1. Spirit & Sportsmanship
Introductions:
Introduce yourself & session
How many of you have competed in a BEST robotics competition?
How many of you are new to the BEST robotics competition? (Yay!)
The purpose of this presentation is to provide you with some insight as to what you are going to be evaluated on in this category of the competition, to walk through the score sheet, and to be able to ask any questions that you might have.
All of the information that we are going to be talking about can be found in your teacher’s Kick-Off packet or on the BEST robotics website in the Awards & Judging Documents (part 1 &2) and in the score sheet.
If you have any questions, you may contact our Awards & Judging Coordinator, Briana Nupdal, at
Bison BEST
Kick-Off Session
2016

2. BEST Competition There are two parallel tracts to the BEST program:
The Robotics Competition
The BEST Award (Optional)
Note: The Project Engineering Notebook is required along with the robot for the robot competition
The BEST program is split into 2 categories – the Robotics Competition and the BEST Award. The BEST Award is optional for teams to compete for. The Team Exhibit & Interview points contribute to the BEST Award.
NOTE: The Project Engineering Notebook is required for EVERY team competing at Bison BEST! Even the teams that are not competing for the BEST Award.

3. BEST Award
All teams are eligible for the BEST Award, if you choose to compete
Judging is based on five criteria (100 points possible):
Project Engineering Notebook (30 points)
Marketing Presentation (25 points)
Team Exhibit & Interview (20 points)
Robot Competition (15 points)
Spirit & Sportsmanship (10 points)
The Spirit & Sportsmanship category weighs 10 points into the 100 point total for the BEST Award

4. To display team spirit and sportsmanship at the competition
Purpose
To display team spirit and sportsmanship at the competition
The purpose of this category is to display team spirit & sportsmanship throughout the competition.

5. Guidelines
Evaluated based on their observation of team members, teachers, mentors, and spectators
Observe the spirit promoted by the team during the competition rounds as well as the conduct throughout the competition in the seating area, table display area, game area, and pit area
You will be evaluated based on observation of team members, teachers, mentors, and spectators
Your spirit will be observed throughout the competition rounds as well as throughout the competition in the seating area, table display area, game area, and pit area

6. What is spirit?
Ask for student answers – What is spirit? What are some examples of spirit?

7. Spirit BE CREATIVE! Think of something new that is going
to make the judges remember your team and robot!
Team Hats
Cheerleaders
Team T-shirts
Decorated Robots
Costumes
Team Cheers
Buttons
Spirit Songs
Theme Music
Number of Supporters in the Stands
Banners
Freebies with logo
Posters
Team/Robot Fact Sheets
School Bands
Challenge for everyone: Come up with something that I am going to remember next year! What is going to make your team memorable? What is going to make your team stand out when I look up into the stands?
These are a list of some things that some of the teams have used to promote spirit… what can you do that’s not on the list?

8. Bands You can bring your school band!
Don’t have a school band? Maybe there is a group of team members who have a musical talent… use your talents!

9. School Mascots
Bring your school mascot! 

10. Homemade Mascots
Make your own mascot!

11. Cheerleaders
Cheerleaders!

12. Posters
Costumes and posters!

13. Themes & Costumes
Have a creative theme (that of course ties into the game theme in some sort) and dress up with costumes! :)

14. Team T-Shirts Team T-shirts!!
Don’t forget about the team t-shirt competition! T-shirts are to be turned into the team check-in table by 5:00 PM on Friday, October 31st.

15. Stands Full of Supporters
Invite your community! Fill the stands with your supporters! Invite the teachers from your school, students from your school, business professionals that have sponsored you, the community as a whole – fill the stands!

16. Special Note
Please note that supporters and students should be actively engaged in the event at all times and should not be:
On their cell phones texting
Sleeping
Playing Gameboys
On computers unless for scoring software
Listening to iPods
And so on…

17. What is sportsmanship?
Ask the students – What is sportsmanship? What are some examples of sportsmanship?

18. Sportsmanship Outward displays of sportsmanship
Helping teams in need
Mentoring teams
Grace in winning and losing
Conduct and attitude considered befitting participation in sports
Evidence that students (not mentors) are making the majority of robot adjustments and repairs
How might you display sportsmanship?
You might help a team in need – lending a screwdriver to the team exhibit next to you…
Mentoring teams prior to the competition or helping a team during the competition
Showing grace in both winning and losing
Evidence that students are making a majority of robot adjustments and repairs throughout the competition (in the pits)

19. Score Sheet
Go through score sheet with students

20. `
Go through score sheet with students

21. Team Ballots
Teams will vote for BEST Award teams that they think are demonstrating good spirit and sportsmanship. Points will be awarded for both casting your vote and receiving votes. These points are averaged with the spirit and sportsmanship judges’ results to determine a final score for each team. Your team ballot will along with further instructions will be provided when you check-in at Game Day.
Teams will vote for BEST Award teams that they think are demonstrating good spirit and sportsmanship. Points will be awarded for both casting your vote and receiving votes. These points are averaged with the spirit and sportsmanship judges’ results to determine a final score for each team. Your team ballot will along with further instructions will be provided when you check-in at Game Day.

22. Remember…
Bison BEST Robotics does not allow the following noise-makers during the competition:
Vuvuzela horns
Air horns
Friendly reminder of noise-makers that are not allowed at a Bison BEST event…
Vuvuzela Horns (pictured on slide)
Air Horns

23. Questions?
Questions?
If there are any that you can’t answer – they can always ask Awards & Judging Coordinator, Briana, either at Kick-Off or by ing .
Best of luck this season!! 
See you in 6 weeks!