Standing Up During Competition...

[zc923]

I've seen some ridiculous stuff go on at FIRST events with regards to seating.

I've seen people throw stuff to get the attention of people standing up 5 or 6 rows down so they sit down and the people behind them can see.

I've seen people who would rather walk through a seating isle with seated people then walk all the way up, and then get to their destination.

However, as far as standing up at a competition goes, I feel that it should be done at the discretion of the team. If you happen to be the at the back of the section and no other team behind you, stand up all you want. However, if you are in the middle of the section, perhaps standing throughout the entire 2 minutes is not such a good idea.

In recent events, team 1403 stands up to cheer during team introductions, but sits down before the match starts, allowing our neighboring FIRST teams to also view the match.

As far as scouting, 1403 does scout every match, but usually, our scouters are located in other locations, may it be on the top of the section, or a bit more off to the side. This way, they can get their job done without being disturbed by cheering teams.

I do not think FIRST should make a ruling about stand behavior. I feel the members of the FIRST community are mature and gracious enough to consider the best course of action depending on their situation. I only advise that teams and individuals in the future practice discretion.