Behavior at the competitions

[ErikEdhlund]

When I was a first year student and didn't really get what FIRST really was, I was one of those students who would sit with the DS. I have come to really think of it as the new student tier. The new students just need to see the spark and enjoyment of FIRST in all ways. Once those students really get involved with their team, the need to use a game system during a competition goes away. If you see a student who is playing a game system at a competition, don't frown at them and walk away. Maybe talk to them and ask them about their opinion of this years game or ask how did they contribute to the team. As for family members who come to competition, there really isn't much that can be said about their actions.

[Bob Steele]

Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz

I can tell you that our rules are no games at the competition, they are for the bus ride only. Can we watch every student? No. Do we sometimes forget? Yes. Take it as an isolated incident and think nothing more about it.

I agree with Al. Our team knows that games and iPods etc are off limits during competition. First of all, in the pits... they are dangerous...having your ears stuffed with music is a safety hazard.

In the stands.. our team knows that they all have jobs to do...they need to be doing them if we are to be the best we can be.

As far as Dean being boring... that isn't any excuse to be playing games in the stands...

You can do whatever you want with your team... but when our team is at an event we are there competing...and everyone has a job... scouting... cheering... etc...

If you think that because you have a large team that this is difficult... our team has 42 student members...and they all stay busy...

Games and ipods are for travel or non-competition times in their hotel rooms... I ask students if they see any football players on the sidelines using ipods? or basketball players....
No they are into the game they are playing and they are putting in effort even though they are not on the field.. they are in the game...
Our teams knows that scouting is what can win a regional.

Our students are in the game...

[Beth Sweet]

Straight out: My generation is very rude. From my observations, the ones after mine are becoming increasingly more rude.

I have made an attempt, since I became a mentor, to try to encourage my students not to behave in this way. I constantly drill into my students' heads that every time they are in any way representing the team, they are representing their sponsor, their school, and themselves. To remember this is the best way to truly overcome rudeness and inappropriate behavior, at least in my opinion. When you learn to respect yourself and those whom you represent, you lessen rudeness.

[Captain Slacker]

Team Paragon has a strict "electronics-free zone" policy. As a team we realized that students using electronics anywhere in the competition portrays a bad image on the rest of the team. At the build site, electronic devices act as a distraction and can often be a safety hazards. All around the site, we have posters that say "electronics free zone", and even some fake devices posted up saying "don't let this happen to yours". At the competitions, we feel that even talking on a cell phone looks like the student is lacking an interest in what is going on. I know that last year I was safety captain and I was coordinating my schedule with a few other people who were in the pits through texting while I was in the stands. I am also very involved in my team's spirit, so I was standing next to a girl who was screaming, attracting the photographers for the website. Sure enough, I get a call from my mom that night who was watching from home asking why there was a picture of my texting on the BAE website. Needless to say, I was mortified and began fully supporting the rule. I think it just looks better as a team, and a big part of FIRST is imagery.

[ALTrammell818]

Originally Posted by kwotremb

I have cought some of the students on our team doing this in the past. We made comments to them and they would put their games away. I think it was just 1 or 2 students that are now gone, and it seems to be better now. Also I find with a slightly smaller team its easier to control because you can give each student a task to perform.

This does really annoy me as well, regardless of who, where or what it is going on, its just rude.

I feel like if we had more spirit people would pay more attention :/

[NOV8R]

Team 1583 has team 'norms' which are student enforced. You become a team member by demonstrating respect, motivation, spirit,and gracious professionalism among other character traits. It's not showing much respect or being very gracious to other teams by playing video games at a regional while they compete. Btw, we've won the gracious professionalism award the past three years in a row at the Denver regional and it wasn't for helping others play video games.

[GGCO]

As someone who takes the FRC extremely seriously, the whole attitude of FIRST being "just another club" also scares me. That attitude will eventually lead to that team's demise if it doesn't get corrected soon.

[BJC]

was it pokemon... I can understand if it was pokemon, those games are awesome!

But seriously, that students would consider doing this at all during a comptition has me baffled. The FIRST experience is so unique and special, and you're waisting it playing videogames?

Walk around the pits, collect buttons, examine others robots, scout, meet new people, and for heavens sake Cheer For Your Robot! There are so many teams that just sit and watch quietly well their robot is playing! Coming from a team who got other teams mad at us for standing up and cheering during one of our matches at Atlanta (Apparently, we were blocking their view, Sorry we ended up changing to a less viewblocking area further to the side.) I want to see people excited at robotics comptitions, because its an exciting thing!

If people want to play videogames while their at a FIRST comptition then something is seriously wrong...

my 2 cents

[ALTrammell818]

Originally Posted by BJC

was it pokemon... I can understand if it was pokemon, those games are awesome!

But seriously, that students would consider doing this at all during a comptition has me baffled. The FIRST experience is so unique and special, and you're waisting it playing videogames?

Walk around the pits, collect buttons, examine others robots, scout, meet new people, and for heavens sake Cheer For Your Robot! There are so many teams that just sit and watch quietly well their robot is playing! Coming from a team who got other teams mad at us for standing up and cheering during one of our matches at Atlanta (Apparently, we were blocking their view, Sorry we ended up changing to a less viewblocking area further to the side.) I want to see people excited at robotics comptitions, because its an exciting thing!

If people want to play videogames while their at a FIRST comptition then something is seriously wrong...

my 2 cents

I couldn't agree with you more. I am baffled by the number of people who would rather play video games or just talk in the pits rather than cheer for their team or another for that matter.

[delsaner]

Originally Posted by GGCO

As someone who takes the FRC extremely seriously, the whole attitude of FIRST being "just another club" also scares me.

I do agree that FIRST being "just another club" is a grave statement, but not everyone has an interest in robots. Yes, we are supposed to raise awareness of robotics and engineering, but it just doesn't click with some people. I take some FRC very seriously as well, but I respect the fact that some people don't have an interest in engineering, only if they have been previously introduced to engineering.

Getting back on the topic of video games, there are certain times when the power-switch needs to go off. The only times where I would game is during lunch break, on the bus, or in the hotel (when we aren't doing anything significant). About Dean's speeches, I will agree that they are boring at times, but it is disrespectful to be engrossed in a video game more than the speech of the founder. =/

My two pennies.

[Chris is me]

I generally don't think "oh, what huge brats" when I see kids on other teams playing DS or texting during a long opening speech, and that their actions can be used to extrapolate that they don't appreciate FIRST. I think it's a simple combination of lack of awareness, the somewhat hyperactive nature of the average FIRST student, and the culture of today that makes this thing happen rather than an intentional effort to disrespect speakers.

Consider that people these days do stuff like livetweeting, texting, dynamic communication, and internet reference lookup on their phones and it'll look a lot less bad. I'm sure if someone looked at me at Kickoff and saw me typing a tweet about it, it wouldn't look the best.

To clarify, though, I don't approve at all and think students should be corrected, and that's not something I tolerate on 2791.

[Mike Martus]

From our very first year we set standards that all students must strive to adhere to. In the early years (pre-handheld games - yes this did exist) you would often see other students playing cards in the corner, getting friendly (you know what I mean) and other activities we as leaders - mentors of our team felt were not in the interest of our team. We had rules regarding these behaviors - a Code of Standards.

Sorry but IMAGE is an important part of life, and image for your team is important.... Students..... you never know who is who at an event and who is watching you.

There was an incident told to me many years ago by some of my students - short version....
While on an elevator with several other students at a hotel and a adult the other students (not my team) started swearing, pushing and plain being rude. One of my students spoke up and asked them to respect their team and FIRST finishing it with "Cool it". The response was "Mind your own business". As they left the elevator the adult asked to speak to my students. He thanked them for their comments and praised them for doing and saying what is right.

Later in the competition when we were getting an award.... The lead judge smiled at them and said " I remember you".

True story.

[Dancin103]

Originally Posted by fordchrist675

Agreed, but if you get the chance to talk one on one with both Dean and Woodie like I have the conversations are very fun and entertaining but relevant to whatever the topic may be.

At the same time it is common courtesy and those teams should realize that they should at least try to be gracious and professional if nothing else lower brightness and at least sort of act like your paying attention.

I agree with you in every aspect. It goes something like this, put those kids in a class room with a teacher giving a lecture. Now I can say that those same students not paying attention because they are playing a game or something, they are doing the same thing to the teacher. It is a mind set and mentality that is becoming more common in students that they feel as though they can do whatever it is they want. To me this is saddening because in my eyes, it is becoming worse and worse as time goes on.

I must admit however, I may have drifted off into a day dream while still looking awake during Dean's speeches, but I did not seem to be pre occupied like some individuals are.

I have also seen this same behavior, and this really floors me and honestly saddens me, while the national anthem is being played.

Honestly, I don't know what to say about a situation like this, but if it was up to me, the students would get a stern warning and it wouldn't happen again. It seems like blatant disrespect.

Just my two cents. Feel free to comment.

Cass

[Duncan Macdonald]

Originally Posted by ALTrammell818

I feel like if we had more spirit people would pay more attention :/

I am going to disagree. There is a time and a place for spirit. When people are making speeches they shouldn't have to be holding a T-shirt cannon to hold the crowd's attention.

The issue here is just a matter of respect. I have tuned out during long speeches and visuals do help but I do try to pay attention and often enjoy the presentations.

[HashemReza]

Firstly, I'm 17, and a leader on my team.

Secondly, if I saw anyone (including other leaders) ever representing my team in that way at an event, I would swiftly whack them upside the head. I've done it before, too.

For some reason, my generation enjoys testing boundaries. I, personally, find that disrespectful.

We honestly require that no one use their phones in the pits, and if they need to use it, they walk outside the arena. I told a kid to do this in Utah, it was snowing outside. He waited to make the call

The parenting bit isn't necessarily true, as I've met completely ill-behaved students whose parents (and their tactics) are very similar to that of mine. I've been told by my parents that i've been the easiest kid to raise...i'm one of 3. I don't know how much that really matters, but it's very much about the mentality of the student.

You have not only joined a robotic competition, you will discover that you are becoming a member of a very large and wonderful family. The more years that you participate, the larger your FIRST family will become. - Car Nack

I just saw that on the top of the page. It's true, we're a humongous family. If my sibling was doing that? A swift handling of the situation (physical or not ). Honestly, I think of the situation like this: No talking during grace. It's something which may not be riveting, but is still very important, and tradition.