That, and who doesn't like robots? (FIRST is a robotic competition starting in elementary school with... lego robots... and getting much more complicated in highschool...)
physical activity is important... heavily organized sports, not so much. there is a difference and a distinction there. Especially for younger kids, you don't even need organized sport- simply getting out and playing is enough.
Sure that's not how you create pro-NFL stars these days, but do we really need more?
One could similarly dismiss FIRST by saying that kids don't need organization, they just need to play with Legos.
I'm not defending tackle football for kids, but you learn important things from organized sports just as you do from other organized competitions, plus you have the benefit of also getting exercise.
Poo-poohing sports seems like a big mistake to me. And before this is construed the wrong way, my younger son actually does FIRST. He just also plays organized sports.