Regional Competition Dates?
 

Say, when are the dates for various regional competitions released? Is it at kickoff?

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

Im pretty sure that its sometime in early September actually.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

http://www.usfirst.org/community/frc...nt.aspx?id=454

Watch for important deadlines on this page.
Locations for Regionals and dates should be released in Sept.
About 10 weeks to go until your team needs to register for your initial Regional. Some Regionals will fill pretty quickly.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

I think that events that are certain to occur with the exact dates should announce early (FIRST announcing early).
With the cost of airline fares skyrocketing, we would prefer to book our trips well in advance, if it allows us to get a much cheaper rate.

I'm in Dallas now, and my fare alone from Hawaii from $1164! :( (booking 4 months in advance). I realize its the summer, but spring time is also peak season for traveling.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

Actually, I don't think event dates can be officially released until ALL the regional dates are set. The reason being venue availability. For example, if Regional A uses Venue A and it's available on weeks 2,4 and 5, and is set for week 2; and Regional B uses Venue B and is available week 2 only then FIRST may switch Regional A to a different week and put Regional B on week 2.

They officially release regional dates as soon as ALL the regionals are set. This is probably for the best. Imagine setting your travel arrangements for Regional A, only to find out later that it's been moved to a different week. I imagine FIRST would get some pretty ugly phone calls from frustrated teams if they released regional dates without all the regionals being set.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

I dont see the logic.
Conflicts will happen with x amount of regionals > no. of weeks .....and venues are setup (the ones that I am aware of) based on other factors OTHER than conflict with other regionals.
I dont see how the Hawaii regional, for example, would factor in when the other venues have their "week 5 regionals."
Based on what I implied in my previous post, I still dont see why announcements cant be posted, if certain regional dates ARE certain as opposed to waiting until all regionals/venues/dates are confirmed. :(

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

actually regional dates got moved around once, i think it was for 2007

FL regional was set originally for a week 4 regional mar 22-24, then it go moved back to mar 8-10, and then it finally set to march 15-17

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

got a flyer today confirming the Vegas regional during week 5 for 2009 and a save the date reminder.
Interesting.......I wonder if other regionals do this and/or planning to send out already.:)

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

The SBPLI Regional date is set for the 5th week, but the venue contract is just a handshake right now. While the date is public knowledge, until the contract is signed it won't be officially published.

FIRST headquarters has to agree with the proposed date so as to insure a field is available, but venue availability is the primary driver. Those venues that have several open weekends can accommodate being shifted for whatever reasons you choose as Jon mentioned, e.g., to spread out the playing field usage or to avoid over saturation in an area for teams and volunteers on a single weekend.

The 6 months official FIRST notice we get (September - March) is probably sufficent at least for the local team attendees. I get less notice about our school events calendar...
I sympathize with locking in airfares from Hawaii :ahh: . We always signup for Championships during the open registion period, because we don't want to be buying tickets if we qualify after week 5.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

thanks Mark.
This makes much more sense now.
The Hawaii regional committee looked at all of the weeks and decided that having it during our spring break was the #1 and probably only possibility as its choice. Some of us suggested week 1 (our first regional) primarily due to cost for Hawaii teams that wanted to compete in mainland regionals. The robots would then not have to make two round trips from Hawaii to the mainland.
Given that other regionals may be more flexible in having their regional based on the other factors that you mentioned is good reason to wait until the official date.
Time is money though.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

Though this isn't the case for every regional, I believe a few of them are locked into spring breaks (Boilermaker seems to be set on Purdue spring break, second weekend due to the venue availability). Though this isn't fullproof, you might want to consider looking at regionals that have a very specific venue issue that forces them to be on a spring break or especially later or early.

A polite email to the regional committee might work well - they're under a lot of stress I'm sure, but it wouldn't hurt you to try (keyword patience). Having a few particular regionals in mind when you prepare to travel with your team, even if you do not lock down travel arrangements right away, might accelerate the process as other regional dates are fixed.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

Dates for the Oregon and Seattle Regionals are as follows:

Oregon Regional at Memorial Coliseum in Portland
Week 2 March 5-7, 2009

Seattle Microsoft Regional at KEY ARENA in Seattle
Week 5 March 26-28, 2009

Good luck to everyone
We hope to see you at these events!!

SKUNKWORKS

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

FYI--Oklahoma City Regional is week 1. We had an incredible experience last year! Looking forward to it.

We ship on Tues, and 9 days later--compete:)

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

Week 1:

Oklahoma City Regional

Week 2 March 5-7, 2009

Oregon Regional at Memorial Coliseum in Portland

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5 March 26-28, 2009

Seattle Microsoft Regional at KEY ARENA in Seattle
Las Vegas Regional
SBPLI Regional

Week 6

So this is what we have so far. I'll keep updating this.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

What day is kickoff??

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

I believe January 3rd. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

Really? I thought it was at kick off.

Well, you learn something new everyday =p

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

wow. airfares are getting ridiculously high.

where do you guys go for your kickoff? I was wondering because you team is from Hawaii. Do you guys go to one on the West Coast?

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

Las Vegas is going to be the 5th week again.

When is Florida :rolleyes:

Keaton

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

There are regional kickoff locations all over the U.S., Canada, and elsewhere. Better than just having one in NH like they used to! So they'd have a Hawaii kickoff.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

In the past, with just us and team 368, 368 arranged a telecast on a local educational TV station for us to watch live early in the morning. With a lot of new Hawaii teams now, we had our first official kickoff event this past season, at team 368's large auditorium.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

Actually if there is a place you really want to go contact the regional directors. They are the ones who usually know the date and times that teams enter and FIRST enters and actually work with setting that stuff up. Maybe email some of those people, they are THE ones with the information, and its not "hush-hush" its just "unofficial" until FIRST publishes them all.

Like for Houston, our wonderful director already gave us all of the necessary information so if you're going to Houston, you can book your hotels now if you wanted to.

Pavan Dave

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

Surprisingly, FIRST has announced it -- check out RoboMom's link at FIRST.

Kickoff 03-Jan-2009.
Robot ship deadline 17-Feb-2009.

No official word on the website for regional or Championship events. I wonder if they'll make Easter (April 12th) the bye week? What is it, five weekends of regionals, a bye week, then the Championship? (Okay, in the past -- maybe they'll stretch it to six weeks this year?)

I only know this because I just got my shiny new 2009 calendar book! I got it now just to fill out my robo-schedule for next year. :cool:

Edit: Now I'm confused. On the link above under Event Payments/Championship payments, if you qualify at '09 regionals week 1-5, pay by 03-April, week 6 pay by 07-April. Read into that as you will.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

They had six and a bye last year. Week 6 only had one regional, though. With three more regionals, plus the Michigan registration for the state championship around Week 5, they better have another week!

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

Last year Week 4 was Easter; there was no bye week. (Of course, most regionals don't have Sunday events.) There was a week between the last regional and the Championship.

Championship is April 16-18, 2009.

Ship is Feb 17.

That means:
Week 1 - Feb 26-28
Week 2 - Mar 5-7
Week 3 - Mar 12-14
Week 4 - Mar 19-21
Week 5 - Mar 26-28
Week 6 - Apr 2-4.

Week 6 regionals (including the Michigan State Championship) wouldn't know who qualified on Apr 3, the Week 1-5 payment deadline. Thus the 4 extra days.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

I believe that the "bye week" refers to the week between the last week of regionals and Atlanta.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

Until FIRST releases the official schedule, I still would not look at any of these dates or venues as set in stone.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

I'm glad I have EricH following me around, fixin' my mistakes. :)

Yeah, by "bye week" I meant the breather week between regionals and the Championship. I know, everyone gets the "bye" so I guess it really isn't a bye week, but "calm before the storm week" isn't short enough.

How soon I forget what happened last year. I was just thinking the difference between a regional Easter weekend (where most teams are local and would get home by Sunday) vs a Championship Easter weekend, where most teams are travelling on the Sunday. But whatever happens will happen, so I'm not too worked up about it.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

Rumor has it that 2009 Florida Regional will be March 12 - March 14, 2009. These dates are not official until FIRST releases all the dates for all regionals.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

This is interesting because in 2004 January 3rd also fell on a Saturday and FIRST decided to move kickoff to Jan 10. I think I remember it was because they thought some people may encounter excessive issues trying to travel so close to New Years day.

But I hope this is correct because it works out better for my work schedule to start Jan 3.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

I'm only repeating dates from what I see at official web sites. A lot has changed in five years, so maybe an earlier date works better for them, or they need all the time they can get. And maybe ;) they've got the 2009 Game in the bag already, so they can't wait to show it off! Okay, maybe not.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

This may be an easier date for those attending the kickoff in NH (will it be easier to travel?), but not sure about for those in the field managing local kickoffs. The new teams and especially the new teachers are going to need a little extra mentoring from those teams/regional committees who have been through the process before. Looking at the logistics, schools will have been on vacation for the previous two weeks. The organization and the communication to the teams attending the local kickoff (for example, the consent forms needed to attend) will all need to take place before the winter break. It's going to be difficult for many to get access to their schools (and workspace) during this weekend. Here in MD, NASA-Goddard is such a HUGE supporter and is the party to receive the KOP's during the previous week. Not sure how big a vacation week this is for them. And I'm guessing this is going to be a tough weekend for the site of the local kickoff.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

Just out of curiousity, and because RoboMom brought the logistics angle in -- how much "stuff" is done at the other kickoff sites? Do they have just the big screen showing NH, or do they also have the Game Field under wraps for post-kickoff inspection? (I'm guessing the KOP distribution is there too.) I realized how spoiled I've been with NH so close, and so jaded in willing not to go yet again -- it is fun, but the benches are so hard to sit on! (It also gives a spot for a student to go in my place.)

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

That depends on the venue. Some are full-field, others are just a room with a big screen. Specifics are usually announced when remote kickoffs are announced.

But, the party is best experienced in Manchester - just bring a cushion!

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

Organizing a local kickoff "takes a village." With the support of NASA-Goddard, the Chesapeake Regional has hosted one the past 6 years and usually has about 40 teams attending. The reality is attending the NH kickoff is just not an option for the vast majority of teams here.

The coordination of receiving the KOP's, the inventory of everything, storage, arranging for distribution and taking care of the paperwork takes time and effort and we are thankful to Goddard for taking this on. Arranging for the NASA feed takes effort. A hosting venue needs to be found. Some years we’ve been able to show some of the game elements, but never the entire field due to space. Some years we've had a sponsor for pizza and donuts, sometimes not. Some years we can offer workshops, some years not. Some years we’ve had local media to publicize FIRST in this area.

It is a lot of fun having all the local teams in one room together, and it’s a great opportunity for communication, back and forth. I’ve never attended the NH kickoff because this local kickoff is too important.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

As for what goes on at other kickoffs, the one at Novi has had most of a practice spec field built the last 3 years. They also have classes in the afternoon ranging from drivetrain (Go Paul and Ken!), to programming and pneumatics. All the teams can bring everyone so no one is left out. I believe the capacity used to be unlimited teams unlimited people but now it might be 100 teams at unlimited people. To show the organization 503 puts into kickoff, I believe they have hosted the biggest kickoff the past few years, yes even bigger than NH. Thank you Frog Force!

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

So,
when is kickoff more likely to happen? Jan. 3 or the 10th?
I say the 10th. Trying to have everything ready right after New Years and people on vacation will be tough. Even a few days later like the last several years, is a lot more time to get into kickoff mode.
But after looking at the possible regional dates and a week 6?? Is that even possible to have it on Jan. 10th?
As I backwards map and CMP dates already being announced, not so sure.
Our State education leaders are pressuring us to get our travel forms in already for approval. :(

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

FIRST has posted the date of January 3, 2009 for Kickoff on the Calendar of Important Dates page on their website, with Kickoff Registration beginning on October 16, 2008, and NH Kickoff Workshop registration beginning November 26, 2008.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

thank you.
didn't know it was already updated.

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

I agree, hosting a kickoff is work, and lots of fun having everyone all pumped up. 40 teams! 100 teams!?! :ahh: We might fit all our one team (and parents) into two classrooms. I was more curious if FIRST sends a Field along (under wraps) or the only official Field is the one at NH. With that many people a practice field could be built in an hour or two, plus the rush to Home Depot.

FIRST says the 3rd. But in Hawaii it's almost the day before.:) :confused:

Wow -- they're just going to have to sit on their hands and wait just like everyone else!

Re: Regional Competition Dates?
 

Our issues stem from a State Superintendent mandate that all travel involving public schools need to be at a minimum. We are now required to do an extra step of approval PRIOR to the normal process of completing travel documents.
Its not that hard to figure out now when "certain" events will be taking place. ;)...................Unofficially. My only concern earlier was kickoff, since that would have changed things.