Regional Championship or Regional Chairmans?

[Eric Bareiss]

Here's a question I've been thinking about. Would you rather win a Regional Championship or Regional Chairmans Award?

I'm not asking which is better, or which one is more prestigeous. The question is which one would make you happier. If you had to choose one which would it be? You can say why if you want.

[Aaron Lussier]

Champions. My team has won chairmans out right way back in 95' so I really dont care about that. I also have a bit of bias, I've been mech ever since I started 4 years ago. For once I just want to see our robot finish in first place, to see something I helped build finish first.

-Aaron

[Collin Fultz]

While 234 has never won a regional championship, we have won a regional chairman's. To me, the chairman's would make me happer. For me, it shows that I have been a part of a true FIRST team...not simply a robotics team. It shows me that I have been inspirational to somebody, just as FIRST has been inspirational to me. of course, winning both at one regional would be cool too (congratulations team 330 and any others who have accomplished this amazing feat!)

[David Kelly]

Originally Posted by collin234

While 234 has never won a regional championship, we have won a regional chairman's. To me, the chairman's would make me happer. For me, it shows that I have been a part of a true FIRST team...not simply a robotics team. It shows me that I have been inspirational to somebody, just as FIRST has been inspirational to me. of course, winning both at one regional would be cool too (congratulations team 330 and any others who have accomplished this amazing feat!)

Collin, Cyber Blue 234 won the midwest regional championship in 2001 with 71, 269, 111, and 112.

[MrB]

REGIONAL CHAIRMANS

This year we just "happened to win" the SBPLI Chairman's Award. Every year we will of course strive to reach "#1", but nothing will ever compare to the feeling of being awarded FIRST's most prestigious award, the Chairman's Award.

Our team put 3 years of effort into this award, and has established a network of relationships within the community and our sponsors that superseeds the short lived effect of winning "first place" in one single competition.

Winning the Regional Chamionship is no small task, but some of the game is luck and some is skill. Having your team named the Regional Chairman's Award winner is far more than just "comming in first place."

Sorry, for the ramble, I'm still on cloud nine. This has been a spectacular year for our team...

[Beth Sweet]

:ersonal Opinion Alert::

100% I would rather win the Chairman's Award. Maybe it's because I've spent every free moment of the last two years (ever since I was introduced to FIRST) trying to do everything in my power to get my team to win it. Unfortunately, for both years we have lost the award to two very incredible and deserving teams. I have been promised by the juniors on the team and in the Chairman's Group this year that next year, they will take home the award though. I can only imagine how incredible it must feel to be able to walk down and accept that...

[AsimC]

without a doubt...CHAIRMANS

yea winning a regional is nice, but when we won chairmans, it was definitely the best feeling ive ever had. Even though me and a couple of other ppl worked so hard for our team to win the award, im sure everyone on my team has the same exact feeling. Its UNBELIEVEABLE!

[Stina236]

Chairman's Award... We've won a regional before, and while it was great and i was really proud.. it just didn't carry the same weight for me as winning the chairman's award did. for me it's quite an emotional thing to actually win the chairman's award- it's the main goal that i and the rest of the team has been working toward for a serious of years.

[RoboMadi]

Day before yesterday, i was trying to convince a friend that Chairmans is more important than championship.........well, now poll results speak for themselves.

Why Chairmans?
Chairmans is awarded to a team that shows good organizational structure while at the same time committed to spread the message of FIRST.
So, without an organizational structure there would be no robot.
What comes FIRST?
Organizational Structure........ so the chairmans award.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but so far I've noted all the awesome Champion Robots backed by Chairman Winning Teams or Teams with strong organizational structure.

[Richard Wallace]

I voted for regional chairman's, based on the same reasoning already expressed by several previous posters.

My team has won a regional chairman's award. We've never gotten past the semifinal round in elims, though.

Of course, a competitive robot has always been our goal during build season. And it will be again this year. I have a feeling this may be our year to set the right targets for robot capabilities, and get ourselves on a winning alliance.

But the chairman's award will remain our yardstick; it's the one that the great teams win.

[rees2001]

I guess what it comes down to is do you like the excietment of winning a regional championship or the satisfaction of winning a Chairman's. We've won both a couple times & sometimes the regional victory can feel either very excieting or a bit hollow. It really depends on your team's role. You are part of an alliance. The Chairman's is all about your team. If you're a competitor you love the Championship, if you are a dedicated worker, you love the Chairman's.

[Dylan Gramlich]

I had to say Regional Chairmans. I have experienced several regional championships and found that that feeling is amazing, to know that your robots combined to make the most powerful, potent, and formidible alliance at that regional. But that feeling only lasts for so long, that year you are considered more for nationals because of winning a regional. But the next year not many people care because your robot was great in LAST YEARS GAME!!! Last years performance does not affect the way teams look at you as much as a Chairmans award would. If you have won a Chairmans award you are sorta looked up to by the younger teams or teams that have not won one. They look to your team to see what the embodiment of FIRST is(my opinion is not a reflection of my team, although i think at least some of them agree with me).

[Alexa Stott]

Originally Posted by Dylan Gramlich

Last years performance does not affect the way teams look at you as much as a Chairmans award would.

I have to disagree with you one this one. Each year, I know for a fact that many people sit there in build season thinking "What will Beatty/Wildstang/Cheesy Poofs come up with this year?" Now, two of the teams I named in there are, in fact, National Chairman's Award winners, but even before 111 won it this season, people were still thinking that same thing.

Beatty just won its first regional chairman's this year, yet they are one of the most feared teams in FIRST.

[JaneYoung]

418 spends time working with young students who have not had access to engineering concepts. We have been very fortunate to be welcomed into their communities and schools. At the end/beginning of each year (it really is the same) I always remember these children and their smiles when the light goes on. The first time their car clears the maze and pulls in to park because they programmed it to. That's a very special moment. In my mind, that is part of what winning a Chairman's would be about, those moments and sharing them with our communities.

Just a thought.

[savage301]

I voted regional championship, not because I do not value the Chairman's Award, but because I am more a part of the robot side of the team. While I do participate in our team community service events and go to expos to help spread FIRST, I am more devoted to the mechanical aspect of team. There fore I would rather see the robot do well and win a regional, than win a Chairman's Award. But I would be ecstatic with either one.