New Poll! (2)

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Posted by michael bastoni.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Coach on team #23, PNTA, from Plymouth North High School and Boston Edison Co.

Posted on 6/8/99 4:31 AM MST


In Reply to: Re: invitationals/nationals posted by Frank Toussaint on 6/7/99 8:06 AM MST:



Frank,

You may indeed have the correct insight regarding the rookie
issue and the nationals...However, I' like to offer this observation.

High school and college athletes usually do not expect to make the starting
varsity squad their freshman year. The band and chorus kids don't
play and sing lead their freshman year, as a rule. They all go through
the 'Learning Curve'

When I first entered the production world (I actually had a life in the
private sector) I did not manage important projects my first day on the job....

Rookies who field good robots, rookies who distinguish themselves should
be invited to the nationals....and....I am sure that for the most part, folks
who sponsor, coach and participate in the FIRST program would agree that
the competetive nature of the games IS NOT the most important aspect of
the game.

But.....

We are talking about the nationals....where we might have the opportunity
to come together and celebrate what is good, even what is best about the program
we all participate in....Perhaps that should be like the 'Varsity' game,
the game where they 'sell tickets' not like the freshman games or the
practice recitals....but the culminating activity...like the Thanksgiving
day football game.

As you know Frank, because your team was there in 92',there are
still some teams in this program who remember when
a crowded gymnasium in Manchester New Hampshire was the end of the road.
In fact...it was the only stop in the whole route....and you grew this
program from those humble beginings...and you were rookies too...who
came to play because it was the right thing to do, not because they were
going to Disney.

Remember too that there have been dozens of 1 year wonder teams, teams
who only did 1 year for whatever reasons even though they had full
participation rights...and they are not playing now despite the fact they
were encouraged to attend the nationals.

So....

Let's give those rookie teams of the future the respect they deserve,
let's believe they are coming to play for the right reasons, not because
of a promise to ......well, to kneel in the hot sun, but because they
believe it's the right thing to do...wether or not they make the nationals.

Let's not compromise the celebration of excellence because we fear that
first year teams are only joining up to attend the nationals...let's
celebrate achievement and give those teams something to shoot for.

mr.b