Is the registration this year fair?

[tjrage_25]

I think that this years registration is competley unfair in the aspect of using any previous year as a standard, and alternating odd and even teams at the nationals each year.

[David Kelly]

i don't understand why some teams are saying they will NOT be able to go to the nationals. yes, this is comming from a team that qualifies for nationals. we were defently on of the WORST teams out there in '00 (10th from bottom at nats), and prolly just got into people's way. but in '01 we were one of the best. if teams just keep diggin' you never know what will happen. we never expected of doing so well. i know why everyone is disappointed about the limiting on nationals, because it was the greatest thing that i have ever experienced. we are lucky being able to get this invaluable education in engineering and FIRST.


life is not fair. it will NEVER be fair. our problems are small compared to what some are facing at this moment.


my $.03

[Joe Ross]

I'm probably going to put no, but not because I disagree with FIRST's decision.

Anyway that you look at it, the decision to limit teams is going to be considered unfair by those who don't get in.

Would it be better to qualify for nationals based on how your robot did from that year? Yes! I'm sure that FIRST considered pushing back nationals, or pushing the build season foward so that they could do that. I'm going to trust their judgement that doing that was not feasible and we got the best alternative.

Under the current system, it is fair to some teams. Under a random selection, it is fair to no one.

[Jeff Waegelin]

Originally posted by David Kelly
i don't understand why some teams are saying they will NOT be able to go to the nationals

Answer me this: I come from an odd numbered team. We did not even register on the radar last year. We won no awards and no regionals. We come from what is most likely the most difficult region of the country (Michigan).

Now, I could always hold hopes of winning a regional or award, but realistically, who can schedule a trip for 4 people to Florida with a few weeks notice? Much less teams with 20+ members?

I disagree with the new format, but unfortunately, this is about the only feasible way FIRST can run Nats.

Those of you lucky enough to automatically qualify don't realize how lucky you are.

[David Kelly]

Originally posted by Jeff Waegelin




...but realistically, who can schedule a trip for 4 people to Florida with a few weeks notice? Much less teams with 20+ members?

we did it last year in about 1.5 weeks notice. we didn't plan on going to nats until we won the MMR. it was a thing where, you have to find your own way to get there. we had NO money left in team funds. so a few flew, most drove and some couldn't go cause they couldn't afford it. all the students paid out of their own pockets. we had about 10 kids there. it can be done but is very difficult.

[Mike Soukup]

Originally posted by Jeff Waegelin
Now, I could always hold hopes of winning a regional or award, but realistically, who can schedule a trip for 4 people to Florida with a few weeks notice? Much less teams with 20+ members?

I agree with David. While planning a trip to FL for a dozen or two people is difficult given a few weeks, it's possible. Just fundraise as if your team is going to Nats, and if you don't go, you've got a head start for next year.

I don't like to hear people say it's not possible to plan a trip in a few weeks. I'm sure many people thought it was impossible to build a robot in 6 weeks, and we all do it every year.

Mike

[Leon Machado IV]

My biggest problem with it is that the regional winners can go, but how do you book a plane and hotel and all the other stuff two to three weeks before hand? Anybody got an answer to this I would love to hear it. Thanks.

[patrickrd]

Originally posted by David Kelly


we did it last year in about 1.5 weeks notice. we didn't plan on going to nats until we won the MMR. it was a thing where, you have to find your own way to get there. we had NO money left in team funds. so a few flew, most drove and some couldn't go cause they couldn't afford it. all the students paid out of their own pockets. we had about 10 kids there. it can be done but is very difficult.

How did your team get the additional $4000 on short notice, and pay the shipping for your robot? Plus, how did you get into nationals as the event filled up and there was a waiting list? I'm just curious.

Patrick

[Matt Leese]

As far as getting a team to nationals on three weeks notice, it's possible to do it as a team. When I was on 7, back in '99, we did just that. At the Philadelphia Regional, we decided to go to nationals given we had just won number one seed. What we did was simple: we called our sponsors and invited them to come see us. Doing that, we fundraised over $8000 in a weekend. One of our sponsors offered to ship the robot for us. As far as paying to go to Florida, we manage to book a flight for the whole team. Team members fronted the money and then we started on a candy sale. On average, each person sold about $400 worth of candy (50% profit). The money that you fundraised (for the most part, there was some evening out) was refunded to you to help with the cost that you fronted. I think we ended up paying about $400 per person that year. So basically, it's possible to come up with the money and FIRST in the past has opened up Nationals to regional winners even if the event was "full."

Matt

[nuggetsyl]

To those people that think it is possable to plan a trip to florda in 3 weeks or under you right. How ever i can buy a plane ticket right now to fl for $250-300 if i want to buy one 3 weeks before the compition that price goes up to about $600 or more and our team does not have that kind of money to spend. Also the reason why this years Qualifing is unfairis because

1 the point system will have an advantage to the ones can play in nationals this year. If you are in nationals you can win an award

2 if the chairmans award winners and the original teams are allowed to be in for life why not national champains

3 Teams that have the bigger buggets can go to more than one regional to qulify for nationals

remeber we came to first for inspiration and recognition of science and technology not poltics

this is the opion of me shaun not team 25

[David Kelly]

Originally posted by patrickrd


How did your team get the additional $4000 on short notice, and pay the shipping for your robot? Plus, how did you get into nationals as the event filled up and there was a waiting list? I'm just curious.

Patrick

we had an AWESOME sponsor that shipped it and paid the 4k, but because of township politics this will be our last year affiliated with them. there was no waiting list, but they placed our pits in another division. none of the teams in Archimedes actually knew we were there. so that sucked.

[Carolyn Duncan]

Originally posted by nuggetsyl
remeber we came to first for inspiration and recognition of science and technology not poltics
this is the opion of me shaun not team 25

Right on! I couldn't agree more.