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Unread 25-11-2008, 20:08
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GaryVoshol GaryVoshol is offline
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Re: FiM is NOT FIRST

Quote:
Originally Posted by 340x4xLife View Post
Yet they have also said that there are "so many teams" in Michigan that the three regional’s they host is not enough to support all the teams. Yet for some reason the answer is not another regional. Because they say, they don't have the money in sponsorship to start another regional. I find it interesting that all these new teams in Michigan seem to find money to start and be competitive yet the money is lacking for a regional.
There are now 127 teams registered in Michigan, including 13 rookies and 13 second-year teams. Not "all those new" teams, but a steady growth. With the 3 regionals we had about 140-150 slots - the Detroit Regional at Wayne State was limited to only about 35 teams because of the size of the facility. The people who created what eventually became FiM were looking toward the time there wouldn't be enough regional slots in the state for all the teams from the state, let alone those who wanted to go to a second regional in the state. They could have looked for sponsorship to hold a 4th regional, which would have cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $200,000. Instead, they chose to eliminate two of the regionals, create 7 new district tournaments at a total cost of less than one regional, and change GLR into the Michigan Championship.

Quote:
I think if there true goal is a quality experience then robbing teams of an FRC Regional experience is not the answer. I love the Finger Lakes Regional. To me, that's what FIRST is. The build season is fun and everything don't get me wrong, but going to FLR is what it's all about. Over the years 340 has been lucky to meet teams like 365, 67, 65, 68, 217, 354, among others. That's the FIRST experience. Under the FiM model we wouldn't have a 365 shirt in our shop, or a 217 and 237 shirt.
I've already addressed the concerns about not seeing teams from other states. But the reality of the situation is that very soon, Michigan would have to close registration to other states anyway, as Washington did for a time. That or say, "No more new teams."

Quote:
Simply, if your state can't support another regional, then stop pushing for new teams. Look at the MOE Robotics group. How many high schools is that? And you can't tell me those kids haven't gotten an amazing experience. Between a great robot every year and a national Chairman's award, they are a team that should be emulated. Ask a kid on a struggling team in Michigan if he doesn’t wish his team could be like that.

Quality. Not Quantity.
Except MOE is in a tiny little state - even considering they get some students from nearby states. Oakland County alone is 40% the size of Delaware - and has 28 teams, including 5 rookies. Some of the rookie teams in Michigan this year are from communities 50 or more miles from any existing team. Some are from the Detroit schools, with no transportation available to the suburbs. Are you really in favor of saying "No room" to inner city and small-town/rural school districts? And most of the legacy teams are in southeast Michigan, historically largely supported by the auto industry. There are many medium-size cities and scores of small town school systems still without teams. FiM was created to give access to those areas.

Is it an ideal solution? No. We've argued the point structure here in this thread. But something had to be done, or the existing teams would have been in the position of crossing the moat, pulling up the drawbridge behind them, and keeping the castle to themselves.
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