Registration 2011

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by Bob Steele

Jane,
I hear you and many of us that have been around FIRST for awhile hear you...

I'm probably sounding negative, Bob. I realize this. One reason is because I live in Texas and I know a few veteran teams who are going to be working very very hard to help the many rookie teams and 1st year/2nd year teams that will be struggling this season. There is not enough built-in support for this. There is also not any financial incentive or support (like what has been mentioned) for the veteran teams, the teams struggling to survive, or the young teams that still need a lot of help. There are also many teams in Texas that don't have the benefit, rookie or veteran, of having several engineers on their team.

So I'm looking at the future of the region where I mentor - not just my team - but other teams - as best I can - and it's one tough job. And that's for a NEM, not a technical mentor. If teams are paid to mentor - in my opinion, they should be covering all of the areas it takes to run a team. That helps build/grow stability and stability is what helps determines sustainability.

Show me on paper where FIRST is being proactive in areas of sustainability, balancing that with the keen interest in starting new teams. Show me on paper where FIRST has worked with their wonderful sponsors and supporters and shown them how critical sustainability is to FRC teams. Then I'll stop questioning how we're going to be successful in Texas and find that all the teams worldwide will want to come help support us and compete in our competitions because we have developed into such a strong and powerful region due to short term and long term planning and goal-setting in areas of sustainability and development by FIRST in working with our region.

Jane

P.S. Bob, I loved your last statement in your post. It is awesome.