Is the Competition being de-emphasized?

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Posted by Chris, Coach on team #308, Walled Lake Monster, from Walled Lake Schools and TRW Automotive Electronics.

Posted on 5/10/99 6:01 AM MST


In Reply to: Re: Is the Competition being de-emphasized? posted by Tom Vanderslice on 5/9/99 9:47 PM MST:



Well said, Tom.

I would like to add that the competition in itself is important. In Michigan, there is a big speech before every high school sporting event about the life lessons learned by the participants, such as being competitive, learning to work hard for goals, teamwork, leadership, etc. I think the same applies for this competition. Without the competition element, a lot of these more subtle lessons won't be learned. Because of this, I don't want to see the competition de-emphasized.

I'd also like to add something about the time constraint at the award cerimony. Remember that we entered the park at about 8:30 - 8:45 and there was a big 'traffic jam' going into the park. If you've tried leaving EPCOT after the fireworks, you know that there is a big 'traffic jam' exiting the park at about 9:10. If the FIRST awards cerimony lasted any longer, those two traffic jams would have conflicted and I'm sure FIRST would have been in big trouble with the big shots at Disney. I'm pretty sure the logistics of that cerimony were very tight and they knew they wouldn't have time to have that many people come up on stage.

-Chris


: I'm gonna have to agree with MaryEllen that passing out medals
: at the awards ceremony would have been a logistical nightmare. One thing
: they could have done was just have the teams walk across the stage or
: something...if they were already lined up before hand that wouldn't have
: been a big deal...

: BUT..(there's always a but..

: I also agree that the competition is being de-emphasized...It seems like
: everyone is so concerned that us 'lowly high school kids' might think we
: were 'losers' when we lose the competition...so let's pretend like its
: not a competition...we'll have all the robots go out there...and some
: teams will win and some teams will lose but then in the end we'll pretend
: its not important...and then all the kids will think their 'winners' and
: everyone will be happy...

: News Flash...most...if not all of hte kids out there know the difference
: between winning and losing...most of htem are the most competitive kids
: in there schools...just as competitive as the athletes...who get mad
: when the lose games and are happy when they win games...and most of us
: also know the difference between the winners and losers of the
: competition and the 'winners' that everyone who shows up with a robot is...
: true...everyone who shows up with a robot has done something they should
: be extremely proud of...after all the time we spent working on our robot
: this year..i was incredibly proud of it...even if it didnt' place well..
: and everyone who shows up is a 'winner'...but then you have teh competition..
: and by the nature of competition you have winners and losers...one team
: (or this year 3 teams) win and everyone else loses...now this doesn't
: make them 'losers'...but everyone has a sense of disappointment that they
: didn't win...for some it is more severe then others (and i admit...it is
: very severe for me)...but in time we all get over it...

: Hmm...this is a lot more then i meant to say...but in summary...i think
: that FIRST is so concerned that people might feel like losers that they
: don't allow the real winners of the competition to feel like winners.

: Tom
: Team 275