Not Pre-Qualified for Nationals? Then what's your team's plan to compete in Atlanta?

[skrussel]

Hey Teams,

Have all you 'Tier One' teams been thinking about strategies to insure making it to the National Championship in Atlanta? Or are you just hoping for the best? What kinds of things do the teams out there do to increase their chances?

My team worked their fingers to the bone for the past 6 months earning the money to go to a second regional, plus to earn money for the control systems for a second robot.

What else can be done? What are your plans?
[I only mention the money earned as a means to an end - a second regional means one more chance to advance to Nationals. We hope to build a tough, reliable robot that will be a good competitor and alliance member. ]

[miketwalker]

Nothing has changed too much on our team. We only earned 4 points last year in awards because we couldn't afford a second regional and thus only got 2 judges awards. Unless we happen to get lucky and recieve an engineering award or chairman's... or somehow by some lucky chance get paired up with the winning alliance, we won't be going, so for the most part our team isn't even attempting to get funding for nationals, because we won't know till up to a few weeks before, and that's too short of a notice to go anyhow probably.

A few members of our team are preparing to go individually I believe though. But as a team, we won't know if we qualify till right before nationals which just isn't enough time for us to plan.

[Tytus Gerrish]

were planing on Seeding at UCF, were working on designing a drivtrain and chasis that can project 100% power in any direction and through a turn with Shiftabilty we also started mentoring a legoleague team, (The SwampSquad #2883) we are begining to record our activites, and apply to every grant, sponsorship, donation , And reach out to the comunity and Be As Firstlike And gracious profesonalistic as possible. with our limited recorces

[Michael R. Lee]

Really, our best hope is to go for the Chairman’s Award. Yes, we may go via winning a regional but mostly likely even if the team does go, it'd be a skeleton crew. (And I know personally I have finals starting Friday of Championships :() We're under the gun here to raise a lot of money to cover various costs as it is. Chairman’s however would boost the recognition of Northeastern's College of Engineering here in the World of FIRST. And maybe more of you HS students will come to Northeastern and do FIRST (there is a nice scholarship too...). Thus we're working towards winning it in like three years or so. We have a plan...well kind of.... we're only in phase one of its design process!

[ZACH P.]

Um, the whole teir system deal doesn't really come into play unless there are more teams who want to go than can be accomidated. And when you think about it, who really wants to spend a couple thousand dollars to go to Georgia?

So I don't think anyone has to worry.

[Rich Wong]

Originally posted by ZACH P.
Um, the whole teir system deal doesn't really come into play unless there are more teams who want to go than can be accomidated. And when you think about it, who really wants to spend a couple thousand dollars to go to Georgia?

So I don't think anyone has to worry.

ah.........I definitely want to go... and a couple of HUNDRED students I know too!
:yikes:

[sanddrag]

My team is nuts. They have the chance for Atlanta but hope to go to Phoenix instead. (Atlanta does run us a little more in travel and it is on the day of our Senior Prom; but who cares?)

[Cory]

Originally posted by ZACH P.
Um, the whole teir system deal doesn't really come into play unless there are more teams who want to go than can be accomidated. And when you think about it, who really wants to spend a couple thousand dollars to go to Georgia?

So I don't think anyone has to worry.

Uh youve got to be kidding me, right? who wants to spend a couple thousand dollars to go to Georgia? at least half the teams in FIRST I'd say. Have you not seen any of the discussion regarding how teams want more spots opened? Was nats filled up last year? yes. Was it filled the year before? yes.

Cory

[Bill Gold]

RE: Zach, Rich, and Cory-

Maybe it’s just me, but I think Zach’s post could have been replied to a little more civilly. I think it’s a little presumptuous to think that every team in FIRST wants to compete at the Championship Event. I don't want to compete in Atlanta this year (although I may be persuaded otherwise if we qualified and somehow found the cash on a tree). I agree with Zach in the sense that I don’t believe that it’s worth the extra travel cost to my team to compete in Atlanta versus competing at a second event like Sacramento. But people who think like this are definitely the minority in FIRST. Most people want to compete at the Championship Event either for the allure of it all or just to see ~300 other teams all in the same place. There’s absolutely nothing like it, but I don’t mind having my team wait a couple years in between visits to save some cash.

Getting back to the topic of this thread…

Being a tier #2 team, and therefore not having much of a shot at getting an open spot, I would say that my team’s chances of qualifying for the Championship Event lie in our team’s robot design next season being worthy of a judged award at Sacramento and Silicon Valley, in addition to being lucky and either being a finalist or winning one of those events. I’m pretty confident in my team’s ability to win judged awards (we’ve won Leadership in Control at SVR the past two years). The rest is up to chance. Even if we qualify, we still have the daunting task of raising $4,000 for registration, plus last minute travel costs. We’ll see how things go.

[Aignam]

Start throwing up ideas for strong drivetrain designs, keep training rookie drivers, train pit crew and scouts, prepare for competition..What else can you do? We also do our best to start new teams (50 by '05 in NJ) and to work with the Regional Committee on helping rookies through Project RINOS and to spread FIRST and inspire students every chance we get.

[IMDWalrus]

Our plan? Try our best to win during competition, hopefully at the Detroit Regional.

Since we aren't planning on going to Nationals, we've decided to go to a second regional - the South Carolina one. Bit out of the way for a Michigan team, but our goal is to have fun down there. Knowing our team, it shouldn't be too hard. :)

[Michael R. Lee]

Originally posted by sanddrag
it is on the day of our Senior Prom; but who cares?)

I skipped Championship to go to prom with a friend of mine last season :cool: (Pam you're awesome!) It was fun and worth it.

Now back on topic, some teams, you have to keep in mind th costs of going. Part of the new criteria I think is really to motivate teams to excell in areas regard Chairman's and the Engineering Excellence (do I have that right...sorry i just got up!) awards. And also in part of that, maybe you'll have a better shot at winning a regional and getting to go. But if you diidn't budget for expenses to go to Championship, where are you going to get the money from? Like I know my team, we'll most likely just send a skeleton crew of the absolutely needed people for a competition, that is if we actually shell out the money for it.

[Jeremy Roberts]

Originally posted by Bill Gold
Being a tier #2 team, and therefore not having much of a shot at getting an open spot, I would say that my team’s chances of qualifying for the Championship Event lie in our team’s robot design next season being worthy of a judged award at Sacramento and Silicon Valley, in addition to being lucky and either being a finalist or winning one of those events. I’m pretty confident in my team’s ability to win judged awards (we’ve won Leadership in Control at SVR the past two years). The rest is up to chance. Even if we qualify, we still have the daunting task of raising $4,000 for registration, plus last minute travel costs. We’ll see how things go.

Um...as a Tier 2 team it looks right now that you have a pretty good chance of getting in now. There are 95 spots left at the CE and Tier 2 gets to register in 3 days (Nov. 5th). Our team is working hard to get there, being in Tier 1.

[Paul H]

We'll be going to THREE regionals, including Detroit and all the way down to Virginia. Hopefully this gives us a good chance to qualify.

[Travis Hoffman]

Originally posted by Bill Gold
RE: Zach, Rich, and Cory-


Being a tier #2 team, and therefore not having much of a shot at getting an open spot, I would say that my team’s chances of qualifying for the Championship Event lie in our team’s robot design next season being worthy of a judged award at Sacramento and Silicon Valley, in addition to being lucky and either being a finalist or winning one of those events. I’m pretty confident in my team’s ability to win judged awards (we’ve won Leadership in Control at SVR the past two years). The rest is up to chance. Even if we qualify, we still have the daunting task of raising $4,000 for registration, plus last minute travel costs. We’ll see how things go.


Bill:

Unless I interpreted the new eligibility criteria incorrectly, last year's criteria of qualifying for the current year championship by winning a judged award and being a regional finalist are no longer in effect. Qualifying based upon the accumulation of 5 points during the 2003 season is possible for 2004 (that's how Team 48 qualified), but the points system will be discontinued for the 2005 season and beyond.

Currently, here are the only merit-based ways you can qualify for the 2004 Championship Event during the 2004 season.

From http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/2004/cmp_elig.htm:

Merit Based Qualifying Teams from the 2004 season

Regional Chairman's Award winners (1 per Regional)
Regional Engineering Inspiration Award winners (1 per Regional)
Regional Rookie All-Star Award winners (1 per Regional)
Regional Champions (3 per Regional)

Best of luck to you and your team.

[Bill Gold]

T. Hoffman:
Whoops. I guess this is what happens when I focus less on the actual topic and more on trying to get others to lighten up. You’re right about the qualification process. To tell the truth, I wasn’t too interested in going to the Championship, so I didn’t read much of the qualification outline. I just skimmed it about a week or so ago. I guess I was assuming that since FIRST is allowing last years point qualifiers to register for the Championship that FIRST would still allow winners of current year Technical awards to register as well. Ah well. We all make mistakes.

[Gary Dillard]

Originally posted by skyman9000
Um...as a Tier 2 team it looks right now that you have a pretty good chance of getting in now. There are 95 spots left at the CE and Tier 2 gets to register in 3 days (Nov. 5th). Our team is working hard to get there, being in Tier 1.


Um, unless I'm mistaken, those 95 spots still open (now 93) includes all the spots to be held for teams that qualify this year, so they're not really open. It's November 5th and no Tier 2 teams show registered yet. Did any of the 70 remaining Tier 3-6 teams try to register and get wait listed because the championship was full?

[JVN]

Well...
We decided that we would either "put up, or shut up".

So, we chose to attend the 2 most competitive regionals near us (UTC Conn, and BAE New Hampshire), and we'll do everything we can (within gracious profesionalism of course!) to win one of them.

Ways we're going to do this:

1. Build a second practice bot. - We intend on making our drivers the best they possibly can be. To do this, we've decided to invest the time and resources in a "twin" robot, then we can just "train the hell out of" our drivers.

2. Investigate some concepts this semester. - We are currently playing around with some new technology that will hopefully help us out in January. Stuff that will hopefully make the 229-2004 robot able to play with "the big boys". I know we're not the only ones doing this... should be interesting to see where robot technology takes us in 2004.

3. Go reliable. - We are already thinking about the general *type* of robot we want to build in January. Rather than be a giant, technically complex, amazing, dominating machine... we are going to build a simple, robust little bot that can play the game (score and descore). A bot that will give us the versatility to "let the coaches and drivers, win matches... not the robot". We'd like to be working at 100% when we come out of the box at our first regional, and stay working throughout. We've talked about it, and believe that reliability will be the MOST important thing this year. Work well, and work consistently throughout the competition season.

4. Strategy, scouting, and networking. - On 229, we are always thinking about game strategy. Whether it is talking about old FIRST games, old FIRST robots, watching old video, or thinking about new imaginary games... We will likely do as much scouting as possible before competition (www.firstrobotics.net is our bible!) and then even more once we get to the event. Knowing your opponent's strengths/weaknesses better than they do can swing a match.

5. Rubbing our lucky rabbit's feet, and praying. - There is usually a lot of luck involved in FIRST competitions. While chance favors the prepared mind, we also realize... flukes happen. So... we're hedging our bets with some good old fashioned lucky charms. It can't hurt. ;)


Anyways... that's our plan to get to Atlanta.
"How to win a regional in 5 easy steps", by JVN ;)

Whatever happens, I'm just looking forward to another season. Win or lose, I'll be in Atlanta (with, or without 229).


See you all on the field...

John

[Joe Ross]

Originally posted by Gary Dillard
Um, unless I'm mistaken, those 95 spots still open (now 93) includes all the spots to be held for teams that qualify this year, so they're not really open. It's November 5th and no Tier 2 teams show registered yet. Did any of the 70 remaining Tier 3-6 teams try to register and get wait listed because the championship was full?

You're a day ahead of yourself, it's only the 4th ;) Also registration opens at noon, so teams would have had only 52 minutes to register when you posted your message. If FIRST was having DB problems, it certainly wouldn't have been unlikely for teams to not be showing up.

Also, I do not beleive that 90 something spaces are held for teams qualifying this year. That would give a nationals of only 188 teams. Rather, I expect that those spots are in addition to the ones reserved for winners, which would give a nationas around 300 teams, which is much more in line with previous years.

[Gary Dillard]

Originally posted by Joe Ross
You're a day ahead of yourself, it's only the 4th ;) Also registration opens at noon, so teams would have had only 52 minutes to register when you posted your message. If FIRST was having DB problems, it certainly wouldn't have been unlikely for teams to not be showing up.

Also, I do not beleive that 90 something spaces are held for teams qualifying this year. That would give a nationals of only 188 teams. Rather, I expect that those spots are in addition to the ones reserved for winners, which would give a nationas around 300 teams, which is much more in line with previous years.

Oops - and yesterday was my mom's birthday too. Don't tell her I messed up on the date.

I thought when they originally announced the nationals in Atlanta they talked about cutting way down on the number of teams (like 210 or 270), but the press release says 300.

As far as the 52 minutes, I bet every tier 1 team that wants to grab a spot will be online in 52 seconds whatever day that happens - in 52 minutes there won't be any left.

[Gary Dillard]

Hey - I see 2 teams registered within the last 24 hours that aren't shown on any of the tier lists, 569 and 612. Anybody from those teams know which tier you're in?

1 minute till tier 2 registration opens

[Gary Dillard]

2 more teams @ 12:01; another 7 @12:05. where will it end?

[Pin Man]

I'm not sure if TJ can get to Nationals only because we haven't qualified yet... We're in the last tier so I don't think we can make it in that way... I don't know... I would love to go to Nationals but its not looking good but you know thats what I said last year Before NJ (our second and last Regional of the year) when we won the Inspiration award and went to Nationals... That was great.... I don't know maybe we can do it again this year... We are going to the NJ and Long Island Regional so we either have to win Chairman's, win the Regional itself or the Inspiration award... I would love to go but I don't know...

[dlavery]

Originally posted by JVN
3. Go reliable. - We are already thinking about the general *type* of robot we want to build in January. Rather than be a giant, technically complex, amazing, dominating machine... we are going to build a simple, robust little bot that can play the game (score and descore). A bot that will give us the versatility to "let the coaches and drivers, win matches... not the robot". We'd like to be working at 100% when we come out of the box at our first regional, and stay working throughout. We've talked about it, and believe that reliability will be the MOST important thing this year. Work well, and work consistently throughout the competition season.

Hmmmm. "Score and descore" huh? That seems to imply that you know descoring will be a part of the 2004 game. John, do you know something you aren't telling the rest of us? ;)

-dave

[JVN]

Originally posted by dlavery
Hmmmm. "Score and descore" huh? That seems to imply that you know descoring will be a part of the 2004 game. John, do you know something you aren't telling the rest of us? ;)

-dave

Okay... I guess I've been busted.

I heard from good authority that the game will involve robots interacting with something somewhere between the heights of 6 inches, and 50 feet. But don't tell anyone!

;)

[Pin Man]

50 feet? right....

[Nick Mac]

I'd say the best way to get to the nationals is to win...in any area that will make you dead sure that you'll be enjoying the nice atlanta atmosphere (I've never been there so i'm hoping its that way at least...coz if its not... ;)! )

[MichalSkiba]

Focus on winning an award, (like the Drive Tomorrow's Technology Award :D ) or try to leave yourself with 2 weeks of spare time ( :D ) to train your driver(s).

[Rickertsen2]

Focus on winning an award, (like the Drive Tomorrow's Technology Award :D ) or try to leave yourself with 2 weeks of spare time ( :D ) to train your driver(s).
Don't you have to get several awards to qualify? We are on the waiting list, but i doubt that we will ever get a spot, unless on performance. We are an atlanta team too!! I mean i don't expect any special privlidgeg bc of that, but its just really annoying that we are right here any won't get to go unless we qualify on performance.

[Aignam]

Hmmmm. "Score and descore" huh? That seems to imply that you know descoring will be a part of the 2004 game.

-dave
::notes to pay closer attention to the 'subtle hints' dropped by Dave Lavery in coming seasons::

[MichalSkiba]

Don't you have to get several awards to qualify?

Nope. We just got that one.