Illinois 2014

[Astronomer252]

Did they step aside? I saw some of them crying when they got third place.

I don't think they stepped down. Personally being from SAA, I was shocked because it was the first TIE at IL State in the top 3 EVER. Marie put up a fight , it sucks to have to go down to how many first place medals the team got to decide a winner.

I completely agree with you.

[ckssv07]

I understand, but it is a competition, and the competitiveness makes people want to work harder. I missed making the team in 6th grade, and the next year, I worked harder and made the team. Then my whole team failed at Nats, and we ended getting 11 last year at nats, despite me failing. Then this year, I have been that much more determined, and it has gotten me 35 placements this year. Competition can be stressful, but as long as you take any shortcomings positively, it makes you a better person.

[Astronomer252]

I understand, but it is a competition, and the competitiveness makes people want to work harder. I missed making the team in 6th grade, and the next year, I worked harder and made the team. Then my whole team failed at Nats, and we ended getting 11 last year at nats, despite me failing. Then this year, I have been that much more determined, and it has gotten me 35 placements this year. Competition can be stressful, but as long as you take any shortcomings positively, it makes you a better person.

I agree with you too. I know it's w competition, but it stinks to be so close to winning and to have to go to the measures that the placement guys had to go to.
But I do definitely agree that taking shortcomings positively makes you a better person.

[EastStroudsburg13]

While I agree to an extent, can you imagine announcing that middle school teams will no longer be able to compete at states or nationals? While it is true that middle schoolers are still in a maturing stage, I don't think you can ban them from states just because of that. Think of all the other competitions that take place in middle school: GeoBee, the Spelling Bee... both of those put middle schoolers in high pressure environments. Heck, the Spelling Bee is broadcast on TV! But those kids respond great to the pressure, and while it's natural to get emotional if things don't go your way, I think that's an important part of growing up, and we shouldn't run Division B like it's a second-class competition. The best teams from middle school deserve to be able to attend the event, and the only way to determine the teams who can go is by using a state competition.

[AJTheGreat1729]

I could not agree more.
It's bound to occur sometimes that one point from either side could tip the scales, and as ckssv said, taking the shortcomings well is the optimal way to take them.

[fanjiatian]

but really, they wouldn't. Or shouldn't by the time you're in high school a level of maturity is expected of you greater than that. They should be able to put what is going on around them in more perspective then thinking that a singular competition defines their self worth.
A vast majority of people in the high school level are aspiring engineers, scientists, and technologists; they really tend to act like it more often than not. You didn't see NT getting physically upset last year after they got 2nd, nor IMSA after they got 3rd (a number of years in a row, though not as close this one)

The point I'm making is not to point fingers at a team and single them out, just that the level of intensity this seems to bring out in the higher level of competitions is probably too much for them: 1 to handle, 2 to process that not winning is not failure, 3 to understand its about learning, not winning, 4 this in no way will have affects anywhere outside of that auditorium. And certainly Scioly produces meaningful affects to them in letting them experience some limited hands on science, which by all accounts is a plus as long as THEY'RE the ones doing it, not the parents.
With some of the "coaching" i've seen in years past (and even this year walking around my campus) so much more stress is placed on them than is entirely appropriate, in some cases. There really should be more protection of the younger people from overly competitive parents. What ever happened to 'its about having fun' or 'learning'? This is no different than a soccer game in many ways.

Now I should qualify that last bit to say I speak of the MS crowd. In the HS crowd, it is more competitive, as it should be. Those people are competing for college entrances, personal interest, and (possibly) scholarships. If you put on your college application you won state in MS, they wont care. HS has much more weight to it. I believe that if B div is to do an upper level competition it should to be focused on personal growth and knowledge, not a score up on a screen. They shouldn't rank, or if they do its ONLY the winner with no other available scoring to coaches or otherwise.

I believe that will yield a much more safe environment for learning and appropriate for the maturity.

I have to disagree
Crying does not mean that you feel a lack of self-worth. And you can certainly value learning while being competitive.

[Le TARDIS]

I don't think teams should go in there "expecting" to win. That's what will get you in trouble. But if you go in with the attitude that I'm doing this because I LOVE Science, and did my best, then you should be happy. The problem with some teams is that they always "expected" to win and then were not gracious in the process at times. SAA didn't expect to win, but wanted to earn their personal best. Same with Grayslake who had a fantastic showing! They earned that 4th place trophy!

[AJTheGreat1729]

I would not be surprised at all to see Grayslake going to Nationals in a short time. Everyone deserves to see their epic capes.

[Le TARDIS]

While I agree to an extent, can you imagine announcing that middle school teams will no longer be able to compete at states or nationals? While it is true that middle schoolers are still in a maturing stage, I don't think you can ban them from states just because of that. Think of all the other competitions that take place in middle school: GeoBee, the Spelling Bee... both of those put middle schoolers in high pressure environments. Heck, the Spelling Bee is broadcast on TV! But those kids respond great to the pressure, and while it's natural to get emotional if things don't go your way, I think that's an important part of growing up, and we shouldn't run Division B like it's a second-class competition. The best teams from middle school deserve to be able to attend the event, and the only way to determine the teams who can go is by using a state competition.

Students need to be taught and need to learn that winning isn't everything. Yes, there can be disappointment and life is full of disappointment, but one learns more from a failure than always succeeding. Some teams that were disappointed with their "lack" of winning, lost the concept of the love of science. It isn't about the medals. It's about the process. It's about the love of science. It's about the learning. What did you learn? What can you take away from the experience? And the parents shouldn't put the pressure "to win" on the poor kids, but rather to do their personal best. Competition can be good, at any age. We just have to teach people how to accept both winning and losing graciously...

[Le TARDIS]

I would not be surprised at all to see Grayslake going to Nationals in a short time. Everyone deserves to see their epic capes.

Yea, those were awesome capes, weren't they? Very creative! And what great attitudes that team had!