Standing Up During Competition...

Competition Regional Competitions
21

I think the answer is easy.

1st, who says that standing and cheering supports your team more than sitting and cheering during the match?

Like others have said, stand and cheer while your team is being introduced, and when the score is shown. Sit during the rest of the match so that the people behind you can see without standing. If your drivers are looking up and seeing if you are cheering during the match, they are looking at the wrong thing.

Our scouts (at least six of them) all have laptops and note sheets they are using, so they can’t stand.

Those who say that unless FIRST tells them to sit, they will stand… Well…thats your choice. Just remember, all your considerations for other people reflect on their opinion of you.

22

From a scouting standpoint, standing during matches becomes a major issue. During Friday and Saturday of the Championship, we sat near the top because that’s where the electricity was that we needed to power our equipment, same in Vegas. We have politely waited for teams to sit down, or asked them to sit down if they are blocking the ENTIRE view of the field, and they usually politely agree.

I can understand standing and cheering when your team is announced before the match, when you make an accomplishment on the field, or at the end of the match, we do it too, but any time otherwise is usually inconsiderate to those behind you. In my book, standing and cheering throughout the match does not make you any more spirited than sitting and cheering.

23

As a previous post mentioned, standing and showing spirit is tradition. I am disappointed that teams are being titled inconsiderate for showing their support. Individuals who are unhappy with teams that do stand - may also stand, or if unable – miss a match (it is only a couple of minutes). Scouts may relocate to places that provide better visibility of the field. Why now are teams beginning to question what has existed for years? Standing when your team is on the field has become an unwritten rule at competitions – and it should remain that way.

24

I cannot imagine how absolutely boring First would be if we all sat and watched each match. This is a sporting event.

I remember a very similar conversation at Purdue, where I went to college. You see, the “student section” and the band in the basketball arena was down near the floor in front of a lot of the ‘Boosters’. The Boosters, by and large, older folks all, were upset that that the students didn’t sit quietly and watch the game. They also complained that the band was too loud.

The faculty of the school ran a front page article in the school paper regarding what it meant to have school spirit. It talked about the camaraderie, the excitement, the adrenalin. Needless to say, their article didn’t talk about sitting… and it suggested that the boosters might be better off watching from home where they wouldn’t be bothered by people who were really truly into the game.

We didn’t hear much about it after that.

25

Count me one of the old fogeys, I guess. I agree with Don and others here who advocate standing to show support for your team only while doing so does not keep people behind you from seeing the match. I really cannot see two sides to this; blocking others’ view is simply a blatant show of disrespect, in effect saying that your team has a better right to see what’s going on than those whose views you block.

And Don observed correctly that by standing to block another group’s view you are informing that group’s opinion of yours. Several matches on Newton that my group missed seeing because we were behind team [nnn] have changed my opinion of that team – I previously thought very highly of them.

26

As one of the people that lead scouting for 234, it does bother me a little when people stand. It makes it hard to see the matches, especially which robot scores where. I am fine with standing in an exciting moment though! Everbody should be able to show their team pride when they score a whole spider or lift two robots 12".

27

Most of the posts supporting standing during matches seem to ignore the fact that there are some people who really cannot stand up. I was shocked to read about the faculty at Purdue suggesting that the older “Boosters” stay home. If such a suggestion were EVER made to me by the higher-ups of an organization, I’d stay home all right—along with my “Booster” dollars. Any organization that treats its supporters with such gross disrespect doesn’t deserve any support.

Opinions aside, here are some facts:
–Many people can not stand up each time there is a match. They may be very old, they may be infirm, or they may temporarily be on crutches with a broken leg. At FIRST events, such people went to a lot of effort to travel to the event to watch it. At the Georgia Dome in particular, the size of the place will be daunting to such people. They will expend a good part of their strength just getting to their seats.

–People with physical infirmities often can’t help being that way.

–Even if you are healthy and fit today, you, too, may one day become infirm and weak.

–Years ago, the federal government enacted legislation commonly known as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). One effect of this legislation was to counteract the idea that it is OK for society to ignore people with disabilities, telling them to just stay home, don’t work, don’t travel, don’t go out, they’re not worth any extra consideration. A person with a physical infirmity already has difficulties way beyond what a healthy person experiences. He or she doesn’t need others putting additional obstacles in the way.

–Unlike many of the aging venues in which FIRST competitions are held, the Georgia Dome was built after the ADA was in place. In the stands, the steps are at a shallow angle and handrails are provided to make it easier (and safer) for everyone to move about. (This also makes it harder to see the playing field when people in front are standing up.) Ramps and elevators are logically and conspicuously placed.

–Dean Kamen, founder of FIRST, has shown special concern for the disabled by inventing a wheelchair that can climb stairs. Its favorite feature for users: the ability to put them at eye level with others who are standing up.

–Dean Kamen’s parents, who are getting on in years, are staunch supporters of FIRST, and attend the Championship every year, despite their age.

Now I have some questions:
–Some teams have a “tradition” of standing for every match. Many teams do not. Is your team going to continue its tradition, even if it causes problems for other people? What if Dean Kamen’s parents were sitting behind you, and didn’t want to stand up? What if your team’s top sponsor were sitting behind you, and unable to stand up?

–People can have their experience at an event marred by others’ inconsideration. But who will be hurt if your team sits down for most of its matches? (Yes, I know, if things really get exciting the emotions will take over. That’s OK—sometimes.)

–The most basic rule in FIRST is called “gracious professionalism.” If your team habitually offends other people, is your team being gracious?

28

I’ve seen both sides of the issue, personally.

In 2004, my knees were in a lot of pain and I was fairly sick. I couldn’t really stand for matches, and it was really irritating to sit behind teams that did. I’ve also tried scouting this year, and scouting behind people standing was almost a futile venture.

This year, 125 did stand for some of their matches, and it did create more excitement, even if it was a “placebo” effect.

There’s also the issue of people navigating the isles during matches, which I consider to be rather rude.

With that said, standing teams should be in the back, and scouts should be in the front. People shouldn’t walk into the stands in the middle of the match.

29

Team 188 takes our scouting pretty seriously. Unfortunately for our scouting team, prime seats for scouting are also usually prime seats for spectators. We try to make it out to the arena early and sit together in a location that will provide us with a view of the field even with the teams around us showing their support during the day. That, of course, is not always possible. I don’t spend a whole lot of time in the stands, but when I am around to catch a few matches from the stands, the problem of standing spectators is usually solved by a polite requests or simply a slight shift in position by our scouts. It is a bit annoying to deal with, but any spectator sport will have cheering fans that obstruct your view.

As far as how our own team deals with showing our support, we try as best we can to avoiding obstructing the views of those behind us. Usually this involves heading down to field level as a team, and finding a spot where we can all sit, kneel, or stand to watch our match without providing everyone behind us with a view of the back of our jerseys. Looking back at our three regionals, this was probably easiest at the LA Regional where a “Team Viewing Area” was set up right at field level, but well below the overhead grandstands. It was a great idea that helped prevent this very problem. Although, space may be an issue at some regionals, perhaps working in a set-up like that will help prevent the problem of standing spectators in the stands.

30

Sometimes that does not help. At VCU this year, we were on the very back rows and as we usually do for our matches, stood up. Well the people behind us standing on the landing let us have it with verbal “sit down” assaults.

As usual, AmyPrib has some good ideas in her first post also.

Dave

31

I’ve seen some ridiculous stuff go on at FIRST events with regards to seating.

I’ve seen people throw stuff to get the attention of people standing up 5 or 6 rows down so they sit down and the people behind them can see.

I’ve seen people who would rather walk through a seating isle with seated people then walk all the way up, and then get to their destination.

However, as far as standing up at a competition goes, I feel that it should be done at the discretion of the team. If you happen to be the at the back of the section and no other team behind you, stand up all you want. However, if you are in the middle of the section, perhaps standing throughout the entire 2 minutes is not such a good idea.

In recent events, team 1403 stands up to cheer during team introductions, but sits down before the match starts, allowing our neighboring FIRST teams to also view the match.

As far as scouting, 1403 does scout every match, but usually, our scouters are located in other locations, may it be on the top of the section, or a bit more off to the side. This way, they can get their job done without being disturbed by cheering teams.

I do not think FIRST should make a ruling about stand behavior. I feel the members of the FIRST community are mature and gracious enough to consider the best course of action depending on their situation. I only advise that teams and individuals in the future practice discretion.

32

That’s the way it should be. Unfortunately, we’ve seen too many responses in this thread alone along the lines of, “Well, we stand up and if you don’t like it, you can lump it.” OK, no one used those exact ungracious words, but you can see the attitude.

Folks, just like anything else going on with the game/event/venue, if we don’t fix it ourselves, someone is going to step in to fix it for us. Let’s be gracious professionals and curb our own desires and behaviors before FIRST is forced to make a new rule. Providing “standing sections” comes to mind, but there would still be complaints about that - I can see people complaining that either the standing section or the seated section placement is less than optimal.

I have no problem with teams standing to cheer for their introduction. Nor do I have a problem with everyone standing up when something incredibly exciting happens on the field - that happened on Einstein this year, and it happens in sporting events all over the world. You stand up when the quarterback throws the Hail Mary pass. But you don’t stand through the whole game. Yes, I know 3 hours is different than 3 minutes, but the concept applies.

33

everyone has spent a greuling 6 weeks building their robot, not to mention the time put in in the pre and post season, i see no reason why you cant stand to cheer your team. 125 has always stood to cheer on the team, and when i was on MORT it was the same way. Now 125 is considerably smaller(25-30) compared to MORT’S (70+), but either way i feel like you have the right to stand and cheer on your team. It’s only 3 min at most every 45 min or so, i really dont think its that big of a deal. It is a choice every team has to make, but the teams that choose to not stand should not try and force their hand, they should not (attempt) make the teams that want to stand sit…

34

Except that me sitting doesn’t affect you. You standing affects me and the other people behind you. So I WILL attempt to ask you to sit during matches, and will even discuss it with your mentors and coaches. And if you still refuse to sit and block everyone behind you because you think that standing and cheering means more than sitting and cheering, then I, and I am sure a lot of people behind you, will consider you to be a rude and inconsiderate team.

35

Imagine entering the seating area at a Regional competition. No one is standing…there is little activity (expect for random cheering)…and everyone appears bored and uninterested.

This is how the event would appear if teams were not standing, dancing, and exhibiting noticeable spirit - for some think that this is “not gracious, unprofessional, and inconsiderate.”

How is a team expected to obtain sponsors - when they see little enthusiasm in students and a lack of energy when traveling to the events? Standing and cheering for ones team is part of the FIRST experience and should remain.

36

Why do people keep equating to sitting in your seat during a match to boring and unexcited?!

Cheer, scream, do whatever…but why stand up and block people?

And, between matches, during dances, all other times, do whatever you want.

All we* are[am] asking is that during the actual time that gameplay is taking place on the field when everyone should be looking at the field anyway, be considerate and sit down so that people behind you can see without standing up.

That’s it.*

37

HELLOOooo:yikes:
We at Team 88 TJ2 have been standing for 12 years. I dont see the problem. Did anyone ever go to the PATS, RED SOX or B’s games and sit??? Hope we can still stand when we are up:rolleyes: . We had a super time in GA. We will see some of you at the off season events in the North East.
Congratulations to TEAMS 190, 177, AND 987 from NEWTON and also TEAMS 233, 71 AND 179 for the great matches in the finals, see all sooooon.
TEAM 88 TJ2 and MOE

38

Maybe at championships that’s the case, but for regionals especially this year, where it was quite common to have 9-12 matches per team, it could be every 15minutes or less. And think about it, at regionals, if the majority of teams stood during their matches (with 6 at a time), there could be people sitting in places such that they’d end having to stand almost the entire day if they want to see the any match at all. i.e. In the first match, team A, B, C is standing, and they happen to be in front of me to the left, blocking my view. In the second match, team D, E, F is standing, and they happen to be in front of me also somewhere, and so on… So when people say “it’s only 3min you have to stand”, that’s assuming you’re the only team that’s blocking their view the entire day…

Just something else to consider…

ps. When I looked around in GA, I would say the teams that stood during their entire match were in the minority. Many of them stood before/after. The place was just as hoppin’.

39

Just because you’ve been doing it for 12 years, doesn’t make it right.

And yes, I’ve been to Lions, Tigers, Pistons, and Red Wings games. And, yes, for most of the time, I am considerate and sit so that the people behind me can see. Sure, as someone mentioned, if something really exciting happens, then I expect people to stand and cheer/boo for a second, but for the most part, people are sitting.

I’ve said my piece. I think it’s rude and inconsiderate to stand for your entire match. Do as you wish, but think about what you do.

And past history really doesn’t condone any actions. If we never changed anything because “that’s the way it’s always been done”, then we would never progress as a society. In FIRST or otherwise…

40

I think that this statement is quite misleading, if not false. From personal experience with one standing team at the Chesapeake Regional last year, standing (when repeatedly asked politely to sit down) can be seen by some sponsors as rude and inconsiderate. So standing can also hurt a team trying to get sponsors.

That said, REX was standing a great deal at Chesapeake this year, so I am not saying don’t do it. Fortunately, we didn’t get any complaints (that I know of) so I assume it was acceptable to others (probably due to the arrangement of the bleachers in the USNA).

My only opinion is that teams should be flexible in following GP: consider those around you and never** impose** your attitudes on the issue.