Re: Greatest Moment in my FIRST career
 

Oh, I was excited as well. Just ask the volunteers I was sitting next to on the arena floor! My excitement kept me from thinking through my actions before I managed to get clocked.
Moral of the story: be careful of mentors and flailing arms!

Re: Greatest Moment in my FIRST career
 

I would have to say that for me it was this last weekend in KC placing 2nd... we had a really bad year last year and i didn't know how the team would work out this year, but everyone on our team(only 10 guys!) worked well with each other and we placed 2nd with teams 2164 and 1985, thanks guys for making it a great SR year for me!

Re: Greatest Moment in my FIRST career
 

To date, this is one of the most inspiring moments I've had the privilege of witnessing. Watching shy students approach these wonderful people to visit for a moment or two was so very special, not to mention the crazy infusion of energy in the robot competition brought by the presence of these folks.

Re: Greatest Moment in my FIRST career
 

I bet I know Karthik's greatest moment: Theres a picture floating around here somewhere of him lying down in all the confetti on Einstein having just won the 2008 Championship.

As for my own greatest moment... I'm not sure. Its kind of a tossup between being Canadian Regional finalists in our rookie year (2003), winning the Wonderland Invitational in 2004, or maybe winning the Kettering Kickoff in 2008, when we werent even on the field... (thanks 2619!)

Re: Greatest Moment in my FIRST career
 

To me, stories like those from wsansewjs, Tetraman, Woody1458 are what I can relate to, and what I believe FIRST is all about.

In 2008, one of our mentors suggested we create a license plate with the FIRST logo on it and make it available to the public. We moved forward with the project, a couple students did the research and design work to submit it to the BMV. At the Boilermaker Regional, we had students circulating the stands & pits, trying to gain the needed 500 signatures on the petition. Our bid was unsuccessful (the BMV decided not to make any new plates that year, but we plan to revisit the project in 2010 with the help of other Indiana teams), but it was still a great exercise for the students.
At the award ceremony on Saturday, as Amanda Morrison was describing the Judges' Award recipient, she mentioned that a team "really stepped up to the plate." I honestly don't remember much after that.
For a 4th-year (at the time) team that had never made it past Saturday Morning, let alone be in contention for an award, to be recognized like that, was the single greatest shot in the arm we could receive.

Re: Greatest Moment in my FIRST career
 

Same moment for me. Winning with my son as the driver is one of my best moments in my entire life. Sharing that moment with my pseudo son Greigh and you and Nick made it even more special.

Winning for Randy after so many years of struggle was also great.

I still tear up when I see the picks.

Re: Greatest Moment in my FIRST career
 

I would have to say 2007 atlanta - great year to be the driver on my team. Between being undefeated after the first day of qualifications to being in the finals of our division and all the time between and after, it was great.

Re: Greatest Moment in my FIRST career
 

1-anytime spent with FIRST buddys
2-2007 when my team 8 seed beat the first seed (365) and when on the get 2nd

Re: Greatest Moment in my FIRST career
 

My greatest moment in FIRST is probably very different than most.

I've been part of teams that have won regionals, won rookie all star, and many other awards, but my greatest moment happened at a little offseason event ('Mayhem in Merrimack' put on by Chop shop 166).

The game was triple play and that was the year that everything that could have gone wrong did. We got boxed out of our home regional due to school internet issues, so we had to travel that year. During our 1 regional, anything that could go wrong did, including an incorrect rules interpretataion that required us to rebuild our lift system at the regional. Needless to say it was a very uninspirational year (so far).

Anyways, at the offseason event things started to click ... the robot was performing perfectly, the new autonomous code was on spot every time, things were just going our way. After the seeding rounds we were the #1 seed at 8-0. We chose the 2nd seed and they declined (wanting to work with another team). We went through the quarter- and semi- finals without a loss (as did the #2 seed).

In the finals, we won the first match and they won the second match, setting up a 3rd match for the championship. With a few seconds left in this 3rd match the score was tied and we were trying to cap a tetra 7-high on the center goal (very high for those who do not know the game). The #2 seed team was playing some rough defense and our 'bot tipped over. The referee called the tipping intentional and that gave us the game / match and event champions ... but our students didn't believe that they tipped us intentionally and without prompting from anyone went to the head referee and asked if we could decline the penalty. The head referee explained that we had won and if he recinded the penalty it would be a tie and would have to be replayed, to which our students replied "We don't believe that they tipped us on purpose and we don't want to win that way".

The head referee recinded the penalty, we replayed the match and we won ... but, in truth (in my mind), the kids won the second they asked the referee to recind the penalty. That is my greatest moment in FIRST.

Re: Greatest Moment in my FIRST career
 

For me the greatest moment in my FIRST experience had to be making it onto Einstein as my first year as a driver and second year on a team.

Re: Greatest Moment in my FIRST career
 

I have two awesome moments.

My first would be 2 years ago. I was a sophmore and it was my first year on the team (our school doesn't have freshman). We deicded to go to the Midwest Regional even though we knew it was a hard regional and we were only a second year team. We had a good run and then at alliance selections we were picked by wildstang. We made it all the way to the finals. The first two matches were ties. We lost the next match. Then our robot broke so we had another team replace us. We then won the next two matches and the regional all together.

My second favorite memory is this year at the KC Regioanal. The announcer was describing the Regional Chairman's Award winner. We then realized it was us.

It is awesome being able to go to Atlanta my first and last year on the team.

Re: Greatest Moment in my FIRST career
 

The Greatest Moment in my FIRST career was when I saw my team mates stand up for what was right.

We were having a coaching issue where the coach (who's also the head mentor) got very upset with the Drive Team for a decision we made. We weren't at fault, except for not listening to him but he proceeded to take the Human's Player's badge away and told me he didn't need me to drive. I gave my badge back and sat in the stands. About 5 minutes later I got a call telling me to come back and drive. I walked into the pits and everyone seemed to realize that we were right. We won our next 3 matches without that coach and were the #6 seed.

Sometimes, good friends are the best Award.

Re: Greatest Moment in my FIRST career
 

My regional is week six so I'm hoping that my current moment will be topped ;)
But here is my current "moment".

As a rookie team, last year, we like the only robot (maybe besides one other) that nearly went a whole lap (in autonomous)! Our robot was way over the line but our driving wheels were not, so didn't count as one lap, but nonetheless the whole crowd wend ballistic when we completed that one circle.

Re: Greatest Moment in my FIRST career
 

I'm glad we could help create that amazing memory. I was the scout for Winnovation at the time and was out on the field for alliance selections. After Stang picked us, their scout turned to me with his list and asked me what team we should pick. I looked at the list and saw 1816 and remembered that you guys could play good defense and were decent at dumping in the lower goals. You guys really rounded out a solid alliance. I didn't know it at the time, but I heard that your team had headed back to the hotel because you didn't think you would make eliminations. Your team then got an excited phone call telling them to get back to the arena because you had been picked for eliminations. We then went on to win the competition.

You guys then went on to seed 6th in Archimedes which was an incredible feat for a rookie team. I always kept an eye on your team through champs and I was happy to know that I had a part in getting you there. You guys went on to do great things in 2007 and we saw the number of teams from Minnesota increase very quickly. I'm not sure how much credit I can really take, but I like to say that I am slightly responsible for FIRST in Minnesota. I'm really glad we could do that for you guys. I look for you guys every year and I'm glad we get to compete with you guys again this year in Wisconsin. I can't wait.

This is one of my favorite memories.

Re: Greatest Moment in my FIRST career
 

2008 Finals on Einstein with our partners 67 and 348 and our opponents 148, 217, and 1114. It was a wonderful priviledge to be in the company of such great teams whose mentors do so much to inspire their students and challenge all of us in FIRST.