Events canceled - here's what we know

[Jared Hasen-Klein]

Hi everyone,

Today has been a hard day for many in the community - not just our FIRST community, but the greater global community.

The COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) outbreak has been impacting people across all facets of life - work, school, trade, leisure, travel, and of course, FIRST.

Today, FIRST shared the deeply disappointing news that, effective immediately, all FIRST events are suspended. I acknowledge that there is some confusing terminology. That being said, here is what we know:

- Many local events (Regional and District FRC Competitions, FLL/FTC Qualifying events, etc.) have been postponed. These events will, apparently, take place at a later date. As to when this will be, we largely don't know. You should stay in contact with your local Program Delivery Partners (i.e. FRC Regional or District Director, FLL Operational and Affiliate Partners, FTC Affiliate Partners, etc.). Hopefully some events will take place this school year to allow students the opportunity to participate, but given the number of moving parts, we still don't know.

- The FIRST Championship (and FLL World Festival) in Houston, TX and Detroit, MI will not be taking place. They have been completely cancelled. If you have already paid for your registration, FIRST will refund it automatically. If you have questions about this, contact Team Support. If you already have travel plans, hotels booked through Experient (FIRST's official travel partner) will automatically be refunded. You can contact Experient directly if needed, though their customer services lines are probably busy right now. If you didn't book directly, most airlines and hotels have relaxed their policies for travel impacted by COVID-19, just be sure to read up on the policy and contact them as needed.

- We know very little about the 2020-2021 season. We had initially expected to hear two major things at the FIRST Championship this year:

  1. The names of the FIRST games for 2020-2021

  2. The date(s) and location(s) of the 2021 FIRST Championship.

I do not know when we will find any of this out, but hopefully we will find out more in the coming weeks. There have also been questions about the timing of the 2021 season, but nothing official has come out yet.

This is a difficult situation for everyone involved. The students have been working hard for quite a long time on their robots, award presentations, and more. All is not lost, though. The competition is a mere vehicle for inspiration. The entire process of preparing for the competition is all the more inspiring. Of course students will be disappointed now, as our mentors and volunteers. It is normal for them to be upset, it is normal for them to be angry, it is normal for them to look for someone to blame. Let the process work, and allow members to cope on their own timelines. 

As upset as your students are, the people having to make these tough decisions are in an even harder spot. Everyone at FIRST HQ is working tirelessly on the logistics of re-positioning their assets and providing customer service to all the stakeholders involved. The operation is massive, complex, and has constantly changing information. My background is in Political Science and in Poli Sci, we call this a wicked problem - one which is impossible or near impossible to solve properly due to ever-changing information and competing interests. FIRST will continue trying to solve the many challenges ahead, but it will take time.

If you speak to someone at FIRST, make sure to thank them for their hard work throughout this process. And your students, parents, and mentors should get the same thanks for sticking it out, and working through the challenges.

I am not currently tied to any team, so the impact of this cancellation on me personally is limited to a couple more events I was planning on volunteering at this year. I can only begin go imagine what it would feel like to be a student, parent, or mentor this year. I really do feel for you.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or thoughts.

With respect,

Jared