F.I.R.S.T. PROUD
 

I am a 64 year old rookie mentor on a rookie team and just competed at the rookie Spokane regional. Team Tators (2122) and the rest of the teams just tought me a life changing lesson. So let me explain what I witness. A rookie team from Dayton Wa (4082) the Bulldogs arrived with no built robot but it seem to me with the basic KOP. Many teams gave advise and help getting a drive base and not much more up and running (no robot left behind) for the Bulldogs (4082). They did compete and were 2nd from the bottom of all teams. Team Tators (2122) was the number 1 seed they choose the #7 seed Skunkworks (1983) a good alliance member and then picked the Bulldogs the crowd seem shocked (Including me) at this pick. That alliance won the competition and this made me very proud. Team Tator I would like thank you for show me what FIRST is really about, not just winning (which your alliance did) but that with out helping others to compete we will all fail.
Thank you FIRST for your people and the spirit that team like 2122 represent.

Re: F.I.R.S.T. PROUD
 

What a great FIRST story. makes me proud to be in FIRST when I hear things like this.:)

Re: F.I.R.S.T. PROUD
 

It's really great to hear stories like this, especially when they're about teams you know personally. The Tators are a great team, and lots of fun to work with at local demonstrations. Great job all, and thank you for making FIRST the great experience that it is to students everywhere!

Re: F.I.R.S.T. PROUD
 

Something similar happened at Waterloo this year. Team 4372 came to the competition with a robot that was 38x38, because they (from my understanding) didn't read the manual properly and missed the size specifications, and built the Kit Bot without cutting the two side end pieces. Team 1114 and i believe 2056, and maybe others) spent all practice day helping them out, to get their robot to the proper size. They passed inspection and competed every match (from what I know). They finished Quals in 23rd/30 teams, and 1114 and 2056 picked them as their alliance partner. They helped 1114 and 2056 wn the regional and are now coming to Champs!

And i still wonder why people think 1114 and 2056 are extremely rude. They are so nice, and respectful to all.

Re: F.I.R.S.T. PROUD
 

WOW !!!! That is something you can't teach people; it comes from within. You have a great team. They are not only courageous but they are selfless. Just think how great the Bulldogs must feel--like they won lotto! And when they pay it forward, and they will, you'll have started something wonderful. KUDOS to you and your team.

Re: F.I.R.S.T. PROUD
 

I first noticed the Bulldogs in the pits assembling their bumpers. It was inspiring to see teams rally to get them through inspection and onto the field. I had no idea I would see them later in the finals.

Between matches in the semi finals, I had a chance to talk to the team. This rookie team is a total of 4 young men and their coach. One member of the team shared, that the Spokane competition was his first trip out of the county. He looked overwhelmed at the posibility of traveling to compete in St Louis. I hope their community, First, and some sponsors can help make that possible.

Before they finished packing their pit, they had a pneumatic cylinder from one team to move a tipper, and other offers of support from others.

They should be very proud of what they accomplished. Their robot was able to double balance, and a chute allowed their robot to feed 2 additional balls to the Tators (2122). This resulted in a solid 36 autonomous points for their alliance.

Good Luck Bulldogs!

Re: F.I.R.S.T. PROUD
 

As a member of the winning alliance, we agree that the 4082 guys should be proud of their performance - they were SOLID and executed their role in the alliance strategy a lot closer to perfection than we did :). Their driving and ability to balance allowed us to get up on the bridge with them quickly and reliably ... enabling us to shoot balls as long as there were balls available in our offensive half of the field, and then to finally leave Skunkworks as the last red alliance member on the floor to play D or score more balls as needed.

We failed with a similar strategy with another very good partner (399) in Utah this year, and spent a good bit of time between weeks 3 and 6 trying to figure out how to make our partners more successful and to avoid a similar loss in Spokane. After mulling on it (alright obsessing about it :) ) we figured out that we needed to adapt to be a better partner and then to try to find a team that was willing to adapt to work with us. From our first interactions, the 4082 crew was great to work with and it was easy to see the character of the team. When we played with them in qualifications, they immediately embraced the opportunity to make our alliance better. As a result, they were on the Tator/Skunkworks short list during alliance selections. In the end, 4082 contributions enabled our alliance to succeed at the Spokane regional - we wouldn't have made it without them - as the missed double balance in SF2 and the resulting loss illustrates. Thank you 4082 for being a great part of our alliance!

Re: F.I.R.S.T. PROUD
 

I want to second what the Tators mentioned. The Bulldogs were great to work with and we are very happy that they will be traveling to St. Louis and competing there. We are saddened only by the fact that they won't be in our division. They executed everything that was asked of them and without them as an alliance partner, the Tators and Skunks would never have been able to pull off the regional championship!

thank you Bull Dogs!!

And to the Tators... We are extremely happy that you guys are finally on the same field with us in CMP. Maybe this could be OUR year together on the Big field too!! We are looking forward to seeing you again and playing with and/or against you on Newton!!

Thank you for having faith in our team and for being such an excellent partner in Spokane. You guys are the best!!

Re: F.I.R.S.T. PROUD
 

What an awesome story.

Two thumbs way up for all teams involved in this.

Re: F.I.R.S.T. PROUD
 

Wow, this is a truly inspiring experience. It is things like that that make me proud to be a part of FIRST.

Great job to those teams, way to show that Gracious Professionalism! :D

Re: F.I.R.S.T. PROUD
 

This thread is a bit stale, but I'll post a follow up from St. Louis anyway because it tracks this topic so well.

We (4143) happened to be pitted next to 4082 in St. Louis. At the time we didn't know any of the history that's in this thread, we were just impressed at a rookie team of four able to build a robot and get themselves to St. Louis. Being a rookie team with the blessing of a lot more support we really felt the work and dedication those four students showed. It is impossible not to have a great deal of respect for any team that prevails under those circumstances.

When qualifying ended guess who was high seed rookie? That's right, 4082 at 12 or 13 (I forget). The FIRST spirit was definitely alive and well getting them there, most prominently from 1108 helping them get their bot into shape to play a great defensive role on alliances, so kudos to 1108 on extending a long history of helping others.

We realized that four picks within the top 8 meant that 4082 would have been an alliance lead and that with only four team members they probably had zero scouting data (which was true). Imagine being on the floor with the mic in your hand and having absolutely nothing on which to make a selection. Some of our students dropped their work and walked next door to unload all of our data on them, work up a selection list, and stayed with them during selections. 4082 was extremely grateful and gracious.

This isn't meant to be self-congratulatory, I'm just telling the story. The focus of this post should be on 4082 and 1108. Also not intending to slight any other team who helped 4082. I'm sure there were others.

If anyone knows how to get a hold of 4082 I'd like to follow up with them. I've found zero contact info in any database or web search that I've been able to run.

Re: F.I.R.S.T. PROUD
 

If anyone knows how to get a hold of 4082 I'd like to follow up with them. I've found zero contact info in any database or web search that I've been able to run.

Shoot me a pm...Team Tators has their contact info...(I just parked our trailer after a long pull home).

Re: F.I.R.S.T. PROUD
 

This is why I'm in FIRST and not many other robotics competition. "It's not about the robot"