What to Expect In Atlanta [Archive]

Drivencrazy

31-03-2009, 21:52

Brad Voracek

31-03-2009, 21:55

What are your questions?! Post em up.

First things first is there are four divisions, of the top teams in the world competing. there's four, slightly large regionals running simultaneously. It's hard to grasp until you see it. The winners of these divisions will play on Einstein, to become world champions.

The biggest difference though, in my opinion, is the pits are a half mile away from the arena. It's quite a hike for every match =)

andrew348

31-03-2009, 21:55

There is no comparison between regional and the Championships. The pits are massive. It is a 5-10 minute walk between the pits in the convention center and the field in the Dome. The experience is one of the best I have had in FIRST

EricH

31-03-2009, 21:58

4 extra-large regionals in one venue. Stand clear of the doors when they open, because you'll have tens of thousands of people heading for their pits/the fields simultaneously.

Oh, and throw in FLL and FTC teams for good measure.

When Championships were in Houston, there were two sets of ramps into the pit area. A volunteer reported that he got to the middle of the pits and then the door opened at one set. There was an immediate river of people.

Akash Rastogi

31-03-2009, 22:00

You'll see a lot of copied, ahem, similar uniforms in Atlanta.

Looks like 1730 and 11 will be matching this year. :p

IndySam

31-03-2009, 22:02

you will never forget the first time you come through the tunnel into the arena.

Creator Mat

31-03-2009, 22:03

Is there a difference between the divisions beyond names or is it just random?

Alex Dinsmoor

31-03-2009, 22:15

Is there a difference between the divisions beyond names or is it just random?

It's all random :)

Chris Fultz

31-03-2009, 22:17

Some basics for you

there are four divisons of randomly grouped teams, based on team number. the mix provides a similar level of experience levels in each division. the only difference between the divisions is their name - there is not one that is intentionally better than another.

in the dome, there are 5 fields. the four division fields and einstein.

each division will have about 70 - 75 teams, and you only play teams in your division, unless you get to einstein. you will probably have practice time on thursday, and then about 7 matches friday day and saturday morning. Then, the top 8 select partners, and there is an elimination tourney for each division, with division winners. the divison winners, with one alternate backup, then play in 2 2 team brackets to determine the world champs. these matches are on einstein.

in the pits, teams are arranged by division, and there are two practices fields, two divisions share each one. There are large video screens in the pits so you can watch the action on the field and see rankings.

there is no audio queing - you have to pay attention to match times and the video screens.

it is about a 10 minute walk with the robot to from the pits to the field. make sure you have a cart. only the drive team can go on the robot path, everyone else goes a different way from the pits to the fields.

there are also presentations from FIRST teams and mentors, Autodesk, lus companies and colleges there with materials on display.

and, the hall of fame, with previous years championship Chairmans Award winners and some awesome displays about their teams and their programs.

opening ceremony is Friday morning, awards are mixed in with the final tourney matches on Einstein. There are no awards or closing program on Friday night.

saturday after awards is the closing finale.

hopefully this helps!

It is an awesome time - have fun!

smurfgirl

31-03-2009, 22:20

As helpful as all comments may be, I am sure you will have trouble grasping what the Championship will be like until you get there and see for yourself. It is breathtaking- thousands of thousands of students in colorful and wacky garb with a passion for engineering will pour down the escalators, flood the pits, and fill the stands. The excitement levels are even greater than your regional competition, if you can believe it. People are louder, competition is tougher, and impossibly, it is even more fun. Four giant, competitive regionals going on simultaneously. Hundreds of teams. Thousands of students. Countless memories. Infinite fun. You'll love it, I promise you that.

If you have any specific questions, I'm sure all of us who have experienced the magic that is the FIRST Championship would love to answer.

Delia

31-03-2009, 22:29

You should expect everything!

It's a little scary at first how big it is, the 10 minute walk, the number of people in the stands. But it's just like 3 days of constant energy. And it's amazing the kinds of people you can meet there. :D

Oh and there's a rockin party on Saturday night hosted by FIRST. It makes the team socials from regional events look so sad...

One thing that is different from some regionals is that because the dome is so far from the pits if you're spending most of your day in the stands scouting matches/cheering you probably won't see your drive team or pit crew much at all during the day.

BeckyHand

31-03-2009, 22:31

Hey guys, I am a rookie on my team this year. Even though our team has been to the championship in Atlanta 4 out of its 5 years of existence, I am still having trouble grasping what the experience will be like. I have an ever growing amount of questions on almost all topics. I was wondering if anyone could give me a better idea as to how it is in comparrison with regionals and what, if anything, I need to be ready for so I don't pass out.

All comments will be helpful

Thank You.

Hi Team Driven friend, we, the Broncobots, team 1987, went to Nationals last year and its huge and busy. Imagine a regional times 7. There are sooo many pits and many things going on at once. The pits are detached from the actual field, so get ready to walk if you need something. Also, be prepared to meet lots of new people! It is so much fun.
Here is the area between the pits and the fields.
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/1769/img65244x6a.jpg

See ya there!
Becky

http://www.teambroncobots.com
http://www.teambroncobots.com/wordpress

A_Reed

31-03-2009, 22:46

in the dome, there are 5 fields. the four division fields and einstein.

Plus one more field for FTC called da Vinci, and the last time I went ('06) Einstein was used for FLL on Thursday and Friday.

GaryVoshol

01-04-2009, 07:59

Plus one more field for FTC called da Vinci, and the last time I went ('06) Einstein was used for FLL on Thursday and Friday.
DaVinci has two FTC fields on it, and Einstein is still used for FLL.

Carol

01-04-2009, 08:52

DaVinci has two FTC fields on it, and Einstein is still used for FLL.

The two FTC fields are Da Vinci and Franklin. They are used only Thursday and Friday.

And to be technical, the Einstein field is only put up on Saturday. The space where the Einstein field used for FLL on Friday and Saturday (and maybe Thursday? I don't remember).

Attached is a photo form 2005 of the dome floor. (Kudos to whoever crawled up and took this - it wasn't me!). You can see the six field locations and get a sense of the enormous space.

And don't forget the robot conferences, programming seminars, FIRST store, etc. As rookies you should particularly check out the conferences - lots of good information there. (And not just because I'm helping with one of them).

mtaman02

01-04-2009, 09:01

The one thing not mentioned in all of this, is not only are there nearly hundreds of teams and thousands of teams but they're not just from the US. They are from schools around the globe that compete in FIRST that will be there... Someone correct me if I'm wrong but close to 2 dozen countries will be competing for FRC Champ. Gold, FTC Champ. Gold and FLL Champ. Gold.

Breathtaking is hardly the word to describe it. I guarantee that if there's an event you will leave crying from this will be it... Many new friends formed, many new things learned, many new experiences in general and 3 days is not even enough to really take in all of it. All you can do is try =). The saddest part for me isn't packing the field back up but the wrap party which always symbolizes a year well done in every aspect.

You will truly have a good time and no matter how prepared we try and make you, you will still pass out b/c it's unbelieavable. As a volunteer we have 1-2 days to set it all up and 3 days to put on one of the most unforgettable shows for all Championship Event Attendees. The only reward we accept is a smile on each and every attendees face =].

James1902

01-04-2009, 09:25

What too bring to champoinships:
1) water
2) water
3) energy drink of your choice
hydration is even more important here than at a regional, you'll end up walking more than most marathon runners do in the weekend, be ready for it
4) Money, so you can buy cool FIRST brand stuff at the store, i'm not sure who runs it but it's really cool and from what I've seen it's the only place to get non team FIRST clothing.
5) Your post-high school aspirations, in between the pits and the dome there will be a maze of tables from all of the universitys that offer FIRST scholarships, take a stroll down the tables, find out who wants to give you money.
6) really comfy shoes, for the aforementioned walking
7) A camera is always good too.

Atlanta always manages to stand out in my memory every year. You will never forget the feeling you get as your cheering your head off along with 50,000 other FIRSTers all together in one stadium, crammed into seats all trying to get a good view of the final matches of the year on Einstein. This will be the event you will remember for the rest of you life, enjoy it.

15 days and counting

DUCKIE

01-04-2009, 10:09

The company that runs the store has been Logo-Loc (if that has changed I do not know)... they park a trailer full of hot presses off one of the docks and press almost all of the logos for the fabric products on site.

I recommend not "putting off" going down there if you want to buy something... as they usually get backed-up on orders as the event goes on. [Which increases the chance of them loosing/not completing your order on site and you having to wait for it to be mailed to you.]

EricH

01-04-2009, 11:00

And to be technical, the Einstein field is only put up on Saturday. The space where the Einstein field used for FLL on Friday and Saturday (and maybe Thursday? I don't remember). To be technical, the field border is up all three days. However, anything in the middle, other than carpet, typically is replaced by about 3-6 FLL tables Thursday and Friday, and then put in Saturday morning, if I remember the timeline I've seen in action.

wendymom

01-04-2009, 11:17

Make sure you take time to walk through the FLL and FTC pits. It is truely a WORLD championship. In FLL you will see teams from all over the world and they bring all kinds of treats from their countries. They are just as excited to talk to you as you are to them. Some of the displays in the FTC pits last year were really impressive as well. Sometimes teams get so wrapped up in FRC that they forget about the other two competitions.

Convince your team to get a team pass to the conferences. You can send several different team members to different seminars. Parents can go to. You can learn all sorts of things there.

DUCKIE

01-04-2009, 11:21

Other things to remember / bring...

-Bag/Backpack to carry your stuff... and to carry (or pin) all the buttons, bling, and items you may trade with/gather from other teams throughout the day.

-Water Bottle (I'd recommend another drink... but I do not know how strict the Dome is on bringing in drinks)

-Safety Glasses!!!

-Appropriate Shoes (Pit Area Legal & Good for lots of walking)

-Team Spirit Items (Colored Hair Spray, Face Paint, ect...)

-Chief Delphi Web-Hug Tickets if you are attending.

JaneYoung

01-04-2009, 11:24

These are always a few things I suggest for travel in general, and especially at the Championship.

1. have a buddy system and use it. Let an adult with the team know where you are at all times. There is a lot of distance between the stands and the pits, for example. Check in and out with a chaperone or mentor.

2. have a central meeting place. The team will be spread out in different areas of the venue. Have a plan and have a meeting location.

3. make sure that the lead mentor and parent chaperones have a current cell phone list of all the traveling members. Keep your phone charged and check it for messages on a regular basis.

4. It's always good to to have a nightly team meeting and go over the plans for the next day and what to expect. Schedule, shifts, lunch plans, dinner plans., etc.

The more organized the team is, the more the team can relax and enjoy the experience. It is a very special time.

jennifer_1547

01-04-2009, 13:10

okay so the georgia dome is hugeeee and its like a 5-10 minute walk from the pits to the playing area
also its tons fo fun and you get to meet a lot of different people
the after party which is about a 5 minute walk from the geogia dome is very fun :)
i loveeee atlanta :)

Drivencrazy

01-04-2009, 14:06

WOW! I wasn't expecting so much advice! Thanks alot. I still have a few questions...

1. What are the names of the four devisions?

2. Is it very likely that there will be several teams in our hotel?

3. As a member of scouting should I worry about scouting teams not in my division or focus just on those teams?

4. Will there be an indoor passage from the pits to the field in case of inclimate weather?

Once again thank you so much on your help. Can't wait to see you all there.

Oh, and I heard something about limiting the amount of cheering. Can someone give some specifics on this? Thanks.

Robyn Needel

01-04-2009, 14:22

First of all, I want to re-emphasize what everyone else has said, Atlanta is like no other FIRST event, it is amazing!

To answer your questions: the four divisions are Archimedes, Curie, Galileo, and Newton - sense a theme going on?

About teams in your hotel - it's very likely that there will be lots of other teams staying where you are. There's actually a thread here on CD where you can check that out and post your location.

For pre-scouting, you should probably look at all the teams. Once all the regionals are done, the divisions are set up within a couple of days and will be posted on the Championship website. For competition, you will be scouting your own division...unless your team gets to the finals, and you'll have to get info on the other Einstein teams.

The passage from the pits to the floor of the Georgia Dome is indoors through a series of roped off walkways and loading docks so you don't have to worry about inclement weather. Just hope that it's nice for Saturday night, because the party's held in Centennial Park - where you and 20,000 of your closest friends will have a blast together!

Limiting cheering? Not that I've heard about - it gets pretty noisy in the Georgia Dome!

I hope we get to meet up. I'm a mentor for 768 from Baltimore. We are staying at the Days Inn downtown, along with our rookie team 2866, some extra friends from 2199, a team from Tennessee, 2775, and a couple of other teams that I read about on CD.

Robyn

WOW! I wasn't expecting so much advice! Thanks alot. I still have a few questions...

1. What are the names of the four devisions?

2. Is it very likely that there will be several teams in our hotel?

3. As a member of scouting should I worry about scouting teams not in my division or focus just on those teams?

4. Will there be an indoor passage from the pits to the field in case of inclimate weather?

Once again thank you so much on your help. Can't wait to see you all there.

Oh, and I heard something about limiting the amount of cheering. Can someone give some specifics on this? Thanks.

EricH

01-04-2009, 15:13

To answer your questions: the four divisions are Archimedes, Curie, Galileo, and Newton - sense a theme going on?

The passage from the pits to the floor of the Georgia Dome is indoors through a series of roped off walkways and loading docks so you don't have to worry about inclement weather. Just hope that it's nice for Saturday night, because the party's held in Centennial Park - where you and 20,000 of your closest friends will have a blast together!
You forgot da Vinci (Edison and Frankin divisions) for FTC, and Einstein field...

If you aren't on the drive crew/team media, you can't go the indoor route to the floor. That's robots only. There are ways to get to the Dome's seating area without exposing yourself too much to the weather, but they involve lots of escalators and going well out of your way, or lots of running from shelter to shelter. The team party may be moved if the weather's too bad, but don't worry about that yet. If it is moved, they'll tell you.

jennifer_1547

01-04-2009, 15:18

rspurlin

01-04-2009, 15:32

For those who want to get a feeling for locations, try this:

1 go to maps.google.com and search for 'georgia dome'.

2 zoom out and adjust the map so that you can see Centennial Olympic Park on the right side of the satellite view, then adjust the map down just a bit so you can see the whole building directly north of the Dome (which is hall C of the Georgia World Congress Center).

The Dome houses a full football field plus surrounding seating. The park/plaza between the Dome and hall C is roughly the size of a football field itself. With the pits in Hall C, you'll have to cross this area to go from the matches to the pits. Robots and their drive teams have a covered but longer route to the dome floor.

Centennial Olympic Park is where the after party is held unless the weather is not cooperating. It is bordered on the north by the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coke.

Jeff Pahl

01-04-2009, 15:37

What to expect in Atlanta... Pollen!!!

If you have any sort of allergy to tree pollen, make sure you bring plenty of medication. I usually have to start taking something about two days before leaving to go down there, personally.

Here is the link to the Atlanta Pollen Count web page: http://www.atlantaallergy.com/pollenCount.aspx

Today's count is 1284. Anything over 120 is considered "Extremely High". It's not uncommon for it to reach 4000+ around the time of Championship.

dtengineering

01-04-2009, 15:49

If you're a Chief Delphi regular you'll get to meet lots of people who you've only known on-line so far.

We (we being the FTC teams I was travelling with... still have to qualify our FRC team) were in Atlanta about half an hour... just long enough to pick up our bags and get on the train from the airport to downtown when I spotted a fellow carrying a big FRC tote of stuff on the train. It was Dave Brinza, who warmly welcomed us to the championships and got an amazing weekend off to a great start for us. Later that evening Al and the Wildstang team, who were one of probably a dozen FRC and FTC teams at our hotel were helping us out as we thought we might have to rebuild our FTC robots as they had been seized by the TSA in Dallas.

It was a great time, and I look forward to going back one year with the FRC team. You won't be disappointed!

Jason

dani190

03-04-2009, 23:57

might sound like a dumb question but is a video camera in the stands useful at all?
Or is the distance so great that its useless?

What about a video camera/ cameras with telephoto lenses on the field?

We plan to be recording off the field management or w.e system also so...

Any advice on this sort of topic is greatly appreciated.

rspurlin

04-04-2009, 00:34

Assuming that things are as they have been in the past, minus the tornado:

You will have one media pass so that someone can join your team on the dome floor for photo/video. Since there is a wall before the first row of seats, your media person can usually stand there and get good close up video and photos without obstructing the view of the spectators. You will not be allowed to be near the drive teams during the match, nor will you be permitted to interfere with the army of refs, field reset and other volunteers working the field.

Many teams do take a video feed off the FIRST equipment, but there are a limited number of ports. Other teams set up behind the last row of seats with a camera either recording to tape or a laptop. These teams are usually also doing heavy duty scouting with this setup.

Normal camera lenses work fine if you're on the dome floor. The further you go up in the seats, the more you'll need that telephoto capability. For a clue as to size, go to your nearest football stadium that seats 71,000 people and walk around.

Lastly, make contacts with the other teams in your matches and arange to share video with them, especially if they have the match from a different angle. At our one and only regional, I took my camera down to the lowest row of seats neat the opposing alliance drive station. The school camera was close to midfield but higher up in the stands. That way we have two different angles to study our performance.

mtaman02

04-04-2009, 00:53

Each field will have its on A/V Output to any video device of your choice...

JUST MAKE SURE YOU BRING any adapters you think you might need since it's first come first serve (adpaters e.g. BNC Connectors).

as well as what rspurlin as said

dani190

04-04-2009, 00:54

Ok so in other words having 2 video cameras, recording field feed and having like 3 cameras is not overkill?

mtaman02

04-04-2009, 00:56

Ok so in other words having 2 video cameras, recording field feed and having like 3 cameras is not overkill?

haha not really... a couple in the stands with dif angles is a good idea and one on foot isn't bad either. plus if you want from FIRST's view then one to take off their feed would also be good.

dani190

04-04-2009, 01:00

Next question is then how do u guys deal with your dv tapes? Il end up with 8 easy with 2 cameras going daily.... Are u guys offloading tape during the day and re using tapes?

mtaman02

04-04-2009, 01:03

Next question is then how do u guys deal with your dv tapes? Il end up with 8 easy with 2 cameras going daily.... Are u guys offloading tape during the day and re using tapes?

just changing them out before the time runs out but beofre the next match... then offloading at the hotel and re-using them OR just keep changing them and offloading when you get back to your home location.

rspurlin

04-04-2009, 01:13

I should have mentioned this (http://usfirst.org/uploadedFiles/Community/FRC/Events/2009/09_CMP_Essential%20Info.pdf) before. It's the Essential Information document from the FIRST website. It has a few more details about the video side of things and the media pass, and lots more details about other aspects of the event. Your experience will be greatly improved if your team members are aware of the information in that document as well as the other info FIRST publishes about Championships.

It is like running 4 large regionals simultaneously, but with FTC and FLL events going on as well to ensure consistent chaos.

dani190

05-04-2009, 15:55

ok thanks guys, we have 12 dv tapes and i will be offloading whenever i get a chance and keep circulating them...

We will also be recording the live feeds...

robotlover

05-04-2009, 17:14

A_Reed

05-04-2009, 17:18

I'm also a rookie this year and have a question! Are all 7 of the fields (for FRC FLL and FTC) all in the same area, or are they really far spread out? Because I would like to visit the FTC and FLL events/pits and check out how that runs, but I'm not sure how much time I'll have if their fields are far away.....

All six fields are housed under the roof of the Georgia dome and all of the pits are in Hall C of the convention center.

You can easily walk between both venues, with time permitting, it's not like they are all in separate buildings.

You can watch matches to your hearts content in the dome, walk across the plaza--don't get hit with a frizbee of course--into to the convention center and see all three events' pits all in one very large room.

EricH

05-04-2009, 17:18

robotlover

05-04-2009, 17:31

Okay thanks a bunch ^_^ See you guys around in Atlanta :)

gorrilla

05-04-2009, 18:17

I have a question?

how bright does it get in there?

like is there dark spots where it might be hard to work or something(the pits and the dome)

600th post lol

EricH

05-04-2009, 18:22

I have a question?

how bright does it get in there?

like is there dark spots where it might be hard to work or something(the pits and the dome)
Usually, it's pretty bright. If the tarps aren't up, light comes from the sun in the Dome. If they are, there are other lights used.

As for the pits, in most places it's bright enough. If you're near one of the screens, though, make sure that the nearby lights are on. It's a safety hazard if they aren't, because then you can't see well enough to work effectively. Chase down as many people as you can to get the lights on. (Safety judges, FTAs, Pit Admin, people in dark blue FIRST shirts, people from Show Ready, etc.)

gorrilla

05-04-2009, 18:25

Usually, it's pretty bright. If the tarps aren't up, light comes from the sun in the Dome. If they are, there are other lights used.

As for the pits, in most places it's bright enough. If you're near one of the screens, though, make sure that the nearby lights are on. It's a safety hazard if they aren't, because then you can't see well enough to work effectively. Chase down as many people as you can to get the lights on. (Safety judges, FTAs, Pit Admin, people in dark blue FIRST shirts, people from Show Ready, etc.)

what do you mean tarps?

by screens you mean the black curtain things?

EricH

05-04-2009, 18:29

what do you mean tarps?

by screens you mean the black curtain things?Tarps... You'll see when you get there. Look at the ceiling of the Dome. If it's black, the tarps are up. If not, the tarps are down.

As for screens, there are no black curtains in the pits. (Red, white, blue, and green, yes, but those are division markers.) I mean A/V screens hanging in each division, where you can watch matches and see rankings. If the lights near those are off, and there are pits close to under them, I don't exactly care that you can't see them very well with the lights on, because teams that are working near you can't see very well with the lights off!

LWakefield

05-04-2009, 20:18

I am pumped to go to Atlanta. This is my first year in Robotics. :D
This is our teams first time to go to nationals and compete. Last time, the team didn't have enough funding.

jmanela

06-04-2009, 16:29

This is going to be awsome. My team is a rookie this year, and our goal was to make it to Atlanta! I can't wait!

Peter Matteson

06-04-2009, 16:47

Tarps... You'll see when you get there. Look at the ceiling of the Dome. If it's black, the tarps are up. If not, the tarps are down.

They were there to cover the damage from the tornadoes last year. I would be suprised if there are many un-repaired sections that still have tarps this year.

Alan Anderson

06-04-2009, 16:52

Tarps... You'll see when you get there. Look at the ceiling of the Dome. If it's black, the tarps are up. If not, the tarps are down.

The heat load from sunlight coming through the Dome roof during the summer is more than the air conditioning system can reasonably handle. They put up "sun shades" every year to keep it cooler without using too much energy. I don't think the tarps are typically installed before the FRC championship happens, but there have been exceptions. I seem to recall that a cosmetics convention paid extra to have them put up early in 2005 so the lighting would be less variable.

EricH

06-04-2009, 17:45

They were there to cover the damage from the tornadoes last year. I would be suprised if there are many un-repaired sections that still have tarps this year.I wasn't there last year, but they've been up before on occasion. See Alan's post.

A_Reed

06-04-2009, 18:13

I second that it was 2005, I remember wonder what was going on with the roof I never would have guessed it had to do with the AC.

EricH

06-04-2009, 18:27

I also remember them in '07. Same deal as '05.

Elgin Clock

06-04-2009, 19:24

The heat load from sunlight coming through the Dome roof during the summer is more than the air conditioning system can reasonably handle. They put up "sun shades" every year to keep it cooler without using too much energy. I don't think the tarps are typically installed before the FRC championship happens, but there have been exceptions. I seem to recall that a cosmetics convention paid extra to have them put up early in 2005 so the lighting would be less variable.

It also wasn't too shabby that 2005 was the first year using camera's & the tarps actually helped the competition with keeping the light constant, rather than constantly changing through the dome as the clouds came in.
I remember everyone thinking it was done just for that reason for us, but then as you said, I did hear about the cosmetics convention from someone.
Just good luck that year (as far as constant lighting for the new camera system was concerned) I guess.

JaneYoung

09-04-2009, 12:05

You can expect to get tired in Atlanta. A number of reasons can be factored into this, including the excitement, the anticipation, the ups and downs the competition creates for you, mentally, emotionally, physically. There are teams who help keep team members and therefore, the team, healthy and happy by having some guidelines in place. Some that I know that help are:

1. stay hydrated with water.
2. Rest. Take small breaks for some fresh air and a healthy snack outside.
3. Eat. Some teams bring fruit and healthy snack bars during travel and plan for at least one good meal a day to keep their team fueled each day.
4. Take time to appreciate where you are and what you are doing. Tour the Hall of Fame. Check out the other events. Teams are traveling from all over the world to compete and spend time together. It is a remarkable experience. Talk to other teams. This includes students, mentors, parents, guests. Share the fun. This enhances the experience and provides reasons to smile when you are too tired to think.
5. Set a curfew and follow it. Keep it within reason. Yes, there is fun to be had and there is scouting to be done. You will function better as an individual and as a team if you are taking care of yourself and getting some sleep.
6. Keep the team reputation in mind and how you are contributing to it. This includes your stay as a guest in the hotel, at the restaurant, in the venue, and this includes the bathrooms. I've seen some ugly behaviors (fights, arguing, rudeness) in the bathrooms that reflect on the team in general. Conduct yourself in a way that will get the team invited back to the hotel in the future, greeted with smiles in the restaurant, and appreciated at the venue.

These may all sound like small things but they all contribute to the success of the team's performance over the 3 days of competition and can help add up to a great experience.

sydney_1547

09-04-2009, 13:18

don't try getting to the lego league area if you aren't with someone who knows their way. ive actually never gone because i couldnt find it :P

also. after the closing ceremonies. stay completely attached to someone because there will be a stampeding crowd trying to get to the after party and it is very easy to get lost.

James1902

09-04-2009, 14:10