Behavior at the competitions

FIRST General Forum
#1

I was at a regional last week and saw something that floored me.

The team sitting in front of us, who shall remain nameless, had several students playing games on their laptops or on Nintendo DSs during Dean’s speech during Saturday’s opening ceremonies. Some of these students, who were wearing team shirts, were sitting right next to adults in team shirts. None of the adults told them to pay attention or put the games away.

Is it just me or are more and more students looking at FIRST as a right instead of a privilege? Back when I was on a team behavior like what I described would get you in serious trouble. I think some kids are beginning to look at FIRST as “just another club” as opposed to the life changing experience that it really is. I understand that you get out of it what you put into it and that these kids are only cheating themselves, but I am still appalled to see such blatant disrespect towards anyone in FIRST let alone Dean.

#2

No offense, but Dean’s speeches aren’t exactly the most thrilling. They deliver incredibly relevant content, for a very good cause, but they’re boring.

Just because another team does not value FIRST as a “life changing experience” like you does not mean they intend disrespect.

#3

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.

#4

One thing I would caution you with: don’t judge someone by the shirt they wear. You don’t know if it is a family member or friend who is wearing the shirt. Yes, they probably should have put them away, but that is their coaches job and we are not to judge them.

#5

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.

#6

Personally I don’t see this as being an issue at all. The students you saw may or may not be active members on the team. I have personally been on teams that brought students who had spent little or no time participating in the program before competition but who wanted to come for the same reason they would go to any of their High School’s sporting events, they are looking for a day of entertainment and they want to support their friends. As a mentor from a small rookie team I have to say that I really appreciate these students coming to the events and supporting the team. We do make sure that every one representing the program (guests included) know that first is different than regular sporting events (no booing or heckling etc).

I have no issue if a student is using a laptop or playing a game during speeches and opening ceremonies, as long as they are not disturbing those around them (ie, not standing up or playing with the volume on). I would much rather have disinterested audience members entertain them selves than have them disturb others by talking, or fidgeting.

Quite frankly Dean is boring. I love the message that he is delivering but he is not a great public speaker. It is important that these students hear Dean’s message but there are plenty of opportunities to deliver it to them through the program.

I am not offended by them quietly entertaining them selves, and I am sure that Dean isn’t either. Having lectured and presented to large groups numerous times, it doesn’t bother me if people are not paying attention, it is more important to deliver the message to the people who want to hear it. If the message is important enough (and Dean’s is) then it will eventually get through to the others.

#7

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.

#8

I think along the same lines as Craig.

Also, I’d much rather have my students Playing Nintendo DS, on their Laptop, Texting, etc… quietly than making a disturbance because they’re bored with Dean’s Speech and they have nothing to do.

#9

I am a bit saddened that we live in a day where actions like this are becoming “the norm” and “acceptable”. I’ve been out to lunch 3 days this week, and at every one of them, someone at the table pulled out their phone to check their email (I was the ONLY other person at the table). Call me old, but I hate this and refuse to do it. If I am spending time with a person, I am spending time with them, not the 560 other people I can access via the world wide web. I think to so many people parenting is plopping their kid in front of a computer or hand them a DS and expect those devices to parent the kid for them. WAKE UP WORLD. We are creating a generation of awkward antisocial kids that don’t know how to TALK to eachother, or even more important how to LISTEN to others… if its not a text or a tweet… how on earth do they interact??

This statement just floored me. I will agree Dean does not have the most exciting manner of speaking. HOWEVER, he is the founder of the program, a billionaire that so many look up to, and it is a privilege that so many of us get to meet him, interact with him and listen to his ideas. Many other billionaires wouldnt give me the time of day… I got to visit Dean’s HOUSE! I am HONORED to have had the chance to be involved in something he and so many other great engineers are involved in. How on earth can we “spread the word of FIRST” or “fix what’s broken” if we cant even encourage our students to be respectful enough to sit and listen to him speak?? It will never BE a life changing experience if they can’t listen to others, listen to what the program has to offer. ITS 40 MINUTES of your life… do you really need to be playing video games?? MY grandmother would have slapped me upside the head if she saw me do something like that!!!

#10

A lot of teams aren’t very rigid about behavior at competitions. While what other teams do is up to them it doesn’t paint a very good image when we have guests visit us during regionals or championship. It’s a great contrast to our team as a whole though. Guests see the general behavior from such and such team and compare it to how our team members behave.

#11

Yeah, Dean’s speeches can be boring. I admit I don’t always listen to every word of what he says but playing videogames is outright rude.

Seconded, I can understand if your phone rings and it is your mother but to just fiddle with your phone because the person you are with is boring is rude.

Just to be clear, I DO smack our students when I see it. I got permission from their parents and everything.

#12

I’m not saying you have to hang on Dean’s every word. I’ve heard Dean’s FIRST speeches since 1996 and still enjoy them but I understand this may not be the case for everyone. However by the time you reach high school you should know how to sit still for a few minutes and listen to someone speak. It’s a matter of respect. Whether you find Dean fascinating or boring, he’s the founder of FIRST and he deserves our respect. If your football coach or dance instructor or boss were speaking to your group and you were playing a game chances are they would find that completely unacceptable, so why should FIRST be any different.

If the kids were in fact friends of team members and not on the team themselves, then they still need to realize that once you put on a team shirt you will be seen by others as being on the team. Good, bad or indifferent unless you are clearly under the age range, let’s say six years old, people will guess you’re on the team.

I’m not trying to bash these kids, I’m just making the point that this does happen. I wish it was the first time I’d seen something like this, but it’s not. Maybe I look at the world of FIRST differently because I’ve seen it change my life and the lives of countless other people around me. To each his or her own. All I’m saying is that gracious professionalism is not something you turn on and off based on your interest level in what is going on around you.

#13

Thank you.

I always look forward to hearing Dean in person. His speeches are never boring. If people actually listened to him, they would see that they are always different and quite profound.

#14

My team had problems with this too at our last competition. The “no games at competition” policy is strictly enforced by both the mentors and the scouting team. Scouting team enforces it heavily because we’re the head students in the stands during competitions. If the games become an increasing problem (as in telling the same person to put it away multiple times) the object used for gaming will get confiscated until the end of the day. However, the policy of no games in only enforced while matches or the opening ceremonies or speeches are going on. During our lunch breaks its ok for students to play games and such untill matches start back up again.

#15

To be fair, I’ll admit the opening ceremonies aren’t that enthralling, but they also are over pretty quick. My generation’s attention span must be even shorter than I imagined if we can’t sit still without something to entertain us for a whole 15 minutes.

I was in the pits for the good majority of our first district, but from what I heard the biggest problem for us seemed to be people playing games during the actual matches. After spending the Detroit district* up in the stands (or more accurately hovering by the rail watching the bots) I can’t imagine why this would ever be seen as boring. With so many amazing and creative bots I was almost never bored watching the games. Between games they play so much amazing dance music I can’t see why people would even be sitting down.

FRC competitions are fun people. If you honestly need a video game system to keep you interested, you’re ignoring a tremendous experience.

*At which gaming systems were a non-existent issue.

#16

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.

#17

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…

#18

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.

#19

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.

#20

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