The 2022 Season? Yeah, the 2022 Season!
May 21, 2021 Written by Frank Merrick, Director FIRST Robotics Competition
Yesterday we released a video announcing the new FIRST season! Check out the FIRST® FORWARDSM season reveal if you haven’t yet, it’s radtastic! And we have all sorts of great Downloadable Content (DLC) that you can use to celebrate.
Also, right now, you can visit your dashboard, and start getting ready for that season! You will be able to do things like sign the 2022 Consent and Release form, update your address and contact information, manage your team roster, and start new teams.
One thing you won’t be able to do now is pay those registration fees through the dashboard. We’re updating that system, and it isn’t ready yet. More info to follow on that! However, if this causes you a problem - for example, if you have a grant or funding from your school you need to spend right now - we have a solution! If you want to prepay your 2022 season registration fees, please send an email to our friendly Accounts Receivable team at ar@firstinspires.org*. They will be happy to help!
And we just populated the FIRST Robotics Calendar pages with loads of new dates related to the 2022 season. Page through the upcoming months and revel in what looks like – Yeah! - a normal season! I never thought I would be so excited to be normal. If you page through to April, you may even glimpse (gasp!) dates for FIRST Championship! Woohoo! If things go well, we’re going to be partying like it’s 2019!**
It’s only May and I am getting pumped for this new season! Frank
*Our unfriendly Accounts Receivable team has a different email address I won’t be sharing for obvious reasons.
**I should say something about ‘if things go well.’ Obviously, there’s a chance things won’t go well. 2020 happened. If the virus situation takes a turn for the worse, FIRST will adjust our plans to help keep everyone healthy.
Comments
What happened to mandatory mask wearing @ competitions??
Went to our teams 1st First competition of the season. Was told that everyone was supposed to wear masks (teams & visitors) I'd say there's less than half of the folks here wearing masks & absolutely no mention of mask wearing or enforcement. Makes it hard to require our kids to wear their masks as required when many of the teams & almost all of the visitors are not. Super disappointed since this is dangerous for folks who are at risk & thought that this would be a safe place for all to be.
Masks
I'm so sorry you were uncomfortable at your event, please accept my apologies. All events should be following the mask policies they have set. If you complete a report through the FIRST Reporting Portal and tell us what event you attended, we will look into this further. Please note you can report this issue anonymously.
Mask mandate?
My child is being told that he cannot compete unless he wears a mask. He is being denied his medical exemption for not being able to tolerate masking! The HQ has no mask mandate yet the local level is enforcing one. There is no mandate in Michigan on any level from local, state or government level. The event is being held in a public school that has NO mandate. How can you create a "Mandate" that doesn't exist and force a medical device onto a child meanwhile denying his medical exemption. Is your organization prepared to face the consequences of these choices? If your "trying to protect everyone" you cannnot deny medical exemptions that protect the health of one! Forcing a child out of this competition is pure discrimination and completely against your mission statement!
Masks
COVID protection requirements are set locally as local organizations are in the best position to determine risk level and what is best for students, volunteers, and other event attendees. As private organizations, they are free to set these standards for participation, in the same way amusement parks can require individuals to be a minimum height to get on a ride. I'm sorry if this means your child will not be able to attend the event. Attendees are expecting the rules to apply to everyone, and some may not have planned to attend if they thought mask use would not be universal.
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