Loss of Gracious Professionalism Among First Teams

[Sean_330]

It has saddened me in recent years to see certain teams participate in FIRST, while not understanding the true meaning of it. However, this number is limited and many teams embrace GP with open arms. Thohe who do not may very well be doing that because the members do not practice gracious professionalism in everyday live. FIRST is only several months long. If, after the season is over, people cease to practice gracious professionalism, then there is no reason to expect them to pick it up again, and be gracious and professional once the season starts up again. Essentially gracious professionalism follows the "Golden rule" which most of us have been told my our parrnts at one or time or another. "Do to others what you want them to do to you." Gracious professionalism is about putting others before yourself, and the team ahead of the individual. However, this needs to be practiced in the world outside of FIRST for it to succeed in FIRST. Gracious professionalism is a 24/7/365 attitude you need to have. If you have that attitude 24/7/365, then you will carry it into the regionals and succeed! If you do not, then there wil be problems. Anyway, thats just my opinion.