West Michigan Regional Invitational 2008

[Corey Oostveen]

ATTENTION WMRI Is Coming this FALL!
For More Information and to Register to compete or Volunteer go to:
WMRI WEBSITE (http://wmri.net)

Saturday - October 25, 2008

Mark it in your calenders!

This is gonna be an amazing time!!!!

Why WMRI?
Played & scored on an official First competition field
Standard format and rules
A great opportunity to:
INTRODUCE the excitement of FIRST Robotics to schools and businesses
BUILD awareness
MENTOR a rookie team
RECRUIT new students
TRAIN new drivers
ENLIST mentors
ACQUIRE sponsors
SHOW OFF your 'bot
ENJOY challenging competition based on gracious professionalism
MEET other creative, driven, innovative, sleep-deprived individuals and make new friendships
INVITE anyone & everyone

[Andrew141WOBOT]

i can't wait. Unfortunatly, a ball was shot at the Wobot at IRI, and it was the final straw. the welds on the bottom of the tower, connecting it to the base cracked a bit:( Has to be re welded

[FoleyEngineer]

Team 910 - the Foley Freeze is looking forward to attending our first WMRI event! We'll head over Friday night and stay in a hotel nearby and be there first thing Saturday. Should be lots of fun and we're looking forward to introduce a number of our first-time students and families to how awesome FIRST Robotics is!

See you all there!

[rogerlsmith]

Team 904 and the FIRST Objective crew are looking forward to being there. Should be a good time!

[lhoppe]

Interesed in volunteering at WMRI! We are looking to fill the following volunteer positions. For additional information or to volunteer, please contact;

Amy Hoppe
Volunteer Coordinator
westmichiganrobotics@gmail.com

Crowd Control
Field Assembly/Disassembly
Field Repair/Reset
Field Supervisor
Game Announcer
Master of Ceremonies (Emcee)
Pit Administration Support
Pit Announcer
Referee
Robot Inspector
Safety Advisor
Safety Glasses Attendant
Scorekeeper/Field Power Controller
Team Queuing
Volunteer Registration/Information Table

[lhoppe]

Here are the team attending the West Michigan Robotics Invitational on October 25 (20 teams). There are only 4 spot left...if your team plans to attend...sign up now!

Team Name: Zeeland High School
Team Number: 85
Team Location: Zeeland, MI

Team Name: Holland High School
Team Number: 74
Team Location: Holland, MI

Team Name: Creston HS
Team Number: 904
Team Location: Grand Rapids, MI

Team Name: Divided by Zero...Anything is possible
Team Number: 2405
Team Location: Fruitport, MI

Team Name: Dragons
Team Number: 1243
Team Location: Swartz Creek, MI

Team Name: Robocubs
Team Number: 1701
Team Location: Detroit, MI

Team Name: The Knight Riders
Team Number: 397
Team Location: Flint, MI

Team Name: Las Pumas
Team Number: 2197
Team Location: New Carlisle, Indiana

Team Name: Team R.O.B.O.T.I.C.S.
Team Number: 107
Team Location: Holland, MI

Team Name: WOBOT
Team Number: 141
Team Location: Holland, MI

Team Name: Robodawgs
Team Number: 288
Team Location: Grandville, MI

Team Name: Ottawa Hills High School
Team Number: 518
Team Location: Grand Rapids, Mi

Team Name: NC Gears
Team Number: 1918
Team Location: Fremont, MI

Team Name: Foley Freeze
Team Number: 910
Team Location: Madison Heights, MI

Team Name: Robodawgs II (this is our second team, new in 2008
Team Number: 20080092
Team Location: Grandville, MI

Team Name: Delphi Demons
Team Number: 858
Team Location: Wyoming, Michigan

Team Name: Martians
Team Number: 494
Team Location: Goodrich, Mi.

Team Name: More Martians
Team Number: 70
Team Location: Goodrich, Mi.

Team Name: Robo Reds
Team Number: 2617
Team Location: Lansing, MI

Team Name: Code Red Robotics
Team Number: 200922
Team Location: Grandville, MI

[Nate Smith]

If I was still in the area, I would definitely be there, the original WMRI was the very first event that I worked at way back in '98...

[Dave Flowerday]

the original WMRI was the very first event that I worked at way back in '98...
That was actually the 2nd... the first was held in 1997. In fact, a little while ago I found a box with a full recording of that event. One of these days maybe I'll dust off my VCR and have a look at 'em. There's probably some fun footage of old teams/mentors buried in there!

[rogerlsmith]

Glad to see the Goodrich teams are coming over! They don't know this, but I graduated from there about 26 years ago. :eek:

[SniperFox17]

Team 858 wishes everyone the best of luck at WMRI and to next years' competitions! :)

[Mark Pierce]

That was actually the 2nd... the first was held in 1997. In fact, a little while ago I found a box with a full recording of that event. One of these days maybe I'll dust off my VCR and have a look at 'em. There's probably some fun footage of old teams/mentors buried in there!
Personally, I start counting at the 1996 Competition (called WMRC?) in the Westshore Mall. That was my first event (as a spectator only).

[Mike AA]

Personally, I start counting at the 1996 Competition (called WMRC?) in the Westshore Mall. That was my first event (as a spectator only).

I will have to contact some of my old teachers and see if the VHS tapes are still around from back then. I saw them years back.

-Mike

[Dave Flowerday]

Personally, I start counting at the 1996 Competition (called WMRC?) in the Westshore Mall. That was my first event (as a spectator only).
Hmm, my memory of the 96 event is vague - was it a competition or a demo? If I remember it was just the local robots (Holland, WO, Zeeland, and Holland Christian). I was just looking at pictures from the '95 event at the mall a few days ago (if I remember maybe I can post a few of them later today). That one was just 2 robots (current teams 74 and 141) and was a demo only, and was held prior to the ship-date. I helped out quite a bit for the '97 event, which we called the "West Michigan Invitational" and I'm pretty certain that was the first time we used that name.

[rogerlsmith]

I helped put the field together tonight. They have a fantastic school for a FIRST event and this looks like it will be an amazing off season competition. I hope we can make this a annual event.

[johnr]

So, how did it go? Any new high scores? Incredible feats of auto? Oh, and the obligatory question--any video?

[rogerlsmith]

Well, I know I can speak for myself and my family; we had a blast! Our team used this event to get a lot of different drivers at the controls and it proved very beneficial.

I wrote a blog post; if interested you can read it here (http://rogeronfirst.blogspot.com/2008/10/wmri-comes-to-close.html).

I know my daughter got some video, mainly for use in our President's Circle video. I don't think she recorded full matches though.

[mark johnson]

Congrats to the champs , 494 ,397 ,74 great matches!!!!!! Thanks to our partners ,1243,904,great working with you guys ,and hope to play with you again!! To the crew ,great job for your first offseason event ,and what a awsome venue to have it at . We will be looking forward to playing in this event again next year,and hopefully we can get more partisipation to turn this into a event like Grandvally but for only 300 bucks ,what a deal!!!!!

[Tinsky]

Team 74 would like to thank Team 494 and Team 397 for selecting us for their alliance. It was great playing with both of you!!

[FoleyEngineer]

First off, congrats to 494, 397 and 74 - you guys all played great! In the finals 397 had a problem so our partner 904 keyed on 494 and wouldn't you know it, in the next match 494 had a problem and 397 scored like crazy! That's the nature of the game. You all played super, and I have to take my hat off to 74 for playing such great defense. You trapped that ball against the wall and we had to drive between you and the wall to pop it into our bot - a time-consuming activity that definitely slowed us down - nice job!

To our partners, 1243 and 904 - it was a blast! Everyone was really fun to play with and we were one hurdle from taking it all in the second game of the finals. No matter, it was a great learning experience for our big group of rookie members and they all had a lot of fun. We'd love to play with you both any time!

To the judges, especially Dan, the head ref, thanks for such a well run event. You really did everything in your power to make it fair and give everyone every chance you could to get their bots running and on the floor. Thanks so much for your patience with all of us and your fantastic up-beat attitude!

Finally, thanks so much to the hosting teams. The venue was just wonderful! Lots of room, easy traffic flow, and a great job on the video and audio systems. You could easily host a district or regional. Hard to believe it was the first time there.

Hope to come again next year. It was great!

[lhoppe]

The WMRI committee and volunteers want to thank you for attending our event on Saturday. We had a great time and hope that you did too. We saw a lot of smiles, excited "newbies", and (of course) gracious students were to be found everywhere. Our intention was to provide a relaxed event that allowed teams an additional chance to play with last season's robots and to give your rookie students an opportunity to see for themselves how 'cool' being on a FIRST team can be.
We heard so many positive comments about your students from our volunteers, which is not surprising to you.

Our committee will be meeting in about a week to go over the event and would appreciate feed-back from you. Areas which you feel we can improve or what you think went well.

We are excited for the new season to begin and look forward to seeing many of you again in the spring at the West Michigan District event.

[Herodotus]

Congrats to 494, 397, and 74. You guys were an incredible alliance that made the finals really exciting to watch. You could score like crazy and 74 played some of the best and most tenacious defense I've seen all year.

Thank you to 1243 and 904. You guys were great alliance partners, and I'm glad we had the chance to play with you guys. I hope we get that chance again in the future.

Thank you to the host teams, refs, and other volunteers. I was surprised by the high quality of the whole event. The pits, field, and robot flow were all set up superbly. John is right, you guys could easily host a district in the future, and at the very least I really hope more teams come to compete next year to make the event even better.

I'd like to specifically thank the 494, 70, and 397. All three of your teams show what it means to be a FIRST team. I never get tired of competing with the Martians, as your professional, helpful, and optimistic attitude always increase the quality of every event you attend. As an added benefit, naming the alliances you guys are part of is quite fun, simply add "... in SPACE!":D

I only this just year started to see how high a quality team 397 is, and I don't know why it has only now become apparent to me. While talking to a few of your members throughout the day I could see you are another one of those teams that will always raise the quality of the events you attend.

Again, thank you all for such a good time, and for the chance to truly test our rookies (they passed with flying colors, by the way.) It was a great event, and I'm sure it will only get better next year.

[Andrew Schreiber]

First off, congrats to 494, 397 and 74 - you guys all played great! In the finals 397 had a problem so our partner 904 keyed on 494 and wouldn't you know it, in the next match 494 had a problem and 397 scored like crazy! That's the nature of the game. You all played super, and I have to take my hat off to 74 for playing such great defense. You trapped that ball against the wall and we had to drive between you and the wall to pop it into our bot - a time-consuming activity that definitely slowed us down - nice job!

To our partners, 1243 and 904 - it was a blast! Everyone was really fun to play with and we were one hurdle from taking it all in the second game of the finals. No matter, it was a great learning experience for our big group of rookie members and they all had a lot of fun. We'd love to play with you both any time!
Hope to come again next year. It was great!

As I said to you there, I am so sick of seeing you guys against us in the finals. :p I wish one of these times you would be with us. Simply stunning machine you have

I would like to compliment 1243, 910, and 904 on some amazing matches, these were some of the intense matches Ive ever seen in 5 yrs in FRC. My hat is off to you. Now, I want to thank 494 for picking us, it was a joy working with a team that I have watched since I stared FRC. 74 played some incredibly tenacious defense. Those were some really touch matches and I definitely consider that the highlight of my year. Not because we won but because we got a chance to really show what kids could do.