POLL: Friday-Sunday events vs Thursday-Saturday events

[Allison K]

Originally Posted by smitikshah

It's split 50/50 right now. Excited to see which way it'll sway

... I was about to say... are you all voting just to keep it 50/50?

I voted Thursday-Saturday mostly for selfish reasons - I really don't like traveling home right after a long day of roboting. My team almost always stays at the hotel the 'extra' night after a travel event. It feels safer because we aren't driving back dead exhausted, it's great team bonding (board game night/pool time/team movie with no pressure to go to bed), and it's the kids' reward for going to sleep at a responsible hour and working hard the previous three days. And as a bonus we aren't on a schedule if events run late (MSC anybody?). Friday-Sunday events would mean we'd be compelled to head out right after finals/awards.

[Liam Fay]

I voted for Thursday-Saturday because for me, the free Sunday is more valuable than the extra day at school. I can see how this could be different for others, though.

[asid61]

The fact that as I type the poll remains at 89-89 tells me that events will likely stay Thurs-Sat or Fr-Sun and not really change. I think this is the only poll on CD where there isn't a huge majority/minority that I've seen.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by asid61

The fact that as I type the poll remains at 89-89 tells me that events will likely stay Thurs-Sat or Fr-Sun and not really change. I think this is the only poll on CD where there isn't a huge majority/minority that I've seen.

Now, let's throw a wrench into the discussion...

Other than Israel*, what would happen if events were held mid-week? M-W, or something like that? Just to throw out a possible example, using Kettering 1/Kettering 2, it could theoretically be possible to use the same field for three events over a 2-weekend span with enough downtime to make repairs in between (T-S, M-W, F-S).

(Cue angry CD mob with pitchforks and torches for such heresy )


*Because they are already a "midweek" event, by U.S. weeks.

[M217]

Originally Posted by EricH

Now, let's throw a wrench into the discussion...

Other than Israel*, what would happen if events were held mid-week? M-W, or something like that? Just to throw out a possible example, using Kettering 1/Kettering 2, it could theoretically be possible to use the same field for three events over a 2-weekend span with enough downtime to make repairs in between (T-S, M-W, F-S).

(Cue angry CD mob with pitchforks and torches for such heresy )


*Because they are already a "midweek" event, by U.S. weeks.

Not worth it. Too inconvenient for the students, and it makes the events almost entirely non-conducive to spectators coming and watching. May also make it harder to find college-student volunteers for a mid-week event.

[smitikshah]

Originally Posted by EricH

Now, let's throw a wrench into the discussion...

Other than Israel*, what would happen if events were held mid-week? M-W, or something like that? Just to throw out a possible example, using Kettering 1/Kettering 2, it could theoretically be possible to use the same field for three events over a 2-weekend span with enough downtime to make repairs in between (T-S, M-W, F-S).

(Cue angry CD mob with pitchforks and torches for such heresy )


*Because they are already a "midweek" event, by U.S. weeks.

While that may be practical set-up wise, if some people are put behind hours of work by only missing one day of a block schedule, I can only imagine what this would do to them. I'd likely see a drop in student participation at events. A lot of the volunteers are college students too, who may not be able to help. Heck, even I think I'd need to think seriously about my desicion of school or competition if it were mid-week (like the example you gave).

[Harrison.Smith]

Originally Posted by EricH

Now, let's throw a wrench into the discussion...

Other than Israel*, what would happen if events were held mid-week? M-W, or something like that? Just to throw out a possible example, using Kettering 1/Kettering 2, it could theoretically be possible to use the same field for three events over a 2-weekend span with enough downtime to make repairs in between (T-S, M-W, F-S).

(Cue angry CD mob with pitchforks and torches for such heresy )


*Because they are already a "midweek" event, by U.S. weeks.

I feel a mid week event would also be harder to get approved by schools. We are allowed 10 travel days over the year for robotics and it would be difficult to have a few outreach days, go to 2 mid week events and also travel to champs.

[dirtbikerxz]

While most of my teachers are more than considerate enough to give extensions on work if I have a robotics event that weekend etc. I have had a couple of teachers so far refuse to give extensions. So a friday-sunday regional would have left me no time to do my homework. I personally don't need the "relaxation" or "down" time that people have stated they need the day before a work week, but I definitely do need a day to do my work. Especially now, coming into Junior year. Coming back home from a regional at midnight or 1am, and being expected to go to school 4 hours later is impractical.

While the Thursday-Saturday model does aggravate some teachers, it is the lesser of two "evils"

Also interesting note, the poll is at a dead tie at the time of posting this, 89 to 89. How peculiar.

[ASD20]

Originally Posted by asid61

The fact that as I type the poll remains at 89-89 tells me that events will likely stay Thurs-Sat or Fr-Sun and not really change. I think this is the only poll on CD where there isn't a huge majority/minority that I've seen.

Well, it's effectively a tie for what teams prefer*, but that is just one factor of event scheduling. Probably the largest factor is venue availabilty and for high school events in most of the country, TFS events are just not an option. So expect events to continue to shift towards FSS regardless of team opinion.

* I think this poll may have some CD bias and I suspect the opinion of all of FRC leans towards FSS to some noticable extent.

[JesseK]

I don't have physical labor to do on Monday, so a Regional Fri-Sun works best for me.

For World Champs, Wed-Sat works best. Drive teams and pit crews do a LOT of walking.

I used to burn between 40 and 56 hours of vacation a year on competition season alone. With the move to districts, this year I burned ... 0 hours. It's like I actually get vacation time now.

[Jsteel]

As a mentor, easy answer: Friday to Sunday is much preferable. Taking work vacation for the Thursday to Saturday events is tough.

[plnyyanks]

In general, I like Fri-Sun events for reasons already said (less class/work missed, etc). However, I do not like them when I volunteer at a Thurs-Sun regional followed by Wed-Sat on back to back weeks (NYC -> Tech Valley). That's once case where that extra day is really nice, and I sure missed it after the second event.

[Bruceb]

as the mentor that drives the equipment trailer to/from regionals I have to say I like thur-sat events better. That way I can come home on Sunday and only have to deal with traffic to the event rather than both to and from.

[jtrv]

Fri-Sun for me; I'd rather sacrifice a day of rest than a day of classes.

[gigaphoton]

One of the largest considerations needs to be the ability for participants to have a day to do homework, as there is very little downtime at first events, we need time to complete assignments that have inevitably piled up.