Re: The Rise and Fall of FIST Teams through time.
 

Didn't 16 - The Bomb Squad drop out for a year or two due to finances or other reasons?

Closer to home 35 - last incarnated as Sigma Squared rose from the ashes for the 2003 or 2004 season, only to cease competing soon after.

I'd like to see 391 - Grand Rapids Central resurrected. They won the WMR Chairman's Award in 2003 but lost teacher or school support this year. It turns out some of their members are now assisting with 904.

My favorite restored team is 1164 in Las Cruz, NM. They competed two years, stayed together doing things other than FRC for 2005, and came back this year, even winning the AZ Visualization Award.

Re: The Rise and Fall of FIST Teams through time.
 

I would love to see team 267, Demolition Squad come back. We have great memories of playing with and against them over the years! Any one know if there are any chances of them coming back?

Re: The Rise and Fall of FIRST Teams through time.
 

Our team's story is one of a team that fell but is now rising again...

From 2001 to 2003 there was a team from Leland High in San Jose know as the Sillowhats. From what I heard this team was progressively getting better, too. But then the original group of friends who started the team became busy with college stuff, so they left. During 2004 there was no team because of lack of enthusiasm and lack of funding. But then in 2005, 5 girls and 5 boys (I am one of them) along with two dedicated mentors, picked up where 604 left off, and was reborn as Quixilver. With the help of a friendly machine shop and a NASA grant, we went to the PNW regional in Portland. Beyond our wildest dreams, and with the help of 492 and 1595, WE WON!!! :D
(still get warm fuzzy feelings from that...)
Winning the Judges' Award and the General Motors Industrial Design Award (not to mention the Safety Award) in 2006 proved that a year later we are on the right track, and is pushing us to make FIRST Robotics a permanent program at our school. 604 dissapeared under the name Sillowhats but has been reborn from the ashes as Quixilver, and we intend to remain Quixilver.

Re: The Rise and Fall of FIRST Teams through time.
 

I was sad to see team 80 from here in Glendale fold up this year when they lost their teacher sponsor and main monetary sponsor. I don't know how much of an impact they've had during their time in FIRST (since I've only seen them the previous 2 years in which they've been having trouble getting new members and keeping their interest), but I know they are one of the oldest teams from Arizona, if they weren't the first.

Re: The Rise and Fall of FIST Teams through time.
 

Last year at LSR we were allied with team 1083. A few months after the competition, their website vanished, and I could find no trace of the team. Couldn't find anything. Then, amusingly enough, I discovered at LSR this year that 1083 had been cut off (or something) by their school and several members joined up with the rookies 1902.

I don't have all the details, but I'm sure someone with 1902 could share exactly what happened. Talk about rise and fall though... Your team dies, but you resurface as one of the best rookie teams around. How awesome is that?