49
Tennessee:38
West Virginia:4
Virginia:69
Kentucky:12

Total of 251 teams.

You could easily have 12 district events and 1 district championship and qualify far more teams. After a year or two of team growth you could break this large district into smaller ones potentially having one district for each state at some point.

Low registration fees for all, more matches for all, and lower travel costs for most.

[dodar]

Originally Posted by Zflash

First off congrats GA for reaching district potential. We will miss competing with you all if things go this way however districts are rather appealing and that is where it is at.

Somewhat off topic I would like to suggest the following....

F.I.S.
FIRST In the South

South Carolina:37
North Carolina:42
Georgia:49
Tennessee:38
West Virginia:4
Virginia:69
Kentucky:12

Total of 251 teams.

You could easily have 12 district events and 1 district championship and qualify far more teams. After a year or two of team growth you could break this large district into smaller ones potentially having one district for each state at some point.

Low registration fees for all, more matches for all, and lower travel costs for most.

Florida?

[Zflash]

Originally Posted by dodar

Florida?

Why Not?

[TDav540]

Originally Posted by Zflash

First off congrats GA for reaching district potential. We will miss competing with you all if things go this way however districts are rather appealing and that is where it is at.

Somewhat off topic I would like to suggest the following....

F.I.S.
FIRST In the South

South Carolina:37
North Carolina:42
Georgia:49
Tennessee:38
West Virginia:4
Virginia:69
Kentucky:12

Total of 251 teams.

You could easily have 12 district events and 1 district championship and qualify far more teams. After a year or two of team growth you could break this large district into smaller ones potentially having one district for each state at some point.

Low registration fees for all, more matches for all, and lower travel costs for most.

From what I have heard, districts in VA is likely, but not with NC or one of these other states. It will likely be a National Capital district with MD and DC.

[Alex2614]

Originally Posted by Zflash

First off congrats GA for reaching district potential. We will miss competing with you all if things go this way however districts are rather appealing and that is where it is at.

Somewhat off topic I would like to suggest the following....

F.I.S.
FIRST In the South

South Carolina:37
North Carolina:42
Georgia:49
Tennessee:38
West Virginia:4
Virginia:69
Kentucky:12

Total of 251 teams.

You could easily have 12 district events and 1 district championship and qualify far more teams. After a year or two of team growth you could break this large district into smaller ones potentially having one district for each state at some point.

Low registration fees for all, more matches for all, and lower travel costs for most.

I love love love this idea! WV will be moving with Ohio District very soon, but I think this is a more viable option, especially because the biggest deterrent to districts is volunteers. If you're pulling from volunteers across the south instead of just a single state, it might be easier.

I think that once districts become more universal, things will probably get re-aligned. Since districts are coming from the region level and not FIRST, sometimes they're not necessarily the best for everyone involved. Once districts are more universal, it is possible that some re-alignment based on team clustering and also number growth will happen. As different areas grow, we might see a new trend - instead of going districts, it will be district re-alignment. For example, as WV gets more and more teams, we might find that staying with Ohio may not be as good as going with someone else. Or maybe we will see districts start to combine together.

I'm excited to hear about Georgia, though! Very cool! Although, I was looking forward to advocating for going to Peachtree next year in our potentially last year in regionals.

[Monochron]

There were serious talks back in the fall about Georgia going district with North Carolina next year, but the last update we received up here in NC was that that wouldn't be happening.

I am of the opinion that creating a GA/NC district like this would be much more preferable to separated isolated districts. It would open up the region for travelling and help prevent teams from having to isolate to their own state for the sake of costs and Worlds qualifications. We, as members of FIRST should try to open boarders and promote team's interacting with and competing against as many others as possible.

I haven't been in any of the discussions though, so I don't know if this is still possible. If you GA teams can give the feedback that you want a combined district though, I say go for it. I would like to play with some of you guys in the future again : )