Too excited to work or study ? Here's some data to play with
 

Posted by Ed Sparks at 03/29/2001 3:32 PM EST


Engineer on team #34, The Rockets, from Bob Jones High / New Century High and DaimlerChrysler.



It's hopeless .................

I can't design stuff for my "real job" this close to finals so I've been playing with the regional data to find the answers to who's who.

I've included a link to my spreadsheet in case you want to massage it too.

I'm putting my money on the teams with the most experience on the field because:

* They know the game and what it takes to win
* The Egos are under control
* The machines are debugged
* The drivers are experienced

See 'ya soon .................
Ed
Team 34 - THE ROCKETS

By the way .............
 

Posted by Ed Sparks at 03/29/2001 3:43 PM EST


Engineer on team #34, The Rockets, from Bob Jones High / New Century High and DaimlerChrysler.


In Reply to: Too excited to work or study ? Here's some data to play with
Posted by Ed Sparks on 03/29/2001 3:32 PM EST:



According to my data, there are 19 teams attending the finals that have no regional experience. Those of us who have attended regionals should make an extra effort to share our experience with them.

Any ideas on how ?

Re: By the way .............
 

Posted by Jessica Boucher at 03/29/2001 4:01 PM EST


Student on team #237, Sie-H2O-Bots, from Watertown High School and Eastern Awning Systems & The Siemon Company.


In Reply to: By the way .............
Posted by Ed Sparks on 03/29/2001 3:43 PM EST:



Which means you have a 16% chance of being with one of them (barring that they are split evenly within the divisions)........I think.

-Jessica B, #237

Re: By the way .............
 

Posted by Matt Ryan at 03/29/2001 7:54 PM EST


Student on team #69, HYPER, from Quincy Public Schools and Gillette.


In Reply to: By the way .............
Posted by Ed Sparks on 03/29/2001 3:43 PM EST:



There really is no way to share experience. The best I can come up with is to tell them what it is like, but that doesn't cover everything. Try to have them be relaxed. Thats all I can think of right now.

: According to my data, there are 19 teams attending the finals that have no regional experience. Those of us who have attended regionals should make an extra effort to share our experience with them.

: Any ideas on how ?

Re: By the way .............
 

Posted by colleen - T190 at 03/29/2001 8:44 PM EST


Engineer on team #190, Gompei, from Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science and WPI.


In Reply to: By the way .............
Posted by Ed Sparks on 03/29/2001 3:43 PM EST:



The easiest way is if they are also dually willing to understand that we have the experience..

At Long Island it took teams a bit, but not long, to listen to folks like us and 105, who had been to the UTC regional, in "how to win the game"..

Many were still in the try everything on their robot mode.. and we can do this that and the other thing..

as experienced humbled us all.. we need them to just follow and kind of trust in the experience we do have will putting in their ideas..

Updated Data .................
 

Posted by Ed Sparks at 03/30/2001 10:49 AM EST


Engineer on team #34, The Rockets, from Bob Jones High / New Century High and DaimlerChrysler.


In Reply to: By the way .............
Posted by Ed Sparks on 03/29/2001 3:43 PM EST:



Some teams were added/deleted from the Orlando Finals list. Download the spreadsheet again for the latest.

Ed Team34 - THE ROCKETS

Two Suggestions
 

Posted by ChrisH at 03/30/2001 12:15 PM EST


Engineer on team #330, Beach 'Bots, from Hope Chapel Academy and NASA JPL, J & F Machine, Raytheon, et al.


In Reply to: By the way .............
Posted by Ed Sparks on 03/29/2001 3:43 PM EST:



: According to my data, there are 19 teams attending the finals that have no regional experience. Those of us who have attended regionals should make an extra effort to share our experience with them.

: Any ideas on how ?

At San Jose Team 192 (Gunn) hosted a "strategy session" Thursday night that all teams were invited to. Teams were encouraged to share what their robot could do and more importantly what was learned at Southern Cal or other regionals. This would probably be a little cumbersome at Nationals, it would probably take all night with that many teams.

Another suggestion is to work with the teams in your practice sessions to structure the session. We ran a practice round for the first two minutes with a strategy that all the robots could participate in. After the two minutes, we arrainged times to use the various field parts. We wanted to work both goals and big balls. So we took the goals for two minutes and let one of the other teams use them the rest of the time, while we played with big balls. As I recall the other two teams weren't interested in doing either as they were limbo/wedge bots. If they had wanted to we would have arrainged it.

If you do this, please try to work it out so that all of the teams have at least some access to what they need to try out ALL of their functions. In our last qualifying round at San Jose we were with a team that had never had two goals in their possesion to even attempt balancing them. That's a heck of a time to find out that you can't do something.

They should have been able to work something out during practice. But either the other teams didn't co-operate or they didn't think of asking.

Remeber what your Mother always said "Now play nice and share". This is where you put the Gracious in "Gracious Professionalism".

Chris Husmann
Team 330 the Beach'Bots

Re: Two Suggestions
 

Posted by Ed Sparks at 03/30/2001 2:48 PM EST


Engineer on team #34, The Rockets, from Bob Jones High / New Century High and DaimlerChrysler.


In Reply to: Two Suggestions
Posted by ChrisH on 03/30/2001 12:15 PM EST:



Thanks Chris for the great Ideas!

I fully concurr with playing at least one round while at each practice session. We did this in Texas with team 148 (#1 Seed in the end) and it was a much more productive session. Like you suggested, we divided up the remaining time for ramp and goal use. Everyone got a chance to show their stuff and/or notice their problem(s). If you go to practice with T34, expect us to want to repeat this process.

As for the other point, I would hope each division could find a way to sponsor a drivers/coaches meeting. Maybe the top 5 or so high scorers in each division could hold a session at the division field after practice on Thursday to discuss winning strategies. Maybe concentrate on those rookie teams and teams that have not played in a regional this year. Sounds like the "Super Teams" will be distributed among the divisions. It would seem to me that these teams should have a vested interest in getting everyone on the same page.