Is competing at multiple regionals REALLY fair ?

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by skippy178

I'm not against "teaching". I am against the idea that a well-resourced team with (relatively) massive amounts of sponsorship funding, mentors and facilities can travel around squashing the "little guys", who are the new rookie teams that Dean Kamen and others so desparately want to attract to this competition.

I will add my voice to those who say that inspiring the "little guys" is a better thing than holding back the well-resourced teams.

That you use the word "competition" instead of "program" is a good clue to your mindset here. Try to broaden your goals to include the stated mission of FIRST, rather than focusing on winning medals. Does it sting to be beaten by a powerhouse veteran team? You bet. Does it make me want to pout and go home? No way! It makes me want to do better next time. It inspires me to do better next time.

(Full disclosure: Team 45 always goes to multiple regionals. We rarely fail to compete in the elimination rounds. We won the last National championship to be awarded to a single team. I might be so far removed from Skippy's situation as to be completely unable to understand his viewpoint.)