Districts 2017

[Basel A]

I'd bet California is still two years away from districts for maybe the 4th or 5th consecutive year. In my mind, SC should switch, and Ohio/West PA/Kentucky(?) should do their thing too. Essentially the areas between where districts already exist.

[marshall]

Originally Posted by Basel A

I'd bet California is still two years away from districts for maybe the 4th or 5th consecutive year. In my mind, SC should switch, and Ohio/West PA/Kentucky(?) should do their thing too. Essentially the areas between where districts already exist.

If SC does it then I will be shocked. Hopefully they take FL with them though. I would have liked to have seen a combined NC/SC district but alas...

[Jacob Paikoff]

Originally Posted by marshall

If SC does it then I will be shocked. Hopefully they take FL with them though. I would have liked to have seen a combined NC/SC district but alas...

SC would be cool, but I don't think it'll happen til 2018 at the earliest.

Florida is about 20 teams short based on the way teams are distributed currently, plus the time it takes to plan the switch.

[Ginger Power]

Minneso... never mind.

[JohnFogarty]

Its fun for me to live on SC's border. I work with 4901 a regional system team and 5632 a GA district system team.

I definitely want districts in SC, but I'm not sure how I can help yell this louder to the people in charge. You'd be amazed what could happen if we had districts for FRC in SC.

Anyone who knows how big SC FLL is knows that things would explode here if we had more competitions in state.

[Daniel_LaFleur]

Originally Posted by Jacob Paikoff

SC would be cool, but I don't think it'll happen til 2018 at the earliest.

Florida is about 20 teams short based on the way teams are distributed currently, plus the time it takes to plan the switch.

Originally Posted by JohnFogarty

Its fun for me to live on SC's border. I work with 4901 a regional system team and 5632 a GA district system team.

I definitely want districts in SC, but I'm not sure how I can help yell this louder to the people in charge. You'd be amazed what could happen if we had districts for FRC in SC.

Anyone who knows how big SC FLL is knows that things would explode here if we had more competitions in state.

I would love to see FL and SC join the GA district, making a large south east district.

.

[Weinberger]

Originally Posted by Daniel_LaFleur

I would love to see FL and SC join the GA district, making a large south east district.

.

I think this would be amazing! the level of talent in the SE would/could rise to rival the likes of MI or Canada or WestCoast. That would be fun to watch!

[TDav540]

Originally Posted by Weinberger

I think this would be amazing! the level of talent in the SE would/could rise to rival the likes of MI or Canada or WestCoast. That would be fun to watch!

Keep in mind that Tampa Bay is 8 hours from Atlanta, and it's much further to Miami and Orlando. Myrtle Beach isn't very close either. While I would say it makes sense for SC to join either NC or GA in the near future, I'd say it's more likely that Florida becomes it's own district.

[Nathan Streeter]

A lot of regions seem stuck thinking that a year or two of "progress" will change their situation... just take the plunge; you won't regret it!

Volunteers will step up. Key personnel will be "shipped in" if they must. Most roles don't get filled unless there's need. You won't have "enough" FTA's, LRI's, Head Ref's, and Event Organizers until you have more slots to fill.

"If you build it, they will come."

[Daniel_LaFleur]

Originally Posted by TDav540

Keep in mind that Tampa Bay is 8 hours from Atlanta, and it's much further to Miami and Orlando. Myrtle Beach isn't very close either. While I would say it makes sense for SC to join either NC or GA in the near future, I'd say it's more likely that Florida becomes it's own district.

Drive time between Atlanta and Orlando is 6 1/2 hours.
Atlanta to Miami is 10ish.

While I agree that that is a long drive, I believe that it would create a very diverse district. And while I'd love to see it, I don't believe that it's in the cards as too many believe the travel is too far.

I believe that these distances are no different that having a district event in Michigan's upper peninsula.

[TDav540]

Originally Posted by Daniel_LaFleur

Drive time between Atlanta and Orlando is 6 1/2 hours.
Atlanta to Miami is 10ish.

While I agree that that is a long drive, I believe that it would create a very diverse district. And while I'd love to see it, I don't believe that it's in the cards as too many believe the travel is too far.

I believe that these distances are no different that having a district event in Michigan's upper peninsula.

Ypsilanti (site of MI DCMP) to Escanaba (UP, site of a former district event IIRC) is about the same driving distance as Tampa/Orlando to Atlanta. You were right on that one, my bad.

However, that's not a short drive by any means, and it's even longer coming from Southern FL. You might be able to pull of a better location for all in Perry, GA (site of the 2015 Georgia Southern Classic Regional), but it's still not great. Although the team diversity would be pretty great, it's probably unlikely with the current team density in FL. Teams in ATL or SC would probably never see teams from Florida except at DCMP because of all the district events they could run down there already (something that had to grow in the UP of Michigan). And then at that point, why not run separately?

SC plus GA to form the next version of the PCH District? Now that's something I could definitely see.

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by TDav540

Ypsilanti (site of MI DCMP) to Escanaba (UP, site of a former district event IIRC) is about the same driving distance as Tampa/Orlando to Atlanta. You were right on that one, my bad.

Ypsi is the former site; the MSC is now held in Walker (Grand Rapids suburb) which is about 40 miles closer to the UP.

However, there are teams that are 2-3 hours north and west of Escanaba. In best of times it's over 8 hours from say Houghton to Walker. In winter? On a bus with a bunch of kids? Who knows?

[Lil' Lavery]

Originally Posted by JohnFogarty

I definitely want districts in SC, but I'm not sure how I can help yell this louder to the people in charge. You'd be amazed what could happen if we had districts for FRC in SC.

Instead of helping to yell, help to get the work done. Join your regional planning committee. Recruit and train key volunteers. Approach other districts about the process involved in switching to the district system. Etc.

[Ilovepineapples]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

Instead of helping to yell, help to get the work done. Join your regional planning committee. Recruit and train key volunteers. Approach other districts about the process involved in switching to the district system. Etc.

Sometimes trying to join the RPC or help train in key volunteers isn't as easy as it should be.

I was pm'd this document by recent alumni in the state of Minnesota. I am told that it is given to all of the recent FIRST alumni attending a specific University by the RPC. I was also told that these students have all but stopped volunteering at FRC events in the state because they feel that they are not wanted/liked. The document seems fairly professional but I could understand how if it was presented in the wrong way it would burn some bridges.

[JABot67]

Originally Posted by Ilovepineapples

Sometimes trying to join the RPC or help train in key volunteers isn't as easy as it should be.

I was pm'd this document by recent alumni in the state of Minnesota. I am told that it is given to all of the recent FIRST alumni attending a specific University by the RPC. I was also told that these students have all but stopped volunteering at FRC events in the state because they feel that they are not wanted/liked. The document seems fairly professional but I could understand how if it was presented in the wrong way it would burn some bridges.

That is definitely a weird document, and it's not clear to me why the key volunteers of Minnesota felt that it was needed. Perhaps this should be the topic of a different thread? This thread may have the possibility of getting derailed otherwise.