Districts vs. Traditional Debate 8/16 830pm EST

[Tyler Olds]

Calling all FRC Fans!

Where do you stand on Districts vs. the Traditional event structure?

On Tuesday 8/16 starting at 830pm EST FUN Spotlight will bring on two guests each supporting a side to discuss and debate their views of which structure is the best fit for their area and all of FRC.

We Need Your Help! Please submit Questions and Discussions for our Panelists here or email firstupdatesnow@gmail.com

Guests:
Michael Corsetto: Drive Coach for FRC1678 Citrus Circuits

Tyler Nunemaker: FRC Referee at GKC

Watch Live: www.twitch.tv/firstupdatesnow
Archived Shows: www.youtube.com/c/firstupdatesnow

[Pauline Tasci]

Oh I cannot wait for this!

[ASD20]

Is there a reason you aren't calling it districts vs. regionals?

[marshall]

Originally Posted by ASD20

Is there a reason you aren't calling it districts vs. regionals?

Because controversy sells... duh!

Seriously though, this seems a little staged or at least forced... I propose a new title "A reasonable discussion about the merits of differing competition models for high school competitive robotics"... ok, I shouldn't name things.

[frcguy]

Before I opened the thread I thought to myself how Mike Corsetto would make a great guest host for such a show. I'm really happy to see he will be hosting, as I couldn't think of someone more passionate about the district system or FIRST in general. Definitely tuning in for this one!

[Lil' Lavery]

Why is it that neither guest is from an area that uses the district format?

[Sperkowsky]

Were you not able to find someone in the district system that was unhappy with it? That is a perspective I would want to see.

[bigbeezy]

Can Illinois & Wisconsin just get districts already

[Anupam Goli]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

Why is it that neither guest is from an area that uses the district format?

I'd love to see Jim Zondag take on a district naysayer, but that might not be "a fair fight"

[Tyler Olds]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

Why is it that neither guest is from an area that uses the district format?

Our Co-Host Collin is from Indiana and will have a few words to say leading into the discussion.

Thank you to those who have emailed in. As we start to put together the show doc with questions for our guests, please keep emailing or submit on here.

[IKE]

What percentage of teams in your area are 1 and dones (ie 1 event).

Do districts cause top teams to be less competitive? Think 2014 can races regional teams vs. Districts.

What positives and negatives come from only winners advance (regional format).

Are 2nd pick winners being cheated in district system? Some will not advance to Worlds even though they won an event.

[FarmerJohn]

Originally Posted by IKE

Are 2nd pick winners being cheated in district system? Some will not advance to Worlds even though they won an event.

Comparatively, is one of the goals of the district system to promote the event winners to higher levels, or is the goal to promote the best teams to higher levels? I don't know for sure, but I'd argue the latter. And sometimes event winners and the best teams are not always one in the same. So I wouldn't say anyone is being cheated out of anything. I would think that winning a single event shouldn't mean you're entitled to play at a higher level of play.

Being invited to the world championship shows that you've achieved what FIRST intends to celebrate. Would FIRST celebrate winning more than celebrating effective execution? I don't know the answer, but it's something to consider.

[IKE]

Originally Posted by FarmerJohn

Comparatively, is one of the goals of the district system to promote the event winners to higher levels, or is the goal to promote the best teams to higher levels? ...snip...

Being invited to the world championship shows that you've achieved what FIRST intends to celebrate. Would FIRST celebrate winning more than celebrating effective execution? I don't know the answer, but it's something to consider.

Exactly the sort of discussion my question I hope fosters. Promoting criteria can be argued whether you want to recognize a job well done (but not necessarily a win) vs. inspire the back end pick to become a higher performer in the future.

There are/were real players in this debate when Michigan switched over, and when the District organizers came together to develop the points scheme for promotion. I have talked to many of those persons personally and they have very interesting points that I would love for a larger audience to have heard.

[Anthony Galea]

What are your thoughts on interdistrict play, which allows teams to compete at a 'throwaway' district event to get a full event of drivers practice, while teams that can't travel to an interdistrict event but can play a third district event in district are not allowed to designate their last two events as their points events (or whatever two they want, decided before the season starts) to allow the opportunity to get driver practice like these other teams?

[gblake]

Don't forget to frame your questions using the context of Traditional vs District tournaments.