2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

OK!!! Now with the regular season officially over, the big question finally comes up. Who's gonna send in a application for the 2009 Indiana Robotics Invitational? Who is also going just to volunteer? And who is going just to see the fierce competition?

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Team 1538 - The Holy Cows will be submitting an application for the first time ever! We're excited to see if we get in and get a chance to play with such a great bunch of teams.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

179 and 1649 are applying as is 233 i believe. I really want to have a regional champs face off. Like FL vs SVR vs Midwest vs Michigan. It would be so much fun

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Team 694 will be applying for the first time.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

1503 will be applying.

:]

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

You know a team 1018 is all over IRI.:cool:

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

I am a graduating Senior, I was wondering where I might be able to sign up to volunteer?

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

125 will give it a shot this year.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Pay attention to the 2009 IRI thread on CD for now, and keep checking www.indianaroboticsinvitational.org. The volunteer details will most likely appear there.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

1646 will be applying once again this year. If things don't work out with us getting in, we will volunteer.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Team 910 will definitely be applying again, and will hopefully be able to compete with everyone as we didn't have the money to compete in Atlanta this year. I might personally volunteer and will probably manage to drag along some of the other guys to do so. :p

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

I actually hope that my team could get accepted. We might be rookies but we hope that we will get accepted on account on our success this year.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

I'm pushing for Team 1714 to apply this year. I might volunteer if we don't get in anyway jsut so I get a close look at all the quality robots I had no time to see in Atlanta.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

My team wants to enter but I yself will apply again to que.
I just have to see if I can do one or two days.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

I'm pretty sure 233 will not be applying this year.

I'd like for 254 to return to IRI this year. We had a blast in 2007 and I've had a ton of fun when I went on my own in 2004 and with 968 in 2008.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Team 79 will be sending in an application.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

832 will be sending in an application.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

1771 will most likely be applying.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

67 will be applying. Hopefully we will be attending with our backup drive team and substitute coach.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

2775 is going to be applying and hopes to come "play with the big boys"

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

1923 will be applying for the first time. If we don't get in, a few of us will be volunteering.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Do most teams that attend use new drivers if there current drivers are graduating? I would think this would be the perfect time to phase in new drivers and prepare them for the stress of competition.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

I'm not sure if 1189 will be applying. If we don't, or if we do and don't get in, I'll most likely be volunteering ("Hey mom, can we take a road trip down to Indiana...?")

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

There is a mix. Many schools do not allow graduated students to travel with the team, since they are not longer students. Other times, the current drive team cannot all attend.

We will "probably" start our new drive team transition, since all three students on this years team were Seniors.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

1251 will be applying to go to the IRI event, which will certainly be great as always. The team attended in 2007 and in 2008 I went on my own.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Yet, many teams use IRI as their "last hurrah" for their seniors and past year's drive teams.

I would guess that about 1/2 of the IRI drive teams are new.

Andy B.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

I'm going to watch, just need to find a way to get done there

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

447 will be applying.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

1625 will also be applying, wonder if we'll be on the 5th seeded alliance again....lol watch out #1

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Team 48 will be applying. *crickets*

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

I plan to attend personally and probably volunteer as well. What is another (half) day of vacation when you have already taken 4.5 days out of the 12 you have?

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

829 will also be applying and I'll be volunteering.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Travis has once again proven the adage that the more modest you are, the more others will sing your praises. Looks like I'm the yodeler.

1529 has their fingers crossed, and will likely bring the seasoned drive team (we'll have a rookie team at another lower-level offseason event). We've probably got a few folks that will volunteer if needed.

[offtopic] I just saw these ::ouch:: ::safety:: tee hee [/offtopic]

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

MOE will be applying for the first time on our 10th anniversary!
Hopefully, it will be a happy anniversary and we will get accepted.
It will be a "last hurrah" for our only 2 year driver in history.

[offtopic] My favorite smiley :D was bumped from the main list [/offtopic]

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Team 79 will be applying and probably giving the reigns to our main drivers from this year, although neither is graduating.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Team 107 is going to apply and hopes to return for another go at it!

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

I never been to IRI and i never really heard of it till this season( since its my first time in FRC) but, it seems as though IRI is bigger than the championship on account of how much its talked about and how many team can go. Hopefully 3119 can go!

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

This is an opinion only and everyone who is passionate about IRI and about the Championship has an opinion about them, I'm sure.

IRI is not bigger than the Championship. It has steadily built a reputation over time and this reputation is very strong and very solid. The off-season organizers have taken the time to develop the competition (and all of the other areas that are a part of the competition and aspects of the event), making it run like a well-oiled machine and a powerful one.

It is an extraordinary off-season. That said, it is not the Championship and never will be. Comparing them is not fair to either event, really. It's fun to talk about the teams and the rankings and the excitement of IRI and you can talk about the caliber of teams and people involved in IRI. It is still not the Championship.

The white papers that one of the organizers, Chris Fultz, puts out regarding IRI are excellent guides in how to develop and run an off-season event like IRI. Those prove very helpful in regions like mine where there have not been any off-seasons for a long time and we are just now starting to offer one again. The information that Chris makes available is invaluable and generous and I, for one, am very appreciative.

The Championship is the Championship. FLL, FTC, FRC - everyone gathered from all over the world in Atlanta. That's pretty good stuff there. It is the official culmination of the build and competition season and is a celebration. IRI extends the season into an off-season and it allows teams to let new drive teams gain some experience during the downtime and to compete again before the official season begins anew. Off-season events are great for that.

You can go back and search for/find threads regarding the IRI event for past years. They can be interesting reads and can give you a little added insight into the event and the planning of it.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Like Jane said IRI isn't the championship. It's more like a regional where the competition is on the level of the championship.

And it's like a massive CD webhug. You get to see so many people that you didn't get to see in Atlanta because ATL is just too big.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Ok thanks for the intel

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

I believe that 2265 will give IRI a shot this year, actually. :p

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

The ThunderChickens will be applying again this year. This year is definitely going to be a lot of fun. :)

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I'm also trying to find a way up there to volunteer. Team Queuing would be fantastic. Anybody when the volunteer info comes out/ how we register for that?

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Team 1507 is thinking about applying. It would be self funded rather than team funded though as we don't have a whole lot of dough.

How does the selection process work for IRI? I've never been so I'm just a tad curious.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

After teams apply, invitations are decided upon and awarded by a committee. I don't remember exactly who was on the committee but I believe Chris Fultz and Andy Baker kind of headlined it. I could be wrong though.

Team 171 will be applying and hopes to attend for the second consecutive year.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Team 1714 is applying (for the first time ?) this year. I wanna see how we stack up to (more of) the best in the world, so I hope we get a chance to drive down and compete.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Yea if my team doesn't apply or doesn't get accepted, I would want to volunteer so much.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Exploding Bacon will be submitting an application. Our rule is that graduated seniors can no longer drive. (we had to amend that rule last year as our new driver got stuck in Italy and was tired when he finally got to us)

Im sure if we don't make it in.......we will still have members there volunteering

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

come on up and bring the good kind of swine flu!

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yes good luck with that lol

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I wanna to go!

Too bad its so far away:rolleyes:

Guess Ill' just have to settle for Mission Mayhem:rolleyes:

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

well unfortunately 3119 cant go. the detroit public school system is going under some serious reconstruction and its hard to get approved for certain right to travel

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Does your school really have the authority to restrict students' travel during the summer?

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

To Alan's point, many teams focus on a bare bones support system for IRI. You won't see a ton of fancy pit displays, and a lot fewer 200 person teams. What you will see is the hard core core there. For many 40 person teams, 4-10 do most of the stuff, and those are the ones there.

They really should hold a FIRST-a-holics anonymous meeting in the parking lot...:yikes:

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Well, hopefully they'll have an IRI webhug - that's kind of the same thing. :)

Dwayne, sorry to hear the team has run into some snafus in getting to IRI.
Jane

2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

I would imagine that in the case of 3119, they can't afford to go unless they got school support.

Nope, it'd have to be in the queuing line, because that's where Koko Ed will be. :rolleyes:

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

I know, at least in the case of my school, that the Robot is considered School Property sometimes. A group of Students and I wanted to borrow it last summer to go to an off-season and we were told it wouldn't be allowed unless we got it board approved and had a team advisor go with us. I'd imagine that 3119 is in a similar situation.

On another note, A friend and I are seriously considering driving out there to see what IRI is all about.

Re: 2009 IRI entries? Volunteers? Spectators?
 

Don't y'all love bureaucracies? In our case, the school (more like the principal) restricts student travel to summer events if a teacher cannot attend. In such cases, students can only go if one of their parents attends with them.

Great to know that school administrators believe they know what's best for students moreso than the students' own parents. But in all reality, it all boils down to a chronic fear of getting sued. I'm not even kidding. "You can have parents sign waivers releasing the school from liability, and it doesn't even matter; lawyers will find a way around it". Actual quote from a teacher. Don't you love modern society? :rolleyes:

Highly recommended! :)