Do any schools recognize their FIRST teams as sports?

[Wayne C.]

To a great degree Kit may be right about schools not wanting to endorse corporate sponsors. But supporting a student team and having a sponsor do the same is sometimes acceptable.

In our first two years our team was facing a school board which was fanatic about not having any kind of corporate logos anywhere on school grounds. As a result we somewhat played down the sponsors at the school and played it up in the community. And each year, after our season was through we would send a Thankyou letter to the Board spelling out all of the support we had received from the sponsor and community, the $10K in Autodesk software the district got for free and the successes the students had.

I think part of what changed their tune was a series of letters the Board received congratulating the team on the progressive nature of the team and applauding our BMS partnership. One of these letters came from the Governor's office and State Dept. of Ed. in response to a student's letter to the Governor (believe me- it surprised us too!). Nobody talks about restricting sponsorship these days.

School Boards and Administrations listen to outspoken parents. FIRST students have parents. Maybe the two should should meet.

Have faith- eventually your schools will come around, especially when they see the sponsorship funds helping out.

OK- back down from the soapbox...

WC

[Jeff Rodriguez]

Originally posted by Wayne C.
Hey Joe-

Maybe it's luck but you also need to realize that we have been around for 6 years and FIRST is a full time club with us. We've worked hard to get where we are today and look forward to an even better future.

One way you might get more support from your school is to have your faculty advisor contact the local papers and let them in on your projects. I find that once the public sees great things happening in the school the administration has no choice but to recognize it and give support.

Remember- most people never heard of FIRST. YOU tell them with enthusiasm and energy. Take lots of pictures. Make a press packet and send them out to the local newspapers. Rally the community behind the team. A part of our team is dedicated to just this job ( also helps with fund raising).

Elected officials (like school boards) love to look good for the voters, especially if it costs them nothing.

A word of caution- when dealing with the public ALWAYS keep a positive attitude and always credit your sponsors. Newspapers love to find controversy and they can ruin you as easily as help you. (This is a hard learned lesson from a guy who occasionally loses his cool- especially this year being on an ODD team)

Good luck- and if we can help let us know at Team 25

WC

We've done all that and we still have gotten no school recognition. We even had a demo at a board of education meeting. We've had a series in the newspaper about us. ANd nothin

[Al Skierkiewicz]

It's nice to know that other schools have had the same experience we had. Although we were able to display some trophys in a small case in each school, there was no real recognition, until...
We invited the principal of one school to chaperone in Florida one year and invited the principal of our other school to come and see the Midwest Regional. Each person was given a team t-shirt and made part of the team. You have to admit anyone who comes to a regional or national event is hooked. Now we have banners up in each school, public demonstrations during school events, participate in awards recognitions, special awards for seniors at graduation. Of course we now have the support of principals, assistants and teachers as well as some incredible support from our school district and school board board members, local government and parents all of whom are coming out to cheer us on. We have worked with the school district and now have classroom credit for participating in FIRST (as a two semester activity) Keep trying and be patient, invite your principal to competitions especially so they are there for the finals and awards ceremonies. It is during those times that the true meaning of FIRST comes out as we congratulate all those receiving trophys and awards.
Good Luck
Al

[Wayne C.]

Hey Ogre-

It's too bad to hear that your school isn't coming through for you. Al is definitely right in getting the administration involved in the team. These guys get all kinds of requests from "clubs", usually wanting favors and money with little in return. I'll bet most of them have no idea what FIRST is about. How about showing them one of the FIRST videos if you can't get them out to the competition itself?

We just got a new principal last Monday and already he has a team shirt, an invitation to the Regional and has spoken to the newspapers for an article this week. He will support us whether he likes it or not!! (just kidding). His first comment was "gee- it sounds like that Florida trip needs a principal to chaperone."

As the teacher end of this thing let me say that I understand very well why teachers can get fed up with doing this. We (aka I)ALMOST quit in the fall of 1999 for lack of serious committment from the powers that be. Our successful 2000 season made all the difference and it was a lesson for me.

All I can say is hang in there and keep working to develop your team. Your team's success will come eventually from YOUR efforts. FIRST is worth the effort, isn't it?

If there is anything we can do to help feel free to ask.

WC

[schitnis]

We usually get refered to as robotics guys. We did not get a lot of attention cause we usually work after school and at weakends. I guess that the way life goes .


Regards
schitnis
Team 915

[Jim McGeehin]

Well, our team has a lot of schools, but here's how my school recognizes our team.

We get a float in the homecoming parade.

We are allowed to have fundraisers.

We get an assembly.

We get mentioned on the announcements.

We are not a physical sport, we are a "competitive event in the field of robotics."

It's pretty cool that we do get some fame at our school. Everybody keeps asking if we're going to build a Battlebot.

[Shelley_delphi chick]

My high school is known for their sports teams, both boys and girls sports alike, but our FIRST robotics team will never get the school wide apprication of a jock. Our school board travels with us and Administrators follow the program from kick off to phone calls during compeitions. Our FIRST program has a "class" in which we get credit for and all team members are encouraged to take it to get more fimilar with the parts and how they work each year. Lettering in FIRST........that seem ok, considering that you can letter for band (which I won't crack on because I'm in band) and Speech and Debate (which once again I won't crack on). I should talk to someone about that!! HUmmm........interesting!!
Our robotics team is a popular club to be involved in. Your either on the team or wanna join the team, but everyone is welcome to the team. We do have a few titles as many of the other teams have, but the jocks have their nick names and the Cheerleaders have their nick names as well, so I guess it all comes with the territory.

Shelley ......

[PaPPy]

!After winning the regionals in hartford. The school I goto regonized us at a sports rally that we had. So I tihnk they consider us a sports team.

Well off to robotics and finishing prototyping and working on the awesome website!! check it out

www.qhs.gillette.com

GO TEAM 69!!!!!!!

[joe_balint]

Team537 has the totally backing of the Sussex School district here in Southeastern WI. The students last year (rookie year) all earned varsity letters. The same is true of the students who are working this year (once they meet all their requirements We also devised an implemented a summer class that ran for 3 hours a day for 3 1/2 weeks (GE engineers worked in 1 1/2 hour shifts, the class was basically run by the TAs (FIRST team members from last year)) and we are currently working on a year long FIRST/robot/science application class to implement starting next year. Getting Administrative buy-in is key to the success of any FIRST team!
We are currently working on getting the same level of support at Mukwonago HS for team 930. We're slowly whittling away the resistance "Persistance prevails where all else fails!"

Having an open house and pep-rally certainly help the cause, by getting alot of parent buy-in and understanding of the program. Last year Sussex Hamilton hosted an open house that was attended by 3 other WI-FIRST teams (93, 269. and 706) and it was a huge success!
We're doing it again this year (Saturday before ship!) 16feb2002, and we'll see who can show up. It's a nice date to work towards!

[Dave_222]

Tou eanna hear somthing really funny ? In the past four seasons our football team has only won 3 games!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[A. Leese]

We are barely recognized at my school. Barely anyone who doesn't know a team member has actually heard about us. We try to get our name out, but my school is a lot of the sort of people who could care less what a group of "nerds" do. I think maybe our name is a little more well-known at SFHS (the other school that makes up our team) b/c that's where our captain goes to school as well as where he team is really based at. I think the fact that we have our building there makes the South Fork kids realize we at least exist. I think there we're actually listed as a team and our advisor gets a suppliment. The only teach from my school active is my father and he doesn't want to deal with the all of the junk you gotta deal with if you're a club. We would never be listed as a sport, I know that for certain. Our athletic director is cool and all, but it's not something he would do. As for a trophy case..we have very few and we dont' really care about having them displayed. I think Pratt & Whitney may display awards from us and our sister team (179) but I dunno. It's almost nice that not too too many people know about us so we can just kinda be left alone to do our thing...but that's just my personal opinion..

[Elgin Clock]

Originally posted by halo(unknown)
Tou eanna hear somthing really funny ? In the past four seasons our football team has only won 3 games!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sounds familiar!! lol

No offence Stack! lol

[Alfred Thompson]

I'm not sure how people define being recognized as a sport. Nor am I sure it is importent. Our team is getting a lot of support from the school. We have several teachers involved - two of them are also parents of team members so does that still count? The administration and others have helped us get funding and resources. We're really not lacking for much in the way of support. Well, ok, it would be nice if the lead teacher involved got paid what the football coach did.
Sports teams get to wear game jerseys on the day of or before a game. I guess we'll know where we stand when I ask if we get to wear our shirts the day before we leave for regionals.
On the other hand we may be bringing our cheerleaders. They've already attended math meets BTW. They don't just support the jocks at our school.That's what I mean about not having to be a sport to be supported.

[Wetzel]

Taking the Principal to a reginal sounds like a very good idea. I will bring it up at our next meeting. Very good idea indeed...

BTW, we don't have any tropies to display yet, but those of you going to VCU and Nats watch out for Team 116! Fair warning.