US Junior F1D Team Selection program update

From: John Kagan <john_kagan_at_hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:56:43 -0000

The Junior Team Selection process has been updated as follows:

"The top Junior finisher at Kibbie earns a team spot. The remaining Junior spots are earned by the top two times at Kibbie and Champaign"

This change has been approved by the F1D Team Selection Committee, the Junior participants, their families, and their mentors.

In addition to supporting the current Junior Team Selection participants, this will draw out some more competitors.

Background:

The 2013 Junior team selection contest is currently scheduled for the Kibbie dome at the end of June, in conjunction with the Senior team selection contest. Royce Chung and another promising Junior plan to drive out to the contest.
 
Parker and Spencer Tyson have been in the program before, and have had good results at the world champs. However, due to non-rescheduleable work commitments, it is probable that dad Dennis will not be able to take them to Kibbie this year.
 
There may be other potential competitors that I do not know about yet.
 
We need to figure out a way to give as many Juniors as possible an opportunity to make the team. This is best for the team members (you need a full team to have a shot at a team placing), and is best for the team program (more people participating now means more people in the future).
 
It is harder to keep the Junior team selection "pipeline" full (and a Junior in the hand is worth two in the bush), so I am more willing to make adjustments and accommodations for Juniors than for the Senior flyers.
 
I want to make sure we do our best to field a full Junior team, but we also have to be fair about it. And, of course, time is short to make any changes.
 
Here's how my thought process has gone (even though I have the thoughts in quotes, they are mine - not inflammatory suggestions by other people):
 
1) "The team selection contest has been chosen, and we won't change it". I think this solution is short-sighted, not fair to the kids who make the team (and don't get a full team), and not a good choice.
 
2) "Move and re-schedule the Junior team selection contest to USIC in Champaign IL". If Royce and the other West Coast Junior were planning to fly to Kibbie, and could just as easily fly to Champaign, I'd be more willing to consider this option. Unfortunately, they are not. I don't like this solution, either.
 
3) "Compete two Junior spots at Kibbie, and one spot at Champaign". This gives preference to the originally scheduled contest, which feels right, but it could work against choosing a strong team.
 
4) "The top three scores from both Kibbie and Champaign produce the team". This still gives preference to the originally scheduled site because times by the same competitors have been higher at Kibbie than at Champaign at previous contests, but it gives significantly stronger flyers more opportunities to earn team spots.
 
5) "The top finisher at Kibbie earns a team spot. The remaining spots are earned by the top two times at Kibbie and Champaign". This is only different than option 4 if there ends up being more than 2 competitors at Champaign. It is getting a little complicated, but this is currently my preferred option.
 
Ideally, the chosen solution will be acceptable to all the Junior competitors, their families, and mentors.
Received on Mon Apr 29 2013 - 09:56:45 CEST