team spirit tools...

[Greg Perkins]

hi,

i noticed that MOE has had their moe sticks banned from any event that they participate in, has any other team had a spirit tool banned, taken away, or told to stop?

i know at UTC in 2001, we had drumsticks, and we were banging on the seats all weekend....although the event staff got tired of it and confiscated all of them :'(

[KenWittlief]

read the manual and the updates

ALL noisemakers are BANNED at all events this year

No bangers
No stompers
No wooden hand clappers
No shakers
No drummers
No on the floor wackers

No boingy bang bonkers
or in the air smackers!

you cannot use them here or there
you cannot use them anywhere!

[ngreen]

Look like someone was celebrating Dr. S's birthday yesterday...

Are you still wearing your Cat in the Hat hat, Ken?

But seriously...we didn't lose any noisemakers but that banner thing kind of bothers me. I'll miss MOE sticks too.

[Jeremiah Johnson]

In StL we had mini trumpets that didn't even make noise that we had taken away. But when we got to Chicago we used drumsticks and the FIRST bins as drums. Nothing happened in Chi. Maybe because there aren't as many rookie teams that haven't experienced the real FIRST enthusiasm. I don't know it's just my opinion. Also, in StL we were featured on a morning news show making noise because we were loud.

[KenWittlief]

Budda - Are you talking about last year?

the official FIRST events for this year have not started yet - if you went to a local scrimmage and used noisemakers, that doenst mean you can use them at a FIRST regional.

[KathieK]

At SBPLI last year, RAGE was asked to stop using our noisemaker sticks because we were so loud with them that they couldn't hear announcements in the pit area, which was located directly behind our bleacher area. Fair enough request, and I apologized to the Pit Boss. But it was a little disappointing since it was the first time we were able to get the whole team cheering at once!

We are relying on our voices this year, and the Adults have challenged the Students to see who can cheer loudest and longest. (The Adults will win!)

[Tyler Olds]

I think that taking away some of the noise makers really takes away the spirit of FIRST. Sure some devices (especially whistles for me) really annoy me, but hey, it’s a ton of fun. And if it’s what gets teams ready to go and even more excited about FIRST and the competition, they should be allowed. Just like in sporting events, you will see noise making devices. Yes using your voice works too, but if that is all we can do, by day 2, the whole arena is going to be quiet because nobody has a voice left.

I think for next year FIRST should reconsider some noise making devices.

[Joe Matt]

*sigh* I guess we wont' be seeing 422's Drumbone this year. If thier buttons say anything, I think we might just see MOE use one MOE stick this year instead of two.

[gniticxe]

Originally Posted by JosephM

...I think we might just see MOE use one MOE stick this year instead of two.

What is the sound of one stick clapping? We just may show you at Trenton.

[mrs. p]

are you still allowed to bring the plastic bottles with beads inside?

[Kevin Sevcik]

No noisemaking devices whatsoever, I'm afraid. I'm sure atleast a few of these are also being banned for damaging the arenas. I can't think that using drumsticks to bang on seats can be good for the seats. Ditto anything else you have to bang on parts of the arena.

I think teams will do fine without noisemakers, though. You don't really need them to be loud enough... In fact, I suggest everyone start practicing clapping. if you cup your hands right it can be loud too.

[Luke]

From
"10 AT THE EVENTS" under 10.7 section of COURTESIES AND RULES
The rule reads:

Music/Noise: No loud music, audio system, whistles, banging sticks, blow horns, etc. They interfere with announcements. They prevent teams from hearing important announcements, can be annoying, and can cause hearing loss.
Power may be shut off and/or radio/cd player, noise makers confisicated

[IronSlayTallica]

In the case of things that make noise, it's a bit like having a "no electronics" rule in school. I don't know if anybody else has that, but my school does. As I'm sitting here right now, I've got headphones and a cd player. The teachers don't mind as long it's not distracting anybody else, but the principal will definately take it away. At UTC, one of the teams (Aces High {?}) had an audio system and I thought it was awesome because they took a request from me and kept the pits upbeat, but it wasn't loud enough to drown out the announcements from the pit boss. As for noise makers, my team didn't have any and I know that I screamed myself hoarse every day. I didn't mind, but I would have liked something with a unique sound that could be "the sound of the team." I think they should be allowed as long as you can still hear any pertinent information that is being announced. Like maybe if an audio system was hooked into the main speaker system so that the pit boss can quick switch it off, announce what he needs and let the music play again, almost like supermarket music, or the captain interrupting the on-flight movie.

[Carol]

Originally Posted by JosephM

*sigh* I guess we wont' be seeing 422's Drumbone this year. If thier buttons say anything, I think we might just see MOE use one MOE stick this year instead of two.

The buttons can be previewed at http://www.moe365.org/

[Ashley Weed]

It sure will be a shame to not experience the MOE sticks anymore. It was such a joy during my days growing up in FIRST. Since the rule eliminates all types of music due to interference with pit announcements....... do you think that in the future FIRST produced music on/at the playing field will be ended due to conflicton with pit announcements?

...just a thought...