A Not So Gentle reminder to display Gracious Professionalism

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by Jeff_Rice

I believe I can speak for my team in saying that we did not abuse anybody. Besides, we are not only representing ourselves, but we are representing Scouting as well since we are a Venture Crew. Doing something like that is against our policies.

What's a Venture crew?

[Ken Loyd]

Dear Teams:

I save three seats at each competition we attend. Two of the seats always have someone sitting in them. The third seat usually has someone sitting in it. They are our scouting seats. As a chaperon my students always know where to find me. The only time a seat is empty is to send a message to the pits or to take care of a personal matter.

It just dawned on me that we aren't saving seats...WE ARE SITTING IN THE SEATS WATCHING THE COMPETITION! From this vantage point I have seen many strange behaviors:

1. The SAVE A SEAT SO I CAN STAND--This team saves seats so they can stand and cheer on their team during the match. I applaud your pride but the people behind you can't see. If you want to stand during your match...go to the cheering pit.

2. THIS IS OUR CLOSET--This team needs somewhere to store coats, backpacks, and other items of mass destruction. Select an area off to the sides or in the higher seats.

3. JAIL--This is where a student is put for punishment. If they can't stay involved, don't bring them in the first place.

4. KODAK MOMENT--This person (who usually weighs in excess of 300 lbs) stands during the match to video/photograph. They are usually at least 150 feet from the playing field. Move down to the front row and stand in the way of those people who must find a seat during a match rather than waiting for the match to end.

5. The GYM PEOPLE--These are the people who feel the need to exercise during a match. They sit in a row of about ten people. They jump up every 30 second to shout something to someone at the other end of the row. I know that you are not interested in the match because your team isn't playing but mine might be.

6. The SCRUM--This is the group of 6 to 8 people who start up the steps during a match pausing every other step looking for enough seats for all of them to sit in. Check out where you want to go before you start the climb.

7. MY HOTEL ROOM--These people stayed up all night and now need a place to crash. The usually stretch out over 3 or 4 seats. There is plenty of room on the sides for your nap, besides...you snore!

8. The PLAYGROUND--These are children between the ages of 3 and 6. If they aren't picking up trash from the floor, they are jumping from step to step in the aisle. Of course when they fall and get hurt...well that will be another thread.

Folks, this is an exciting game. Matches only last 2 minutes. Come on up, cop a squat, and enjoy yourself but, TREAT THOSE AROUND YOU LIKE YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED!

Ken Loyd
Team 64

[Redhead Jokes]

Originally Posted by Ken Loyd

1. The SAVE A SEAT SO I CAN STAND
2. THIS IS OUR CLOSET
3. JAIL
4. KODAK MOMENT
5. The GYM PEOPLE
6. The SCRUM
7. MY HOTEL ROOM
8. The PLAYGROUND

LOL, made me examine my own behavior and try to remember what our team did.

[KathieK]

We have a large team. At the last competition we were in the same seating area for Thursday and Friday. We were a few minutes late for Saturday's door opening so we needed to find another section to sit in. But we couldn't get a section big enough for all of us together so we split the students and the adults. It was fine - we were only separated by an aisle - but we really like to stay together so we can cheer, etc. Does anyone have suggestions for how a large team can stay together without saving seats?

[Ken Loyd]

Originally Posted by KathieK

Does anyone have suggestions for how a large team can stay together without saving seats?

KathieK:

We are a team of nearly 30 people traveling. We encourage our students to stand behind our driver station and cheer like crazy. During the match. you get a pretty good view of what your robot is doing and your field team knows you are there with them.

Ken Loyd
Team 64

[thoughtful]

we are a team of 60 people, and we realise its very unfair if we stop 60 seats. Last time we got lucky and most of us got to sit in same section but the 15 who were late had to find their own seats. Only the pit crew is allowed to come to pit areas so other teams dont ge distracted. But some of us do go down near the field and cheer at times, and you can always sit near your close friends by askin some of your team members to change seats with you. But there is not really a way to have all the team stay at exactly the same spot unless you are early and all your team members come with you. Last year we didnt distract too many people as we were occupying higher seats and only couple of people were behind us.

But even our team does jump up and down during our matches, its not intentional just the excitement, but i'll amke sure to tell them not to do it too often. Buh we are gonna be the loudest cheerers in the Hershey Arena (canadian regional) doesnt matter who is playing

[Jillian B.]

I definetly agree with your view, and I won't go against it. Fortunately, BAE had the great idea of purposely allowing teams to reserve a section (even though it involved standing in front of the arena in line, dashing in to write my team number on a white board with an arena map, and then sprinting to my section to reserve enough seats to handle my team, and then agreeing to share it with another team). The idea was that you only took what was needed, and thats what I did. There was enough seats for the necessary parents, sponsors, etc. Yet pit people were not included in the count, cause they didn't need seats. Another thing was, as the day went on, I agreed to let other teams make use of open seats.

I did have several people at the BAE Regional actually come up and tell me what a <explitive deleted> I was for saving 5 rows (about 25 seats) for the people who came in seconds later, but then again they grabbed an even larger section which they hardly used, mostly for the "CLOSET" syndrome. My team of 35 students (not including parents, etc.) didn't even have enough seats.

I do agree though. Only take the seats you need, no more.

How do the nationals work? I'm guessing teams do the same thing.

-Jill

[Arefin Bari]

saving seats and sitting with own team didnt really look like a problem at UCF regional... teams were sitting with each other... and there were enough seats for everybody... i didnt hear anything about anybody being rude to anybody for seat... i myself were sitting with SPAM several times... if every single team picked out a section in the arena and just sit down there (and do not claim that the section is their's)... i dont think other teams will take up their seat... our team had to take out about two rows... members were sitting down there randomly... but didnt have any problem with members from other team...

[dez250]

Where do the VIPS sit who are paying for this event to occur when a team of 20 people took up 40 spots cause they needed a closet and hotel room and kitchen all in the confines of the stands??? Yes the VIPS do normally have a "lounge" but thats not always in view of the field to watch the game, and also they dont like to stand for 3 days next to the field due to them being like everyone else who need to sit every so often.

P.S.~ For those who are going to say that all the VIP's are the judges that is not even close to the case.

[Cory]

If there's a problem with VIP's getting seats, then obviously FIRST needs to reserve a few rows of seats for them and have someone watching over those rows making sure only the VIP's sit there.

Cory

[dez250]

Originally Posted by Cory

If there's a problem with VIP's getting seats, then obviously FIRST needs to reserve a few rows of seats for them and have someone watching over those rows making sure only the VIP's sit there.

Cory

This is what i dont think everyone is grasping... Its not just for VIP's, what if your mom couldnt show up till friday afternoon and since all the teams there saved seats the closest your mom could sit was on the other side of the arena. I bet you would go and then sit with your mom, leaving the team. But now your gunna say, but we were smart and saved a seat for my mom. Now when you do that what happens to the team that followed the rules and didnt save seats so when their guest shows up there is no room for them cause you saved extra seats for people who may or may not show up. And even if they show up are they going to sit there? I say the rule that first put out saying you "CANT SAVE SEATS" is as important as your robot must use only motors from the kit. If you break the no saving seats rule then maybe you are also breaking other rules and your bot should be double checked by inspectors. I'm not trying to start something here but all i want to get through to all of you is Don't save seats at events.

[thewizard16]

Hmm... The touchy and heated topic of "seat saving".... Well, I'll first say that I do not think that it is okay to curse at someone for sitting in a seat that you are "saving". However, some "saving" of seats is almost necessary for a team to be able to sit together. I'm not talking about staking out 100 seats and using 40 of them, I'm talking about spreading what people you have over the seats you know you're going to need in an hour, but the people just haven't quite gotten there yet. It's important for teams and their parents/engineers/mentors to sit together, this is true. It's also important that everyone gets a seat, whether they're in "your" section or not. I've seen some interesting strategies for letting people know they're "in your section" without breaking the rules and calling it "your" section.

1. The entire team sitting there turns and stares at the offending "invader" until either A. They leave, or B. They explode in flames. (I have yet to see B happen.)
2. The entire team gets up and moves to an emptier section. (Sadly, I've seen that happen)
3. Team members loudly talk over the offending person to other team members until they get very uncomfortable.

All of these are rude, but I've seen them all. They're less rude than cursing at someone, but still not nice. So, my opinion is: people are going to save seats in some form or fashion, it's unavoidable seeing as how all the teams like to sit with, you know, their own team, SO, just spread out in the seats you KNOW you're going to need. Don't take a whole section. And if someone invades, live with it. We can't break the rules and "save" seats, so they've got a right to be there too.
Thanks,

[10intheCrunch]

I really think most people are nice about saving seats when they are spoken with calmly and sensibly. Save seats if your team is on the way. Otherwise, let others take them. Maybe, by the time your team actually comes up to watch, that other group will be gone? It's certainly possible. Otherwise, talk it out with the upcoming group. I'm sure we can work something out, gracious professionals as we are.

[Rich Wong]

A lot of good ideas, comments, and suggestion.

What if ....
the Regionals allow SOME reserved seating for participating teams?
What would be a good quantity?
Since there are 3 more weeks of competitions, regional directors can elect to allow some reserved seating by teams to avoid all these arguments and bad feelings.

Is 20 or 30 spots a good average number most teams? If more is required then a 2nd group of seating will be given.
Should the allocation be by rows or blocks?
Assignments, I believe, should be made at random BEFORE the Thursday practice date.

Another suggestion: first seversal row will be not be included in the reservations.

What do you think? (I would like to try this!)

[thewizard16]

Rich, you might be on to something. I think reserved seating could be a nice security blanket for teams that want to make sure they've got the seats they'll need, but I think it would ultimately have some major problems. There are two reasons.

One- People will complain a LOT about "the angle" they view from or that "they got there early and should have had the seats in the middle"... etc.
Two- Some teams are bound to reserve way more seats than they'll actually need, and then we'll be back where we started.

But, it could still be a good idea.