Districts 2017

[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.

[cadandcookies]

Originally Posted by JABot67

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.

I agree. We don't need another thread derailed with MN people yelling about districts/volunteer issues/et cetera.

[plnyyanks]

Originally Posted by AdamStockton

Any word on when New York will make the switch?

This thread goes through many of the complications regarding New York districts.

At least for the NYC area, I'm doubtful it'll be anytime soon. Upstate may be more likely, but still tricky.

[mwmac]

Originally Posted by Aiyash

I wonder when FIRST will allow areas to move into Districts without the need for a District Championship. This would address the issue of allowing teams to get more "bang for their buck" in terms of registration fee vs. play time, and wouldn't restrict areas from "districting" due to lack of team concentration. Teams would be able to accrue points over a season and the top point getters would receive a bid to championship. I've heard of this from a certain genius from Michigan **cough** Jim Zondag **cough** and think it's a grand idea!

You mean something like paragraph 2?

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...&postcount=105

[Ilovepineapples]

Originally Posted by JABot67

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.

Originally Posted by cadandcookies

I agree. We don't need another thread derailed with MN people yelling about districts/volunteer issues/et cetera.

As requested.

[christheman200]

I've heard through a long chain that Ontario will be moving to districts next year. But take that with a huge grain of salt!

[Kevin Leonard]

Originally Posted by plnyyanks

This thread goes through many of the complications regarding New York districts.

At least for the NYC area, I'm doubtful it'll be anytime soon. Upstate may be more likely, but still tricky.

Literally NYC is the area IMO that would benefit the MOST from districts. I'll save the rant by reviving that NY districts thread about getting NY to switch. Arguments against districts saying that "my area is different and special" boggle my mind.

[JABot67]

Originally Posted by christheman200

I've heard through a long chain that Ontario will be moving to districts next year. But take that with a huge grain of salt!

I would love to see Ontario move to districts sometime.

My favorite part of the district system is that it rewards more than just the winners. Finalists? You're in! Semifinalists? Get to quarters or semis at your next event and you'll probably be in! Didn't win Chairman's or EI or RAS? Well your awards are still worth 5 points each!

Winner-take-all events can be frustrating for the teams that almost win. 1114 and 2056 are very difficult to compete with. Moving to districts means that you don't have to worry about being at the same event as the powerhouses, and means that teams won't have to travel far away from their home towns to compete at easier regionals in order to qualify for champs.

[RoboAlum]

I know I am joining the Arizona Regional Planning Committee as a volunteer to give input and the first thing I am going to suggest is follow Indiana into the smaller district model. We have a growing volunteer base and I know personally we are trying to get a regional in southern AZ. We are proposing districts because we want more teams but schools see the money sometimes outweighs the benefit.

[BeardyMentor]

I have an only somewhat related question. How do we incorporate teams from outside of the US when there are only very few regional events remaining in the US? Right now, teams from Europe, Mexico, China etc typically travel to the US for at least one event when there are not enough teams in their area to support a regional event or district. If there are only a handful of regional events left in the US, they would either need to organize their own event and hope to attract enough teams to travel to them or swamp the limited events remaining in the US.

Edit:forgot an s

[TDav540]

Originally Posted by BeardyMentor

I have an only somewhat related question. How do we incorporate teams from outside of the US when there are only very few regional events remaining in the US? Right now, teams from Europe, Mexico, China etc typically travel to the US for at least one event when there are not enough teams in their area to support a regional event or district. If there are only a handful of regional events left in the US, they would either need to organize their own event and hope to attract enough teams to travel to them or swamp the limited events remaining in the US.

Edit:forgot an s

Looking at some of the regions around the US and the world, it's likely that we will not have full district coverage for a while. Excluding places like Minnesota/California/Texas (where districts should be happening but for some reason aren't), there are plenty of areas where the team density/raw number of teams isn't enough to warrant a district format. Take Quebec for example. Are there enough teams to support a regional? Yeah, sure. They're fine doing that right now. But are there enough teams to start the district model next year? Probably not. Western Canada, Alabama, and Louisiana come to mind in a similar category.

Eventually, we will probably get to the point where most of the US and Canada (even Australia, Israel, and Mexico, maybe) are in districts. But by then there might be Amsterdam, Beijing, Paris, Rio, etc. hosting events.

I'm not saying that it will be easy on international teams; it hasn't, and likely won't be for at least a few more years. But losing event coverage probably isn't (or shouldn't be) one of the bigger concerns.

[marshall]

Originally Posted by BeardyMentor

I have an only somewhat related question. How do we incorporate teams from outside of the US when there are only very few regional events remaining in the US? Right now, teams from Europe, Mexico, China etc typically travel to the US for at least one event when there are not enough teams in their area to support a regional event or district. If there are only a handful of regional events left in the US, they would either need to organize their own event and hope to attract enough teams to travel to them or swamp the limited events remaining in the US.

Edit:forgot an s

Allow me to respond for Nate: http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=138295

In all seriousness, it's a good proposal and one that I hope the GDC/FRC HQ is considering in some form.

[Zebra_Fact_Man]

I REALLY like the Everywhere Else District idea. Man, I hope this becomes a thing.
This would be by FAR the smartest and best intermediate plan.

Upvote for the EED Plan.

[lynca]

Originally Posted by RoboAlum

I know I am joining the Arizona Regional Planning Committee as a volunteer to give input and the first thing I am going to suggest is follow Indiana into the smaller district model.

The density of Arizona teams suggest that districts could happen quickly.
Good luck to you and the Planning Committee.