All Girls Teams?

[LMK1929]

I'm on the all girls team in the co-ed school. It's hard because the guys team has many more active members than our team, but the few girls we have are learning loads and working hard to have a robot as good as if not better than the guys.
The nice thing is that both teams are able to get feed back from each other, and help each other out.
Also, each team has their own sponsors, so that's never an issue, but you do get a lot of drama, but I think that's can be any high school students who spend most of their free time together.
At the moment Team 1929 has more of their robot complete than Team 555, but that's because we (both teams) are waiting for parts to come.
Also, it's just fun to have two teams, were as previous years, the guys did all the driving and mentoring in the competitions and the girl would cheer them on. This year the girls get to drive their own robot, with the guys cheering them on.
If you see either Team 1929, you'll see Team 555 there cheering their friends on. And reverse.

[Mr.D]

I can guarantee that the girl on the Cyber Cards team 1529 did not join because of the guys. She wants to be an engineer!

[Dani 234]

I'd have to say that having a boys and a girls team would add a new competitive edge on FRC. However, that means twice as many sponsors, twice as many mentors, and a substantial amount of boys and girls. Each team would definitely get more individual experience. The only problems I can think of would be lack of money and engineers. Also, I'm sorry to say that we may gain or lose girls in this process. It'd be a lot of work, but it'd be fun.

[aaeamdar]

Originally Posted by Cory

I would take everything said in this thread by a male with a grain of salt.

None of us can know how females feel about the subject.

In addition, it's somewhat insulting to all the women in FIRST to insinuate that they joined just because of the guys.

What he actually said was this:

Originally Posted by Alekat

I'm not sure how it would get more girls involved. Especially if some of them only join at first because of all the guys.

Your post takes his post to an extreme. He said /SOME/, not all. Please don't misrepresent what other posters have said.

I agree with a lot of what has been said here. I'm not sure how it would increase the girls' interest in robotics to have all girl teams. If you have 5,000 girls interested in this activity, I don't understand why creating all-girl teams would make more girls want to join.

I'm not maligning the OP here, I'm just adding my personal opinion that it's probably not going to help.

Paul Dennis

[Adam Shapiro]

Originally Posted by LMK1929

Also, it's just fun to have two teams, were as previous years, the guys did all the driving and mentoring in the competitions and the girl would cheer them on.

Just a quick correction. Other than last year (where we had two different driving teams), the drivers were always the team captains. Both the rookie year (2001) and my first year (2002) had girl drivers. Also, the following year's (2003) lack of girl drivers was partially due to an extreme lack of girls (the only one on the team was Audrey)!

As for mentors, we had female mentors every single year. Don't forget last year where Liz mentored at all of the regional competitions!

[Marcel]

Ok I am completely 100% all for more girls in the team lol especially good looking ones that can help around

Ok seriously, more help is always great no matter what gender, race, language or whatever. More skill + more help = great. Also a little bit of eye candy never hurt anyone right?

But in all truth and honesty I dont care about anything as long as the new members are there to learn, help around, and use their skills for the better of our team. I know there are some people who just join the team for a ride to go traveling or whatever and dont even jump up and dance/cheer our team. I hate that, you either have to help build the robot, do something to help us, or dance. You dont even have to dance well because I mean I dance over there at the competition, and loose my voice and everything. So yea more girls in FIRST teams are great just as long as they help with the team and dont just join so they can go with us to the regionels and stuff for a "free ride" as I call it.

[Tureyhall]

just from a programming standpoint, I'd rather have ANYONE who could program than anyone who couldn't, regardless of their gender. However, I'm not qualified to comment on other aspects of the team.

as for a seperate girls team, my school barely has enough ppl interested in robotics for ONE team, much less two......

also, it goes without saying that ANY programmer on a FIRST team MUST be willing to ignore the teacher and program for the robot ON PAPER, DURING CLASS.

[Marcel]

I think we can all agree that it doesn't matter who is on the team just as long as theres people who work, and are there to help the team so they can have fun too and everything. IMHO,


anyone that can help > girls who just sit around doing nothing for a "free ride"

[chinckley]

I'd just like to have one girl on our team. My daughters come to the meetings out of necessity and are starting to take interest and learn about some things. One day I hope they will participate on our team.

We do not have many students on our team (about 12 regulars).
I keep trying to interest more of my programming girls but even those numbers are low this year.

Any ideas how to market to girls too.

Carolyn

[karinka13]

im on an all girls team (433) and we do just fine every year with recruiting and competitions and whatnot.

i think having an all girls team in a co-ed school is absolutely ridiculous though. the only reason my team is all girls is because my school is all girls. by separating girls from the boys, it's like saying that they SHOULD be separate. as a girl and a future engineer, i find this incredibly insulting. if you want to spread the message that girls are just as good as guys, dont make them separate teams. have them all working together, competing against each other, etc.

[Total Tomboy]

for your information girls don't just join the team because of the guys. Us girls probably are more useful than most guys and we know more than you think we do!

[phrontist]

Originally Posted by Marcel

Ok seriously, more help is always great no matter what gender, race, language or whatever. More skill + more help = great. Also a little bit of eye candy never hurt anyone right?

I'm sure the young women on your team would be delighted to hear this estimate of their contribution.

[MSJhippo1965]

All girl's teams rock! Yeah!!!

[soccerguy868]

chicks arnt usually as smart/nerdy as robotics dudes. ya. im bein sexist, but just sayin that itd be easy ta beat all girl teams. haha.

[Adam Shapiro]

Originally Posted by soccerguy868

chicks arnt usually as smart/nerdy as robotics dudes. ya. im bein sexist, but just sayin that itd be easy ta beat all girl teams. haha.

I don't know how you could possibly say that. I certainly hope it's just a very bad joke, especially seeing as this is your first year competing so you don't really have much basis for such a statement.