Standing Up During Competition...

[Cptn Patches537]

Team 537 stands for every match we are in, from when we are announced to the end of the match, and if it was exciting until the final score is posted. I understand the complaints of those behind us, as does our team, but it is simply a tradition, and providing that a FIRST official doesnt tell us to sit down, we will continue standing. We had 1 complaint about this in ohio, and the problem was worked out for one of us to move so all could see. In atlanta, however, with seating much more valuable, we had 2 complaints about our standing. The first came from a team who was in the same match as us, but still refused to stand up to watch...wouldnt you stand to support your team if you couldnt see...we even invited them to cheer with us, but they just sat as their mentor argued with ours. By the time they had finished the match was over, and to make matters worse on their side, they had lost. The other time was from a few individuals from another team sitting behind us.
Were sorry and you may definitely cheer with us, but, as mentioned, the field is hard to see when sitting down and we want to catch all the action. We would be standing in excitement even if we were sitting. The team in front of us also stood, and so we positioned our scouters to acommodate for the problem. With a little problem solving and compromise, things are alright and everyone can stand when they want to.
-Eric

[vivek16]

team 2264 didnt have that problem. we only had 4 students at the regional and all of them got to be on the field

[Adare180]

SPAM scouts every match, so I completely understand the problems involved with a blocked view from the teams standing in front of the scouting crew, but on the other hand, I am a criminal to this as well.

When watching a match, especially if it's SPAM, or one of our friends, I can't help but stand and watch...it can be easy to get pulled into the game.

[ALIBI]

Your team/alliance needs to know you support them. When they are up, stand, cheer, jump up and down! In other words show your spirit. If you happen to be behind them and need to see, go ahead, stand up. It doesn't bother me one bit if a team stands to cheer on there own team/alliance or for that matter any other team/alliance or exiting play on the field. What bothers me are the people that wait for the match score, then stand up and take an entire match to get their team out of their seats and out of the stands where ever that may be or the people that seem to think that randomly standing in the isles when a match is going on is OK. Out of GP, neither myself, my wife, my two sons will ever walk down in front of anyone, leave our seats or simply stand in the isles while a match is going on. If you need to leave your seat, wait until the match is done. If you are coming back, wait in the back or at the side of the bleachers until the match is over.

[DBiehl]

Cyber Blue stands during the pre-match and do any cheers that we feel like doing the announcements, but as soon as the match begins, we're all in our seats (unless for some reason the area behind us is completly empty, in which case we'll stand through-out). It's definitely the best way. We rarely get asked to sit down, and we still get to do all of the cheers that we want.

[Don Wright]

I think the answer is easy.

1st, who says that standing and cheering supports your team more than sitting and cheering during the match?

Like others have said, stand and cheer while your team is being introduced, and when the score is shown. Sit during the rest of the match so that the people behind you can see without standing. If your drivers are looking up and seeing if you are cheering during the match, they are looking at the wrong thing.

Our scouts (at least six of them) all have laptops and note sheets they are using, so they can't stand.

Those who say that unless FIRST tells them to sit, they will stand... Well...thats your choice. Just remember, all your considerations for other people reflect on their opinion of you.

[technoL]

From a scouting standpoint, standing during matches becomes a major issue. During Friday and Saturday of the Championship, we sat near the top because that's where the electricity was that we needed to power our equipment, same in Vegas. We have politely waited for teams to sit down, or asked them to sit down if they are blocking the ENTIRE view of the field, and they usually politely agree.

I can understand standing and cheering when your team is announced before the match, when you make an accomplishment on the field, or at the end of the match, we do it too, but any time otherwise is usually inconsiderate to those behind you. In my book, standing and cheering throughout the match does not make you any more spirited than sitting and cheering.

[coreyk]

Originally Posted by Don Wright

Those who say that unless FIRST tells them to sit, they will stand... Well...thats your choice. Just remember, all your considerations for other people reflect on their opinion of you.

As a previous post mentioned, standing and showing spirit is tradition. I am disappointed that teams are being titled inconsiderate for showing their support. Individuals who are unhappy with teams that do stand - may also stand, or if unable – miss a match (it is only a couple of minutes). Scouts may relocate to places that provide better visibility of the field. Why now are teams beginning to question what has existed for years? Standing when your team is on the field has become an unwritten rule at competitions – and it should remain that way.

[Tom Line]

I cannot imagine how absolutely boring First would be if we all sat and watched each match. This is a sporting event.

I remember a very similar conversation at Purdue, where I went to college. You see, the "student section" and the band in the basketball arena was down near the floor in front of a lot of the 'Boosters'. The Boosters, by and large, older folks all, were upset that that the students didn't sit quietly and watch the game. They also complained that the band was too loud.

The faculty of the school ran a front page article in the school paper regarding what it meant to have school spirit. It talked about the camaraderie, the excitement, the adrenalin. Needless to say, their article didn't talk about sitting..... and it suggested that the boosters might be better off watching from home where they wouldn't be bothered by people who were really truly into the game.

We didn't hear much about it after that.

[Richard Wallace]

Originally Posted by Don Wright

Those who say that unless FIRST tells them to sit, they will stand... Well...thats your choice. Just remember, all your considerations for other people reflect on their opinion of you.

Originally Posted by coreyk

Individuals who are unhappy with teams that do stand - may also stand, or if unable – miss a match (it is only a couple of minutes).

Originally Posted by Tom Line

I cannot imagine how absolutely boring First would be if we all sat and watched each match. This is a sporting event.

Count me one of the old fogeys, I guess. I agree with Don and others here who advocate standing to show support for your team only while doing so does not keep people behind you from seeing the match. I really cannot see two sides to this; blocking others' view is simply a blatant show of disrespect, in effect saying that your team has a better right to see what's going on than those whose views you block.

And Don observed correctly that by standing to block another group's view you are informing that group's opinion of yours. Several matches on Newton that my group missed seeing because we were behind team [nnn] have changed my opinion of that team -- I previously thought very highly of them.

[Cartwright]

As one of the people that lead scouting for 234, it does bother me a little when people stand. It makes it hard to see the matches, especially which robot scores where. I am fine with standing in an exciting moment though! Everbody should be able to show their team pride when they score a whole spider or lift two robots 12".

[KarenH]

Most of the posts supporting standing during matches seem to ignore the fact that there are some people who really cannot stand up. I was shocked to read about the faculty at Purdue suggesting that the older “Boosters” stay home. If such a suggestion were EVER made to me by the higher-ups of an organization, I’d stay home all right—along with my “Booster” dollars. Any organization that treats its supporters with such gross disrespect doesn’t deserve any support.

Opinions aside, here are some facts:
--Many people can not stand up each time there is a match. They may be very old, they may be infirm, or they may temporarily be on crutches with a broken leg. At FIRST events, such people went to a lot of effort to travel to the event to watch it. At the Georgia Dome in particular, the size of the place will be daunting to such people. They will expend a good part of their strength just getting to their seats.

--People with physical infirmities often can’t help being that way.

--Even if you are healthy and fit today, you, too, may one day become infirm and weak.

--Years ago, the federal government enacted legislation commonly known as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). One effect of this legislation was to counteract the idea that it is OK for society to ignore people with disabilities, telling them to just stay home, don’t work, don’t travel, don’t go out, they’re not worth any extra consideration. A person with a physical infirmity already has difficulties way beyond what a healthy person experiences. He or she doesn’t need others putting additional obstacles in the way.

--Unlike many of the aging venues in which FIRST competitions are held, the Georgia Dome was built after the ADA was in place. In the stands, the steps are at a shallow angle and handrails are provided to make it easier (and safer) for everyone to move about. (This also makes it harder to see the playing field when people in front are standing up.) Ramps and elevators are logically and conspicuously placed.

--Dean Kamen, founder of FIRST, has shown special concern for the disabled by inventing a wheelchair that can climb stairs. Its favorite feature for users: the ability to put them at eye level with others who are standing up.

--Dean Kamen’s parents, who are getting on in years, are staunch supporters of FIRST, and attend the Championship every year, despite their age.

Now I have some questions:
--Some teams have a “tradition” of standing for every match. Many teams do not. Is your team going to continue its tradition, even if it causes problems for other people? What if Dean Kamen's parents were sitting behind you, and didn't want to stand up? What if your team's top sponsor were sitting behind you, and unable to stand up?

--People can have their experience at an event marred by others’ inconsideration. But who will be hurt if your team sits down for most of its matches? (Yes, I know, if things really get exciting the emotions will take over. That’s OK—sometimes.)

--The most basic rule in FIRST is called “gracious professionalism.” If your team habitually offends other people, is your team being gracious?

[Daniel Brim]

Originally Posted by SnareDrummer37

At the last few competitions I have been to, we have had people whine and complain about us standing up during our own matches. We wouldn't be complaining if their team was standing in front of us to cheer on their own team. We would stand up as well if we wanted to see the match bad enough... I don't see what the big deal is... We were just supporting our team. As far as I know, the Bomb Squad has been standing up during their own matches for years. At nationals, we had gotten so many complaints because we were standing up, that I came back to the stands and my team was sitting down during a match. I was shocked. I kept looking around at them as if they had gone crazy.

Does anybody have any thoughts on this?

I noticed that there are a ton of teams who stand up during there matches. Did any of you receive complaints?

I'm just curious.

Thanks.

If there is already a thread about this... I'm sorry.

I've seen both sides of the issue, personally.

In 2004, my knees were in a lot of pain and I was fairly sick. I couldn't really stand for matches, and it was really irritating to sit behind teams that did. I've also tried scouting this year, and scouting behind people standing was almost a futile venture.

This year, 125 did stand for some of their matches, and it did create more excitement, even if it was a "placebo" effect.

There's also the issue of people navigating the isles during matches, which I consider to be rather rude.

With that said, standing teams should be in the back, and scouts should be in the front. People shouldn't walk into the stands in the middle of the match.

[Shankar M]

Team 188 takes our scouting pretty seriously. Unfortunately for our scouting team, prime seats for scouting are also usually prime seats for spectators. We try to make it out to the arena early and sit together in a location that will provide us with a view of the field even with the teams around us showing their support during the day. That, of course, is not always possible. I don't spend a whole lot of time in the stands, but when I am around to catch a few matches from the stands, the problem of standing spectators is usually solved by a polite requests or simply a slight shift in position by our scouts. It is a bit annoying to deal with, but any spectator sport will have cheering fans that obstruct your view.

As far as how our own team deals with showing our support, we try as best we can to avoiding obstructing the views of those behind us. Usually this involves heading down to field level as a team, and finding a spot where we can all sit, kneel, or stand to watch our match without providing everyone behind us with a view of the back of our jerseys. Looking back at our three regionals, this was probably easiest at the LA Regional where a "Team Viewing Area" was set up right at field level, but well below the overhead grandstands. It was a great idea that helped prevent this very problem. Although, space may be an issue at some regionals, perhaps working in a set-up like that will help prevent the problem of standing spectators in the stands.

[dangerousdave]

Originally Posted by Daniel Brim

With that said, standing teams should be in the back, and scouts should be in the front.

Sometimes that does not help. At VCU this year, we were on the very back rows and as we usually do for our matches, stood up. Well the people behind us standing on the landing let us have it with verbal "sit down" assaults.

As usual, AmyPrib has some good ideas in her first post also.

Dave