Championships: Competition vs. Inspiration

FIRST General Forum
#55

I am only a parent, but to me, Championships (and FIRST) is about Inspiration. I think the focus is right where it needs to be, on INSPIRATION. If FIRST wanted to concentrate on the WINNING: 1) Teams wouldn’t be playing 3 on 3 with the whole winning alliance earning a trip to Championships. (I realize the district model is moving FIRST away from this.) 2) They would level the playing field and there would be MORE RULES about build season, such as a certain percent of the work needs to be done by students or mentors or more restrictions on custom made parts. 3) They wouldn’t design a seeding structure that is primarily based on win/lose and not by points scored. 4) They wouldn’t give slots to RCA , RAS and EI teams. I could go on, but I’ll stop there. I think FIRST knows what they are emphasizing at Championships, and they aren’t looking to have only the best robots on the field. They want to inspire as many diverse groups of kids as they can. And they won’t do that if it’s just about robot performance.

My sons’ team is wrapping up their fourth year in FRC. Their rookie year was very successful, winning RAS at two events and they were VERY successful at championships. The next year, they were awarded an RCA and won an event, and were pretty successful at Championships. The third year was rough, they had a great bot but bad luck and they didn’t make it to Championships. This year, they had a decent bot but got EI and went to Championships with a middle of the road bot. We were probably one of those teams that brought the average down. We’ve had lots of turn over on the team this year and most of the kids had not been to Championships until this year. I am certain it was one of those experiences that will make a difference in the team’s direction over the next few years. They needed to see the possibilities and see how they can work to grow the program. They are pretty charged up right now and that’s a good thing!

#56

Well, unless you’re that loser that wins the District Championship as 2nd pick.

Then you end up on Einstein. :wink:

In all seriousness, I like the district model’s way of handling second picks–we’d just have to try that much harder. I think a similar point system could work even outside of districts themselves.

#57

The good news is, by 2015 there will be at least 4 more districts: 2 District systems in California, 1 in New England, and 1 for MD/DC/VA. After seeing what districts have done to the level of play in other regions of the country, I can’t wait :cool:

#58

You’re forgetting Minnesota and possibly Indiana/Illinois.

#59

Add PNW to that list as well I think.

#60

Wow that would have really sucked for us in 2010. We were 359 and 100’s 2nd pick when we won in San Diego as the 22nd pick. after SD, we ended up losing in LA in the finals after four matches…

Luckily we get to go to champs. As we ended up going undefeated on Newton, captaining the 1 seed with 67 and 177 and then taking out the unbeatable alliance of 1114 and 469…

Bottom line… never ever discount 2nd picks you never know how they will improve.

#61

While I can understand where you’re coming from, ask yourself why the 3rd robot on an alliance plays on Einstein, like you had the chance to. Yes it is a higher level of competition, but the principle remains the same, in my opinion.

Certainly isn’t the 3rd best robot in the division. They get to play because its an alliance. Also, its easy for you to gauge out on the field if the 3rd bot doesn’t perform as much as its partners, but that certainly doesn’t mean the team didn’t work just as hard as others, but within their own means. 1640 has won two MAR championships in a row as the third bot, and districts/regionals as a third bot (if I recall correctly) but they’ve always earned the right to attend.

Adam does make a good point about districts helping to ease this concern, but I think others might be judging the discussion of the 3rd bot on an alliance way too irrationally.

Similarly, saying that the 3rd bot on a regional winning alliance doesn’t “deserve” to play at champs is a pretty bold statement.

Stuff like this happens-

#62

I didn’t fully appreciate what third robots do. I’ve done some thinking and I can see why I was too quick to blame them as the problem.

#63

The other thing is that some robots aren’t designed to be captains or first picks. A robot like 4334’s last year was designed to be the ideal 2nd pick. It was simple and effective, and it did exactly what it was built to do. To eliminate a category of defensive or support robots from championship would undermine the efforts of teams that build excellent robots that serve purposes other than offense.

That’s why 4334 was on Einstein last year.
That’s also why they won IRI.

Third picks can make or break alliances at more difficult regionals and especially at championships.

#64

This is why I like the idea of districts. It takes into account many more factors than previously possible. This cumulative ranking system allows teams to go based on their program, outreach, robot performance, and much more. Then, teams that were good enough to be the top 8 but not necessarily on the winning alliance - and we’re consistently performing at a moderate level - get to go to championships. As others have said earlier, this allows the best and most consistent teams to go through to championships.

#65

I haven’t read this entire thread, so pardon if this has already been discussed. Why are we limiting ourselves to solutions that focus on inspiring those inside the FRC community? Shouldn’t we also be taking into account those outside, that will stay outside, but still can be inspired by FIRST?

#66

What about this to maximize the number of matches per team at CMP: two fields per division? It could let teams play 16 (!!!) matches in quals, and still let CMP both grow and maintain the current divsion setup.

#67

Sounds too simple.

#68

We’ll see 8 divisions before we see Double Division Fields.

#69

Unlikely that Minnesota will be on districts by then. I can’t speak for Indiana/Illinois (though I’ve heard they were considering it next year???).

Don’t get me wrong, Minnesota will be on Districts eventually-- possibly even sooner than I can predict, but we simply don’t have the volunteer infrastructure to make it happen reasonably.

#70

I think the same is going to happen to eastern Canada in a year or two. This, like wild cards, will help great Canadian teams succeed.

#71

Looking like 2015.

#72

I did not attend the championship in my rookie year in 2011 for various reasons, but I made sure to go after winning the Arizona Regional in 2012.

My favourite part about the 2012 CMP wasn’t getting to compete with and against amazing robots (although that was cool too). It was going to the pits and seeing all the teams and how every single robot did something just a little bit different than all the others. Overall, I learned a lot and saw some awesome things.

By the time the 2013 season rolled around and we won the BAE Granite State Regional, I realized that I didn’t want to win a regional to compete at the championship, but so I’d get the opportunity to see all of the amazing displays and teams that I missed the last time around, and to revisit some of the teams I met the year before.

I know that if I go back to the championship next year it won’t be competition I’ll be looking for, but, like these past 2 years, inspiration. For me, inspiration is what makes the championship event as awesome as it is

I personally really like the wait list, as it gives teams and people who may otherwise never have a chance to compete or go to the championship an amazing opportunity.
Also, I really like the wildcard system, although this may be due to my experience in southern Ontario. 2056 and 1114 make really awesome robots, and win a lot of regionals, and they completely deserve their trips to the championship year after year. There are many teams, however, that are not quite good enough to beat them, but would still put forth a great showing at the championships. 1310 is a great example of a team in this situation.

Overall, I really like the systems and championship event we currently have.

In terms of competition, I agree with those who have said that IRI is the place for it. Practically every team in the elimination rounds is part of a “How did those teams get together?” alliance, and it’s a ton of fun to watch.

#73

I agree with so many of your statements. In 2004 my son was president of a rookie team. The team’s robot did not perform well, and even if it did the funds would not have been there to attend Championship. The school did not allow students to go to World in Atlanta unless the team had won an award and was invited. I made a “Mom” decision to take off work and call him in sick and take a road trip to Atlanta rather than miss the opportunity to see what the FIRST World Championship was really about. (Otherwise it would have been an unexcused absence with no ability to do make up work.)
To say this was a life changing experience would minimize the impact of this trip. My son attended NEMO workshops, visited the Hall of Fame, witnessed award winning robots and Chairman’s teams, made friends with team members from around the country that he later corresponded with through Chief Delphi, and took in the whole Championship experience. He brought back the knowledge to his team, and his community, and later brought an award winning team to Championships. He has served as a college mentor, works now for a company who sponsors the team he mentors and has volunteered as a proud alumni for many years now.
I believe there are students who will never have the opportunity to experience the magic of championship because they will never be on one of the award winning teams attending. Worse, they will never get the chance to go to World Championship where they are most likely to learn how to build a championship team.
I would like to see some teams go as “Inspire teams” even if it means without a robot. Perhaps other awards would allow them to attend (without the robot) and if invited in an official capacity, the schools would allow them to go. Perhaps a contingency of 6 to 15 student leaders, a teacher and mentor and the fee would be less since they would have less students and come without a robot. Or perhaps charge per student a minimal cost to be in the Inspire group. The fees would include special invitation only experiences, meet and greets and workshops and also a guide and time schedule for attending all the other important elements of the Championship experience. (Hall of Fame, Scholarship Row, NEMO workshops, a trip through the pits, Chief Delphi workshop, Finale,and so on.) Even better, add more informative workshops for future Alumni, motivational speakers, how to get scholarships, how to brand the team, etc.

Often, even team members who have attended championship for years don’t get to experience all the opportunities because of all the tasks which must be performed while participating in the robot competition. On the other hand, there are members of teams who work tirelessly for their teams but never have a chance to go to Championship like the experienced award winning teams. I would like to see that opportunity open up to those individuals. Attending World Championship with or without a robot - PRICELESS!

#74