FIRST Robotics Competition Blog

FIRST lost another great this week. Mark Koors, Mentor, FTA, Volunteer of the Year, Woodie Flowers Finalist Award Winner, and co-founder of AndyMark died Sunday, surrounded by his family.

The list of roles and accomplishments above is inadequate to capture the essence of Mark as a person. What I remember most about this gentle soul was his fundamental humanity. He radiated a calmness of being that suggested he knew who he was and knew what he wanted to get done. And all around him knew he would work tirelessly with his own hands to make it happen. Mark was more do, less talk.

As FIRST Robotics Competition ages, participants in the program age with it, and loss is inevitable. Mark left us too soon, but we can use this as an opportunity to pause and reflect. Not all of us are in a position to be a Mark to the whole of FRC, but I believe all of us could be a Mark somehow, whether it's at an event, with a team, or even with an individual. I challenge all of us to ask,  "How can I be a Mark?"

Mark, we're going to miss you.

Frank