Re: Boilermaker Thank You's
 

Thanks Kyle - but especially thanks to our co-chairs Ryan and Carolyn (also volunteer of the year!) who we couldn't have done without... According to our volunteer coordinator Chris Fultz, we had around 100 volunteers that worked to make this an outstanding regional! Many regionals struggle with their volunteer base - but we had people coming out of the woodworks to help us out! Unbelievable the effort they put forth...and the friendly attitude they maintained.

Thanks to FIRST for having confidence in our ability to put on an event in Indiana and at Purdue. We had many years of FIRST experience among the planning committee, including the IRI planners.

I personally want to thank Marci Cochran and Lauren Vertz who I left at the front info table so often, and helped out so much even though both of their teams were competing.

Thanks to Dean Simmons and the Kamens band for rockin' the CoRec on Friday night.

Special thanks to all the teams who attended and provided such fierce competition! Some teams traveled many hours, and half of the teams were from Indiana! This was truly an exciting game to watch this weekend, and thanks to Blair and Dan for such colorful commentation.

Thanks to Shannon for getting the campus tours together. Seems that everyone really enjoyed and appreciated them.

There are just so many thanks to everyone that had anything to do with making this such a great event... So many thanks to people even more behind the scenes - like those allowing us to use Elliott Hall for amazing awards ceremonies and those setting up everything inside the event.

Also Congrats to the winners and all teams that made it into the finals. You certainly had some tough teams to get through!

Anyway - we look forward to next year for an even better Boilermaker regional!

Re: Boilermaker Regional Thanks and Congrats
 

As was said so many times over the weekend, this was most definitely NOT a rookie event. Thanks to all the people who made it so wonderful a weekend. I thought GLR was tough, but now I am not so sure. Congratulations on pulling it off everyone. All those people mentioned above worked really hard. Chris Fultz, Amy, John, Amanda, Josh and especially the rest of the committee should be congratulated. I hope you are all getting some much needed rest. Thanks for letting me be part of it. Finally, I must thank the inspectors I had working with me. They made my job easier and worked very hard to make sure everyone had a great time. In addition to working the inspection table, everyone of them worked other areas as well. Thanks to John from IFI, having a presence helped make the event better for everyone.

Re: Boilermaker Thank You's
 

Amazing. That is one of the many words I can use to describe the Boilermaker Regional this past weekend. What a way to start our team's competition season.

First off, thank you to our alliance partners, teams 71 and 1024, for having the confidence to complete your alliance with us. We had our rough spots, but we made it through the finals with the needed victories. We all came through for each other in the end.

Congrats and thanks to the finalist alliance, teams 135, 93, and 876. Congrats on making it that far, and thanks for making the finals the most intense I have ever seen or been through. I was sweating bullets by the end and trying to keep my drive team sane while losing my brains at the same time. You guys did an amazing job.

THANK YOU to the entire Boilermaker Regional Planning Committee, this regional was in no way a rookie regional. The tours, events, and just everything you guys did for the teams was superb. My team would not shut up about how awesome it was, I wish I would have had more time to get around campus. Thanks for putting on an awesome event that my team will come back to again and again.

Special thanks to my entire FIRST network that was there for me to talk or hug or poke fun at me, DK, Amanda, Brandon, JVN, Amy, Andy, Josh, Kevin, DJ, the 45 Drive Team, Ben, and anyone else I forgot. You guys rock.

Thanks to the volunteers for working your butts off to make sure things ran smoothly.

And finally, thank you to my team. They had the utmost confidence in me as a rookie field coach, and on my rookie drive team and we made them proud. Thank you.

Midwest is in 3 days, I better get some sanity back.

Re: Boilermaker Thank You's
 

Wow, what a great couple of days. I regret that I didn't take another day off class and come watch on Thursday as well, but now I am just craving for more FIRST.

So great to see you all again, Amanda, David, Ricky, Brandon, Stu, Chris, JVN, Collin, DJ
It was also nice to meet and hang out with you guys: Jackie, Josh, Molly, and all the other volunteers and team members I talked to.

I was happy that I was able to volunteer, and I can't wait until IRI and next year at THE Boilermaker regional. It was an awesome event, and like it was noted in the awards ceremony, there is very little room for improvement.

Great Job Chris Fultz, Amy P, and all the other people on the Planning committee. I hope all of you stick around and help with all the future events and are able to make these events as wonderful as this one.

Good luck at the Midwest and all your other regionals, and I hope you all do well at nationals! Sorry, but I will not be in attendance this year. :(

Rock out homies.

Re: Boilermaker Regional Thanks and Congrats
 

I also want to thank everyone who made the Boilermaker Regional an awesome success! The volunteers, planning committee, refs, judges, teams, Blair, Dan, Marian, Josh Hambright, David Kelly, Paul George, John V, Jerry Budd, Steve Florence, Bob Hennessey, the FIRST staff...everyone! Thanks to Jason Lawton and EJ Levine for helping with so many of the special events...they wouldn't have happened without you. I especially want to thank Carolyn and Ryan for being the co-chairs and giving up so much of their time and energy! Thanks too to all those who attended the special tours and College/Career fair!

I also want to thank those who have been a part of this planning process since the beginning. 6 years ago when a group of us from 461 said "hey, we should have a regional here at Purdue", no one imagined it would turn out the way it did. So many people have been a part of planning, researching and convincing FIRST that Purdue was the place to have a regional...and I thank you for your hard work! Especially Daniel Black...this never would've gotten done without all your initial efforts!

I think it just goes to show that if you believe in your goals and work hard, you can achieve anything. What started off as a dream of a few people has become a reality for thousands. Thanks to all those who helped make so many people's dreams of having a regional at Purdue come true! I am eternally grateful! How awesome...I can't wait until next year!

Re: Boilermaker Regional Thanks and Congrats
 

I think I'm finally ready to list my thanks. I will admit, by Friday morning I was totally burnt out, going on the occasional Pepsi and not much else. However, even when I was about thisclose to losing my cool, so many people were there to just give me a hug. That was indeed the best part of the regional for me-- the people there that I'm happy to call my friends.

Carolyn Percifeld
The ultimate cool. You kept your feet on the ground and this regional rolling. Your hard work and excellent efforts made this thing happen. You deserve every inch of that Volunteer Award, and I have learned much in the planning of this event. You are an excellent role model... thank you.

Ryan Schoeder
The best source of hugs this weekend. Ryan, if you all don't know, is a sophomore at Purdue who jumped into this thing headfirst and co-chaired this regional amidst schoolwork and everything else he had going on. Thanks for keeping your cool, helping me keep mine, and being such a great guy.

The Planning Committee
I've never been so proud to be a part of a great thing. The effort that went into this was tremendous, and I'm lucky to have played a part. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Blair Hundertmark and Dan Green (and Collin Fultz, in-training)
You guys made this event come alive. I can honestly say a piece of the show would have been missing had Blair come in on the Purdue Train instead of the pink and purple sparkly bicycle. Thanks for your hard work throughout the regional. "Should I wear the tie dye shirt... or the tie dye shirt?"

Dave Scheck, Ernie Pacsai, Chris Hibner, Brandon Martus, and Andy Baker
You guys were great. You played AC/DC, and that totally rocked my socks... even though Dave was a little smelly, Ernie was a little silly, Brandon a little goofy, and Baker a little dorky... I think Chris is the only sane one! Although, the giant afro may refute that...

Teams at the event
Every one of you made it possible! There were great responses to the regional all weekend, which was the best we could have hoped for. Thank you for making this so worthwhile.

Amy Przybylinski
She did a little bit of everything, and she did it well, folks. Thanks for working so hard on this, and for working on the media, social, and event problems. A great person to have on this committee.

To my brother: I couldn't be more proud of you. You worked hard, and you deserved it. You're the best, kiddo. To my team: Although I wasn't with you in the stands, I was with you in spirit.

And as always, the great network of FIRST friends that were there:
David Kelly, Ben Lauer, Brandon Martus, Jtosh Hambright, Al Skierkiewicz (your 'Good Morning' made my day, every day!), Dan Green, Molly Menges (thanks for all your hard work!), Chris Fultz, Andy Baker, Chris Hibner, Ernie Pacsai, Dave Scheck, Raul Olivera, Ricky Quinones, Jess Eggeson, Ryan Schoeder, Luis Moreno, Mike Phillips, Marci Cochran - it was great to see everyone I consider buddies from other teams.

See you in Atlanta!
AM

Re: Boilermaker Regional Thanks and Congrats
 

Thanks to Purdue for hosting such a great event, and opening up so much of their facility, and for the scholarship. Great job to all the college kids and other volunteers who helped make such an awesome event (even if we nearly destroyed the scoring table with our robot :o).

Congratulations to the winning alliance, and good luck to 269 and 1646, whom I think now qualify for nationals. I hope to see you there!

Re: Boilermaker Regional Thanks and Congrats
 

From a guy sitting next to her at the scorers table...trust me.

She was with you in spirit, and in yelling.

"USE THE SHOULDER!!!!"

:)

Congrats to all and to all come to IRI.

Re: Boilermaker Regional Thanks and Congrats
 

269 has just been added to the team list for the Championship Event. Thanks to everyone again and see you in Chicago or now Atlanta!!