Lesson Learned: The Negative

[XXShadowXX]

umm is this about us or the people who design the game. Becuase they work really hard, have you even tried to make a game with rules planed for every single possible event, and do this once every year, for going on 17 years...


I believe that we should be looking more at what we as teams and people can improve on for next season or life then what other people can do

[Karthik]

Originally Posted by Amanda Morrison

I was lucky to be on a team in 2002 that won the Championship. As a high school senior, I cannot tell you what a profound experience it was to walk on stage, receive our trophies and medals, hug Woodie and Dean, and get the recognition from other competing teams. This year, the stands were emptying before the last half of the last finals match. An announcement was made for teams to head over to the FIRST Finale immediately after the match completed and the score announced. I was extremely saddened that my students were not able to have a similar experience for their hard work and effort as that which profoundly changed my life. Their win was trivialized - yes, confetti and streamers, but having a teacher hand you your medal in the abandoned pit area shortly before you get on the bus is anti-climactic compared to the team walking across Einstein or the stage and receiving recognition for their effort to get to that point. Seeing thousands of people in the stands and realizing what an extreme honor is being placed upon you is a truly epic moment in a child's life. While I know my students were exceptionally happy and excited for the honor, I had only wished they could have been given the opportunity that I was lucky enough to experience.

I was far too excited after Championships to get worked up over the lack of a medal ceremony. Now that it's been a few weeks and I've had a chance to think about it, I'm pretty stunned and disappointed that the medal ceremony was removed from the program.

After the final score was announced, a rack of medals was placed nearby our alliance, and we were told to pick up our medals and pack up. Trophies and banners were dropped off as well. To make matters worse, our entire team who was up in the stands were told they weren't allowed on the dome floor. It was only after significant arguing by one of our parents (go Supermom!) that they opened the gate, allowing the rest of the team to join in on the celebration.

I understand the time constraints involved, but it just seemed strange that the winning alliance didn't have a chance to go up on stage to shake hands with Dean and Woodie, and receive our medals and trophy.

Hopefully the medal and trophy presentation for the winners will return next year, allowing the 2009 Champions the proper level of recognition that they deserve.

Does anyone have some insight into why this ceremony was removed from the program?

[waialua359]

Originally Posted by Karthik

I was far too excited after Championships to get worked up over the lack of a medal ceremony. Now that it's been a few weeks and I've had a chance to think about it, I'm pretty stunned and disappointed that the medal ceremony was removed from the program.

After the final score was announced, a rack of medals was placed nearby our alliance, and we were told to pick up our medals and pack up. Trophies and banners were dropped off as well. To make matters worse, our entire team who was up in the stands were told they weren't allowed on the dome floor. It was only after significant arguing by one of our parents (go Supermom!) that they opened the gate, allowing the rest of the team to join in on the celebration.

I understand the time constraints involved, but it just seemed strange that the winning alliance didn't have a chance to go up on stage to shake hands with Dean and Woodie, and receive our medals and trophy.

Hopefully the medal and trophy presentation for the winners will return next year, allowing the 2009 Champions the proper level of recognition that they deserve.

Does anyone have some insight into why this ceremony was removed from the program?

Karthik,
I will say this. We were disappointed also. After having some time to think about winning the EI award, we were never told that we were supposed to receive CMP EI award medals. I researched former EI award winners and asked them about it. In the end, FIRST eventually agreed to send us the medals. I cannot say enough how unexpected it was for us to receive the award and since we've never won before, we didn't know what to expect.
After your folks 1st deserving CMP win, I was expecting that you folks would be celebrated also.
Why do it at the division level, but not the Einstein stage? It shouldn't be because of a time constraint.
Once again, well deserved!

[Greg Needel]

Originally Posted by Karthik

I was far too excited after Championships to get worked up over the lack of a medal ceremony. Now that it's been a few weeks and I've had a chance to think about it, I'm pretty stunned and disappointed that the medal ceremony was removed from the program.

After the final score was announced, a rack of medals was placed nearby our alliance, and we were told to pick up our medals and pack up. Trophies and banners were dropped off as well. To make matters worse, our entire team who was up in the stands were told they weren't allowed on the dome floor. It was only after significant arguing by one of our parents (go Supermom!) that they opened the gate, allowing the rest of the team to join in on the celebration.

I understand the time constraints involved, but it just seemed strange that the winning alliance didn't have a chance to go up on stage to shake hands with Dean and Woodie, and receive our medals and trophy.

Hopefully the medal and trophy presentation for the winners will return next year, allowing the 2009 Champions the proper level of recognition that they deserve.

Does anyone have some insight into why this ceremony was removed from the program?

I would hate to think this is true, but what if the association between IFI and the winning alliance caused the ceremony to be canceled.

[KathieK]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

I would hate to think this is true, but what if the association between IFI and the winning alliance caused the ceremony to be canceled.

Well, nothing that happens at any level (from teams on up to HQ) in FIRST surprises me anymore, but honestly, Greg, do you really think someone said let's cancel the ceremony because, wow, they have IFI connections? I think that's a stretch, even for FIRST.

[David Brinza]

If you recall, the Chairman's Award presentation was done first and in doing so, Dean said that "FIRST isn't about the points".

In essence, the winners of the game are not the focus or emphasis in FIRST (unlike sports). Maybe FIRST has swung too far in the direction of "we really don't care who wins". It seems they made that clear by not formally recognizing the Champions of this year's game.

This approach flies in the face of how the public perceives competition, especially in sports. Whether this impacts the growth and future viewership of FIRST remains to be seen.

[ChrisH]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

I would hate to think this is true, but what if the association between IFI and the winning alliance caused the ceremony to be canceled.

I don't think so. We experienced the same thing in 2005. Our partners, Team 67 who won the Chairman's award, were allowed down on the field to celebrate. But the rest of the alliance was kept in the stands. This has galled us somewhat ever since, because previous Championship Winners were allowed to take the field for pictures etc.

We didn't say much at the time about our disappointment because it is Team Policy not to complain about such things, at least not publicly. But I am allowed to sympathize with others experiencing similar things.

In a way, these posts make me feel a little better because now I know it wasn't just us. We thought it was because we are just a small private school located far away from Mecca, I mean Manchester. But then those of us on the West Coast often feel ignored by HQ. If it was west of the Mississippi, it didn't happen....

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by waialua359

Karthik,
I will say this. We were disappointed also. After having some time to think about winning the EI award, we were never told that we were supposed to receive CMP EI award medals. I researched former EI award winners and asked them about it. In the end, FIRST eventually agreed to send us the medals. I cannot say enough how unexpected it was for us to receive the award and since we've never won before, we didn't know what to expect.
After your folks 1st deserving CMP win, I was expecting that you folks would be celebrated also.
Why do it at the division level, but not the Einstein stage? It shouldn't be because of a time constraint.
Once again, well deserved!

On that note, I totally forgot to congratulate you guys on behalf of MORT. Your team is so kind that there is nothing more I can say about 359. It was so well deserved and we congratulate you.

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by ChrisH

I don't think so. We experienced the same thing in 2005. Our partners, Team 67 who won the Chairman's award, were allowed down on the field to celebrate. But the rest of the alliance was kept in the stands. This has galled us somewhat ever since, because previous Championship Winners were allowed to take the field for pictures etc.

We didn't say much at the time about our disappointment because it is Team Policy not to complain about such things, at least not publicly. But I am allowed to sympathize with others experiencing similar things.

In a way, these posts make me feel a little better because now I know it wasn't just us. We thought it was because we are just a small private school located far away from Mecca, I mean Manchester. But then those of us on the West Coast often feel ignored by HQ. If it was west of the Mississippi, it didn't happen....

I think it was 2006 that they only allowed the drive teams to receive medals at first, then allowed the teams onto the field after the whole ceremony for photos and such. It seemed like a decent solution.