FIRST in Michigan Thoughts/Impressions

[GaryVoshol]

Then Cory, you need to start a FiC. FiM was not a creation of FIRST, but of concerned people in Michigan who realized there was no opportunity for team growth in the state without a change in the way things were done. It was a way to figure out how to give Michigan teams the opportunity to attend events in their own state. The choice was to create another very expensive regional, or to come up with a new model. There were several reasons why teams from outside the state couldn't enter in this first PILOT year of the model.

The Pros:

• More game play
• Lower costs all around: Lower entrance fees, lower travel fees, lower costs for events, lower costs for robot shipping.
• Less time lost from school and work
• Better opportunities for rookie teams
• Bagging/unbagging rules that replace a day in the pit with a day in your shop.
• Exposure in the communities holding districts. In areas that would never get a regional this is especially important. It was apparent in Traverse City that the organizing committee made sure the community realized this was an event. It was covered by 2 tv stations; I met one man who drove 50 miles to see it because he saw the tv coverage. The mayor and members of the city council were there; one was MC for a day. They said half the city was involved in sponsorship, and I don't think they were exaggerating much.

The Cons:

• Lack of cross-border teams. At our events we missed seeing our friends from ON, IL, IN, and lots of other places.
• Some teams in far-flung areas still have to travel (in Michigan, the Upper Peninsula and the northern part of the Lower Peninsula). This gets back to the issue of fairness: life isn't fair if by fair you mean equal.
• Bagging/unbagging rules that replace a day in the pit with a day in your shop. Yes I know that this was a pro as well. But not enough teams took full advantage of it. We have to get away from the idea that the last day of build season is the first day at the competition. Teams need to have ready-to-go robots in Feb, not March. Especially with the field connectivity issues that can't be solved until you get to the event, there were far too many teams not showing up for one of the few practice rounds, which resulted in robotless trailers in the first few rounds of competition.

The Hazards:

• There are at least 3 things needed for a district model to work:
  1. Concentration of teams (This is an issue in several areas of the country)
  2. Concentration of volunteers (For example, MN has lots of teams, but they are mostly new. How many experienced volunteers do they have to fill key positions such as FTA, lead queuer, head ref, field supervisor?)
  3. An organizing committee (FiM didn't just happen; it took the hard work of a lot of people. People who you have seen around for many years. People who have backups at their home teams so they can work with the committee without their teams folding.)
• Some district events were run much better than others.
• Some district venues are better suited than others. All had pros and cons. Some didn't have enough seating, others had a better arena than I've seen at regionals. Some had sub-par pits. Is there enough parking? Having some events in high schools presents unique challenges: how does the school keep running with all the visitors? One thing that didn't become apparent until at the events was getting the robots and carts through doorways: can the middle barrier be removed to allow a double-wide passage?

The Opportunities:

• Many areas of the country could adopt a district model entirely, provided they have the 3 items of critical mass listed above. Areas that come to my mind are New England, New York/New Jersey, other areas of the Midwest, the Mid-Atlantic states, California (maybe N/S separately), maybe Texas with some surrounding states, maybe Ontario. Harder in the Plains, the Rockies, the Northwest, and the Southeast. Nearly impossible internationally and in places like Hawaii.
• If several more district models were initiated, perhaps there could be cross-border registrations on a space-available basis. Teams could "visit" in other championship areas; teams in the fringes of their own championship area could apply to transfer to a closer or more accessable championship event.
• Most importantly, there are many aspects that could be implemented immediately world-wide. Bagging vs shipping, make shipping optional. Cut down on full practice days, giving more time for more rounds of matches.

It remains to be seen what will happen to the district/championship model. Not all the data is in. Some people may have vehement opinions against it. But those who I spoke with were very supportive.