UFH: Christopher Hibner

[CD47-Bot]

Thread created automatically to discuss UFH Honoree: Christopher Hibner (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/ufh.php?action=honoreedetail&id=8/).

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/ufh/image/1066167132ChrisHibnerWhoamI.jpg (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/ufh.php?action=honoreedetail&id=8)

[Amanda Morrison]

Congratulations to Christopher Hibner for being honored as our sixth Unsung FIRST Hero.

[generalbrando]

I remember IRI that year and you guys were great! For the record, I agree that luck has a lot to do with any FIRST competition and in 2001, 71 definitely had a lot of good luck. There are always a lot of great teams and robots that get eliminated (such one of my favorites that year, HotBot).

Anyway, congratulations and thank you for what you do in the FIRST community!

[Aaron Lussier]

I first met Chris at IRI 2003, It was in the open bar at the hotel, he was there with many other awsome people including another UFH, John V-Neun. Anyways, we all talked about everything FIRST that night. Chris absoletly amazed me with his knowledge of robot processes, and had many intresting stories to share with all of us. Congrats Chris on becomeing a UFH.

[Jeff Waegelin]

Congratulations, Chris! I've always been impressed with 308, and their innovative ideas and designs. They always manage to come up with something noone (or few others) figure out, or a new, creative twist to a common solution. Good job, and keep up the good work!

[Amanda Aldridge]

Congrats, Chris! You definitely deserve it!

[Mike Soukup]

Way to go Chris. You & team 308 have been heros to me ever since we competed together at IRI in 2001. Wildstang was disappointed because we weren't doing as well as we wanted at IRI and after getting 2nd place to Beatty at Nationals we wanted to prove to ourselves & everyone else that our ramp design and strategy was capable of putting up a 700 score. When you picked us we knew that our chances of using our ramp in competition were over.

I remember that exchange between us. I thought you were crazy. But I'm glad that our alliance proved me wrong. After our driver put the goal in the wrong spot during our first match (partly my fault because I assumed he knew where it should go) you & Kevin were still confident that we would get a 700 point round in the next match. Of course we did. What I liked most was your positive & competitive attitude. Not once did you say that we should go for a 600 score. You put it all on the line and went for the big score every time. That takes confidence in your robot & drivers and lots of guts. I'm glad we pulled it off and out-Beatty'd Beatty.

Mike

[Andy Baker]

Congrats, Chris! You definitely deserve this. It is great to see team 308 constantly push the limit with regard to robot design for FIRST games. Your efforts challenge the rest of us to keep up. If FIRST did not have engineers who push to be innovative and develop new designs, then FIRST would only be a glorified science fair.

I totally agree with Chris' opinions with regard to FIRST being a competition. I love his competitiveness. The fact that I know he and team 308 are working hard to make a great robot pushes me and team 45 to work harder. We want to win... Chris definitely raises the bar and makes it harder to win, but that is life. Competing is reality.

As a side note, here is a story about Chris:

I've been helping to organize and run the IRI (Indiana Robotics Invitiational) for the past 4 years. Team 308 has attended each year we held the event. They always make the effort to come down from Michigan to compete. After our first year's IRI was complete, the most encouraging thing I heard from any attendee was Chris saying this: "This is just as good as a FIRST Regional. I totally support you for sticking to the FIRST rules, calling the matches fairly and not backing down under pressure. We will be back next year." As my role as an IRI organizer, I see Chris as my "customer". When my customer gives me support like that, then I will work hard to make him happy to give him what he wants. So, for each of the 4 years of IRI, Chris has come up to me after the competition was over and said the same thing. His support gives me great encouragement. This kind of support makes all the hard work worth while.

Thanks, Chris.

Andy B.

[David Kelso]

Nice going Chris...
Though we have not worked together at any events, I had the honor of being a FIRST volunteer in 2002 on the main stage at the Championship. (The final one at EPCOT). I ran the stage on the side where your team controlled their robot during those semi finals and Finals. I was so impressed at how well you worked with those students and kept settling them down between matches. You made a great impression on me...and of course your students...

Keep it up, you are young and must have 20 - 30 seasons left in you!