Sport or not?

[tennispro9911]

Originally Posted by Protronie

First students train just as hard if not harder than most football players, racers, or any other athlete your likely to find.
Their training is just more mental than physical.
Look at the intent, focused look of the drivers and operators at the matches.
Reminds me of a wrestler sizing up his opponent. Or a high stakes poker player going all in on a river card.
I don't know a sport that requires as much dedication from the athlete as a First student during build season. What other sport only gives you six weeks to get ready to compete? The lack of sleep alone ,add to it the physical building of the robot is as much pressure as any swimmer or golfer, but then you consider them sports.
Like in football, wrestling, lacrosse, and football...
There is blood,sweat, and tears in robots too.
THAT makes it a sport.


IMO yes, FIRST is indeed a sport... and I'll put the endurance of a FIRST robot driver against any basketball or baseball player you care to hand a joystick to.

-p

I've personally worked harder at FIRST than anything else, and harder than any other student on my team. However, the level of physical exertion is nothing compared to what my sister had to do for gymnastics.

Oh yeah, I'm the driver. I know how hard it is. There is a high level of precision needed, but the skill involved doesn't compare to how hard it is to hit a major league fastball, or to return a serve in tennis thats hit at 155 mph.

FIRST is a competition. FIRST is an obsession. FIRST is a way of life. FIRST is entertainment. FIRST is NOT a sport. FIRST is better.