2011 FRC Season dates
 

I am trying to update our team calendar for next year. I know that Kickoff is January 8 and Championship is April 27-30. That gave us an extra week than normal and two extra weeks comparing to last year.

Does anybody know whether we are going to have 7 weeks to build and 6 weeks of district/regional or 6 weeks to build and 7 weeks of competition before World Championship? Or we will just have an idle week to get some sleep. I will vote for that.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

I don't "KNOW", but I can speculate that we will have 6 weeks of build. I can also speculate that there will be 6 weeks of regionals, but that's highly speculative

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

usually most regionals that are on university campuses are held during that school's spring break, that might give you an idea on some dates for regionals.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Autodesk Oregon is March 24th-26th. This was confirmed by our FIRST regional contact. We're also pretty sure that it's a week 4 regional this year, although this was not confirmed.
This is a departure, as historically, Oregon has been a week 1 or 2 event.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

This is what I'd speculate as well, but it's not like my speculations make any difference. I just have to wait for the surprise and hope my home regionals come at times when I can actually attend them. :)

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Considering that RITs spring break falls between February 28th to March 7th it looks like FLR will most likely happen March 3rd thru the 5th which means week 1 (ARGH!) since FLR has always went on during Spring break.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Ugh.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Double Ugh.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Triple UGH!

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

See you guys say, "Ugh" and I say "Awesome" because it means that Finger Lakes is the likely place the ThunderChickens will compete since it may be week 1. I really like FLR.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

I'm not so sure about that. FIRST asked the Hall of Fame teams if we would prefer a 7 week build season. I believe other research was being done to evaluate a 7 week build season as well.

I hope it's 6.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

My problem is FLR is a great regional and I hate to see it dragged down by the plague of bugs that seem to happen to all the week one events.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Well, yeah, of course. :rolleyes:
You guys are wimps! :D NJ has been week 1 for 6 years at least, and I'm still alive.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

This year, P'tree was a first week regional, and I have to be honest, we came out of the regional with a bad taste in our mouths, but the bottom line is that the experience was worth while. We took the experience to our second regional (about 3 weeks buffer), and we did well.

But I guess it is troublesome for teams who attend only one regional, especially with this year's week 1 regionals resulting in large changes.

- Sunny

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

We went to San Diego this year, and it was the first week 1 regional for any of us on the team. I'm sure almost the whole team would say it was the longest, hardest and most stressful regional we've ever been to: close to nothing worked on our robot; there were field problems; the rules weren't in their best shape of the season, as it seemed like every other match was a 0-0 tie.

BUT, if there's one thing it taught us was teamwork. I don't think I've seen our team work together the way it did those 3 days. Instead of complaining and arguing, we came together and decided to bank on what was working well: our drive system. We took a completely defensive approach to the rest of the competition, and found our way into the semifinals.

While week 1 regionals have their problems, I think it's worth it. The adversity really brings a team together.

Just my $0.02 on the subject

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

looking at the academic schedules for universities where regional events are held, this is what we come up with

Week 1 (3/3/11-3/5/11)
+Finger Lakes Regional

Week 2 (3/10/11-3/12/11)
+Florida Regional
+WPI Regional

Week 3 (3/17/11-3/19/11)
+Boilermaker Regional
+Las Vegas Regional

Week 4 (3/24/11-3/26/11)
+Autodesk Oregon Regional
+Palmetto Regional
+Philadelphia Regional
+VCU Regional

Week 5 (3/31/11-4/2/11)
+Silicone Valley Regional

UC Davis has a break from 3/19-3/24 so they might do a Tuesday/Wednesday thing again, possibly on 3/22-3/23. The University of Minnesota does not host their regional events during their spring break therefore they are excluded from this list. If anyone has any extra events to add to this list, please let me know and i'll make the changes ASAP

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

3/24-26/2011 for Hawaii. Already being advertised as such.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

What's wrong with a 45-day build season? It's long enough, and the teams who are extremely successful keep the engineering process going after that 45 days as it is.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Has anybody heard about any new regionals, usually Dean gives some sort of hint at the end of champs. What about the North Carolina Regional - this was a great regional.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

SVR and Oregon are wrong, barring dramatic changes. SVR is almost always week 3 and Oregon week 1/2.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Seconded.
6 weeks burns most teams out enough. Any lengthening of the true build season will add to the mentor burnout factor, and mentor retention being a top priority of FIRST makes me think they would want to avaoid this.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Add me to the following lists:

- 6 week build cycle: I'm pretty burned out by Tuesday 2AM when the box is sealed shut. Another week and I think I'd be falling over. I'm not sure that the 7th week would be a bonus, I'm thinking it would be just another seven 20 hour days of panic at the end.

- people that love FLR: We went last year and had a blast, our roboteers want to go back for Ruckus in the fall.

- people that go "ugh" over FLR being Week 1. We had a good time, but wow were we burned out at the end. Maybe if it's week 2.

My HERO! I'd love to play against the ThunderChickens, but not at the expense of the soul crushing that is Week One. How about coming to Philly and I'll treat to famous Philly Cheese-steaks to make up for the longer drive?

Hey FIRST, how about a 6 week build, a two week gap and 6 weeks of events?

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Now thats actually a good idea.

Plus events like Suffield etc. Could be held during that time, instead of Build season.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Oregon is going to be a week 4 regional event this year. It was the only week that the Memorial Coliseum could be secured.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

No, they couldn't. We wouldn't have robots unless the shipping/bagging rules were changed.:D

Although a 2 week break before week one regionals would make competing then more pallatable I think the extra week will be between the final regionals week and championship like in the past when for scheduling reasons the Championship was later.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

My "dream scenario" (which ignores the fact that many regionals would need to find new venues if week 1 is changed dramatically as suggested below):

-6 week build

-Only one week 1 event (that rotates around the country). It would effectively be an official post-ship scrimmage. Teams who opt to attend get to uncrate/unbag their robots early and maybe get a reduced registration fee in return for having to deal with the normal week 1 issues. This lets all of FIRST keep a close eye on the competition to ensure smooth sailing for the rest of the season.

-5 or 6 weeks of regular districts/regionals (depending on the calendar configuration in a given year)

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

I like this idea. It is probably most attractive teams that are going to week 1 events.
Last year we went to week 1 and 2 events. We don't go home between events, so we are on the road for almost two weeks.
Six weeks of build, one week to catch up after putting personal life off for six weeks, get house and yard ready to be gone two weeks, and almost two weeks of travel and competition. That's a significant part of a year for both the students and mentors. I'm retired, so I have part of my days free. I have tremendous respect for the mentors that work and spend most of their free time during FRC season with their teams. An extra week would be a lot to ask of both the mentors and students.
We're probably doing week 1 and 2 again this year. I'd love to have a week of breathing room before the first competition.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

after further review, your right on SVR, it doesn't coincide with SJSU's spring break, and it hasn't for the past two years.

please see the above post for the information about the Autodesk Oregon Regional (i wonder if this means the Seattle Regionals/Superregional will be early in the event season)

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

dunno how this hasnt been posted but week 1 = BAE... for the past 7 seasons since its true inception in 2003

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

From the US Cellular Arena website:

Wisconsin's the same week as WPI again. :/

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

I'm going against the norm. I say build season should be either 6 or 7 weeks depending on the game.
This year, teams were figuring out drivetrains for the "bump", scoring into goals aka "kicker" and then an end game. IMO, that was too much engineering in just a 6 week build season. I saw too many robots that didnt do much during the week 1 and some week 2 events.
With either a 7 week build season this year, OR an extra week before a week 1 regional, that might have made for a better set of week 1 regionals across the country.

This was by far the worst build season for our team since our rookie year, hands down. I'm pretty burnt out and need a break after IRI.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

I like the concept expressed by Collin Fultz earlier this year. No Bag&Tag nor shipping to Regional events. Teams are able repair and modify their robots throughout the Competition season.

I would prefer that there was an extra week between the last Regional and the Championship events to allow teams to repair and finalize their robot prior to the Championship event. The Ship date would be the Tuesday of the week prior to the week of the Championship event.

This would mean that only the teams going to the Championship event would be required to crate and ship their robots. For District and Regional events, teams would be required to arrange for their own robot transportation.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

I think a match with 6 469-clones would be very boring.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Very true. Not sure I'ld say the same about the Simbotics sextuplets or a Host of Hots or a Herd of Chickens ...

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

True, but a match where 4 - 6 robots could drive, control, kick, and hang as well and quickly as the top teams (33, 1114, 254, et al) would be some of the most exciting of the year. You'd be more likely to see those types of matches at regionals, instead of having to wait until Einstein.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

I truly don't think that this will help make robots that much more competitive. Teams that don't build good robots do it for a reason, and it's generally not because they don't have enough time. If you give them all the time in the world they're probably going to perform better initially, but I think it's just going to help them reach their ceiling more quickly. I think for a lot of them, that ceiling is going to be in the same place it was during a 6 week build period.

I'm guessing the reason poor performing robots get built is because teams are either not dedicated to the robot building process, don't have mentors to support the build, or are seriously, seriously limited by the resources available to them. None of those situations get any better with additional time. Incremental improvement, sure, but not dramatic improvement.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Work expands to fill the time allotted. If you give a Week 6 competing team (1 competition) the full time from Kickoff to Week 6 to build, modify, test, and tweak their robot, they'll still show up at their event with a robot that needs major building on Thursday.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

You're both probably absolutely correct. Even with infinite access to our robot, I'm not sure Cyber Blue would have changed our bot that much from Ship Day to Championships. I was simply stating an opposing viewpoint to the notion that everyone would have simply copied the 469 design (though it still would have been possible to do with the witholding allowance).

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Of course everyone wouldn't change their robot midseason, but I think enough people would copy or 'get inspired by' the best ideas to make enough of the robots too similar. Just look at 2008 when several teams saw 121's buildseason video and then built a reverse hurdler. Yes, it may have made those teams more sucessful, but at the cost of orginality and robot diversity. Personally, I would have all different kinds of robots than higher scores by a couple of cookie cutter designs.

Although it may have been partially due to their style of play, all the deflectors/trampolines that teams built midseason really made the game less exciting, in my opinion. At MARC there were a couple of matches where both alliances had a deflector bot and it was just a race to see who was quicker scoring in the first zones. No variation in style and strategy makes for a boring match.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

There's been some discussion about holding two events in Seattle on two different weekends, but I'm not sure where that plan stands now.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

For what it's worth, I think deflector versus deflector matches have a lot more interesting strategic options than simply "cycle faster"! I imagine teams like 1625 and 294 actively defending one deflector by scoring from the back zone would have made strategy interesting, as well as the general elements of "score faster with less balls, or try and control as many as possible without necessarily scoring?" would have made these matches more interesting than what was seen at MARC. After IRI would probably be a better time to evaluate if "deflector versus deflector" would be unstrategic and boring.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

As you point out, cloning happens in the current system. And I agree with the perspectives that not all would take full advantage of additional time. Perhaps there would be more cloning or more effective cloning; I'm not convinced that would significantly detract from the diversity of designs or that it would be such a bad thing. It could result in good ideas being made better.

For me there are a few advantages. The opportunity to experience and practice continual improvement by developing your own concept or combining your concept with others that you see to create an even better outcome. For me this is an extension of Coopertition. It could take the pressure and intensity off of the build season (that may or may not be a good thing). It would reduce the burden on FedEx. It would provide teams the opportunity to be in their best possible condition when they arrive at Championships.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

What was this thread about? :p

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Oh you must be new here :cool:

Just wait for the two control system posts and then it will be a complete CD thread:

• Event Dates and which regionals are better
• Building skills
• Gracious professionalism and coopertition
• Robot design
• Bag and tag vs crates
• Control systems - Labview vs java and how the IFI controller was better

:rolleyes:

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Personally I wouldn't mind an extra week between ship date and Week 1 just because that is when we generally debug our programming and make it more than just survivable (we hold the whole control system back) espcially since we go to the DC regional which has been in Week 1.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

HAWW! :D

Oh hallelujah and raise a shout for a Week Four AOR! We've struggled through field errors for years...although the AOR is really well run, in my and my team's opinion. But static shutting the whole field down during finals during Lunacy...when I hear that problem got fixed pretty easily in later regionals...well we've all been there and done that :P

On the Seattle regional: If we [and most Oregon teams, I assume] try to go to a second regional, Seattle is probably going to be it, since it looks like Davis is going to be a Week Four event also [?]
When and where can we find more info on Seattle?

Thanks all, very helpful thread! My iCal is getting updated as we speak....

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Pre-FIRST releasing event dates, you will probably get your best indication of when an event may actually be based on the venue's schedule (sometimes posted on its website), since that more or less shows that the planning committee has already made a contract with it for the next year.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

I just asked a simple question and got a great deal of wonderful discussion on what is the purpose of life and everything in between.

I think reading in between the posts, it is most probably going to be 6 weeks of build, 1 week break, 6 weeks of competition, 2 weeks break and then FIRST Championship. At least this is what I hoped. I can't survive more than 6 weeks of build. We pretty much stop new development after ship date even if we get "inspired" by other teams. It is also good for teams that make it to championship at Week 6 to have more time to raise money and plan for the FIRST Championship. Without Team 33's help the last 2 years, we would not have been able to get our robot shipped out in such short notice after making the World Championship in Week 6 (5 last year)

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

I talked with our FRC Regional Director today, and it sounds like Seattle will be a week 3 event with two fields and up to 140 teams. Right now they're at the behest of Quest Field (Home of the Seattle Seahawks) to confirm.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

If Seattle is indeed a week 3 event that will make it hard to do Portland as a second play since it's a week 4 event. You can do back to back events but shipping gets expensive and time management gets tricky. There is typically a lot of interaction between Washington and Oregon teams but this would cut down the number that do both events.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Woah mega regional!

This would be great for some teams, but is totally impractical for others who travel long distances to regionals. Plus, it would pretty much prevent Hawaii teams from competing on the mainland (besides the Championship) and vice-versa.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

This is going to be a tricky situation for OR and WA teams wishing to attend a second regional. I assume we'll have a smaller overall competition, which I personally will regret... Easier on scouts though ;) I've heard AOR has run out of room in past years [62 teams last year, I believe], so we might see more teams from farther afield.

I'll be in charge of organizing and collecting info on whether we want to attend a second regional: our team is from Oregon and we've done a second regional [Davis] a few times in the past, quite a few years ago.
What are some opinions of teams in the PNW who've had experience with second regionals? I'll try to find out more info on Davis, although I'm not keen on their probable 2-day schedule, and somebody had said it would likely be the week of AOR...

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

We'd love to have you back at Davis again. I haven't heard any official word on the dates for Davis. I checked the ARC Pavillion calendar and the only thing on it is some event on Thursday 4/7 and Friday 4/8, but nothing reserved for Saturday. This could the two day FRC event or it could be something completely different - hard to tell.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

And we'd love to come back! I was talking a few days ago with some other local teams and they [having been to Davis more recently..and took first place...one of the few teams from Oregon to EVER win two regionals...Team 997, I love 'em, gotta do a promo :D ] said they really liked the area, campus and so on.
I have a personal fondness for Davis, because I went down there with the team [my dad is a mentor] in 2006, a really good year for our team [semi-finals and Xerox Creativity Award]. I was about 13, still in junior high, hated math, never thought I'd come to love technology and so on. Well I went to the competition and I loved it...was cheering for our team the whole time...the seeds for my current FIRST-obsession were sown ;) It was two years until I actually became involved again, but I like to think back to the early days in a stadium in California, a shy adolescent was developing her insane dedication to promoting engineering.... *sigh* When observing the turn-off for Davis on a recent trip to Cal, I actually exclaimed 'Ah! Dear old Davis!' in reference to that year...

All this verbage to say that I really hope Davis works out for our second regional, assuming we get one! And probably 997 will be with us, flush from this year's trip to Championships...our two teams love each other :)

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

The SBPLI Regional will be March 24-26

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Do any insiders have an idea of when the Boston and Connecticut Regionals will fall? Or you just can plan them to be at both ends of MIT's spring break so I can volunteer at them both. ;) I'll probably find a way to make it to Boston no matter when it is because it's so nearby, but I'll be sad if I can't make it to my home regional this year.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

The Palmetto regional will be "in late March", so I would assume that is the 24th like last year. The venue has changed.... Closer for the Florida teams:D

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

That's crazy talk right there. Next thing you know we'll have watergames! And kids will actually start liking math and science and spend countless hours building robots because they actually find it fun and inspiring. Scary thoughts.

I'm currently at BU and am now incredibly tempted to find out. Incredibly.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Can you also convince the team to sign up for the Boston Regional this year? It's really fantastic (not that I don't love CTR too!)

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Not Clemson anymore? Where's Palmetto being held then?

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Going down to the North Charleston Coliseum.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Dates for Virginia formerly VCU regional are April 7-8, this is the latest this regional has ever been.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

From the Washington Convention Center website, the DC regional is March 25-26. A two day event, and much later than usual.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Week 1 (3/3/11-3/5/11)
+Finger Lakes Regional (break)

Week 2 (3/10/11-3/12/11)
+Florida Regional (break)
+WPI Regional (break)
+Wisconsin Regional (confirmed on venue website)

Week 3 (3/17/11-3/19/11)
+Boilermaker Regional
+Las Vegas Regional

Week 4 (3/24/11-3/26/11)
+DC Regional (posted)
+Autodesk Oregon Regional
+Hawaii Regional
+Palmetto Regional
+Philadelphia Regional
+Long Island

Week 5 (3/31/11-4/2/11)

Week 6 (4/7/11-4/8/11)
+Virginia Regional (posted)

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Chris, based on the dates you just posted, that means two weeks between week 6 events and champs, right?

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

That or there's 7 weeks of regionals. There's no way FLR can be Week 1 and VCU can be week 6 without either a week 7 or a two week break.

Does anyone know when this comes out "for real"?

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Using the Minnesota Gopher sports calendar the dates for the 10K Lakes and Northstar can be whittled down to a few possibilites

Week 1 (3/3/11-3/5/11) Possible Men's BB game, schedule not yet released.
Week 2 (3/10/11-3/12/11) Gymnastics in the Sports Pavillion and potentially WCHA First Round hockey in Mariucci
Week 3 (3/17/11-3/19/11) Big Ten Women's Gymnastics Championship in the Sports Pavillion
Week 4 (3/24/11-3/26/11) Potential NCAA Hockey Regional in Mariucci
Week 5 (3/31/11-4/2/11)
Week 6 (4/7/11-4/8/11)

So weeks 1, 5 and 6 are possible with 5 and 6 being most likely.

Of the remaining two, I think it makes the most sense that they would stick with the same weekend as last year and be Week 5.

Also, at the MN Mentor Forum the possibility of a Week 2 event in Duluth (in addition to the 2 Twin Cities regionals) was mentioned.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Cool. Thanks! 2415 might be making a return to Palmetto after a year at North Carolina :)

Nothing on Peachtree yet, but definitely not a week 3 like it used to be (according to the Gwinnett Civic Center's calendar). I wonder if it'll be week 1 again?

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Holy...that took a little bit to register...and I guess I'm kind of torn about it. I like that we're moving from Little John. I felt the flooring was horrible, and the trip from the pits to stands was less then enjoyable. But this move almost doubles our commute, and with a two hour drive, we usually have a group coming in Saturday morning, that no longer seems feasible.

Palmetto was definitely interesting this year without the onslaught of GA Teams that we had last year (1771/1746/2415).

Looking at the availability of space now @ GCC, the only weekend that wouldn't work is the one of 3/19, so they pretty much have their pick.

- sunny

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

The teams from our neighbors up North across the border will LOVE a regional in Duluth. Hope they can manage not to have it on the same weekend as the Canadian regionals. Duluth is a GREAT city!

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Greater Kansas City Regional is week 1, March3/4/5.

Should be a great year.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Having 7 weeks of regionals would be ideal for HI teams.
Do HI first, then another set of mainland events plus championships.

Our robot shipment costs would be drastically reduced to say the least.
I hope more east coast regionals pop up in later weeks after ours.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Last I had heard, a regional at Duluth this year was unlikely. Funding is the issue (so, if you know of people/companies/organizations that would like to help in that respect, I am sure Mark Lawrence would love to hear from you and them).
As to it being a week two regional, this seems unlikely for the same reason as it can't be in the Twin Cities: WCHA first round hockey is that weekend. The Bulldogs are at DECC where the robotics competition would be. I had heard early season regional as well though and there is a scheduled series for the Bulldogs during "week 1." I was pretty sure they were planning to use the ice arena, but maybe I am wrong about that.

I would be hesitant about this, but hope it would be true. My recollection is that there are not many teams from Canada that are particularly close to Duluth. That said, this may be an opportunity for teams to form in western Ontario and Manitoba (Thunder Bay and Winnipeg in particular).

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Does anybody know the dates of the 2011 Northeast Utilities Connecticut Regional?

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

It has been weeks 3-5 depending on the year over the last 8 seasons. It was week 3/(St Paddy's day Weekend) 2003, 2005-2008, week 4 in 2004 and week 5 in 2009-2010 when the name was changed to the CT regional. I believe it floats with venue availability. There is no schedule posted yet for the CT Convention Center for the correct time frame next year yet. It looks like having it as a week 5 event might be the plan because until the last 2 years it was usually week 3, but only the organzers know at this point.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Anybody have an idea on the Midwest Regional? Last year it was week 3, the week after Wisconsin, but they also scheduled it the same time as the St. Louis regional, as well as another regional, so I can't have any idea as to where they will have it. Anyone know?

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

If the Midwest Regional is during UIC's spring break, it will be a week 4 competition (March 24-26th). Though last year they had it during the last days before spring break, which would make it a week 3 event again (March 15-17th).

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Not sure where you got the idea that Las Vegas Regional for 2011 is third week Chris...I am on the planning committee and I can tell you that it will take place March 31-April 2 as of this point, so feel free to adjust your list to reflect the news. Expect another well run regional again so make plans to join us! Stay up to date with our website:
http://engineering.unlv.edu/first/

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

I copied and pasted information from earlier saying it would fall on a spring break. Thanks for the update.


Does anyone know anything about Waterloo or GTR next year? My team is seriously contemplating both events.


Week 1 (3/3/11-3/5/11)
+Greater Kansas City Regional (posted)
+Finger Lakes Regional (break)

Week 2 (3/10/11-3/12/11)
+Florida Regional (break)
+WPI Regional (break)
+Wisconsin Regional (confirmed on venue website)

Week 3 (3/17/11-3/19/11)
+Boilermaker Regional

Week 4 (3/24/11-3/26/11)
+DC Regional (posted)
+Autodesk Oregon Regional
+Hawaii Regional
+Palmetto Regional
+Philadelphia Regional
+Long Island

Week 5 (3/31/11-4/2/11)
+Las Vegas Regional (posted)

Week 6 (4/7/11-4/8/11)
+Virginia Regional (posted)

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

If I had to guess, the Midwest Regional will be a week 3 again, because they seem to like to keep it on the first half of the season. Also it being a week 3 event would directly follow Wisconsin once again this year. But, then again, you never know :P

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Actually, now that I think about it, week 4 would be preferable for most teams because then they would have a week in between Wisconsin and Midwest, which I know many teams attend both.

But again, you never know with FIRST :P

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

It looks like NC will be week six again...
"April
7-9
2011 FIRST NC Robotics Regional Tournament - a high school robotics tournament featuring competition between 44 teams from across the country and Brazil. Spectators are welcome from 9 am - 5 pm on April 8 and 9- no spectator admission fee. Sponsored by NASA, Cisco and Credit Suisse."

http://www.ncstatefair.org/events/4-11.htm

Week 1 (3/3/11-3/5/11)
+Greater Kansas City Regional (posted)
+Finger Lakes Regional (break)

Week 2 (3/10/11-3/12/11)
+Florida Regional (break)
+WPI Regional (break)
+Wisconsin Regional (confirmed on venue website)

Week 3 (3/17/11-3/19/11)
+Boilermaker Regional

Week 4 (3/24/11-3/26/11)
+DC Regional (posted)
+Autodesk Oregon Regional
+Hawaii Regional
+Palmetto Regional
+Philadelphia Regional
+Long Island

Week 5 (3/31/11-4/2/11)
+Las Vegas Regional (posted)

Week 6 (4/7/11-4/8/11)
+Virginia Regional (posted)
+North Carolina Regional (confirmed on venue website)

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Hahaha, yay for Granite State Regional in NH too!

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Thanks for sharing. NC and Virginia is a good possibility since our robot could get there in time.:rolleyes:

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Anyone know when the new Tennessee Regional in Knoxville will be? I'm assuming that it won't be too close to Peachtree since the same person's in charge of both. On the flip side, that should make Tennessee super awesome whenever it happens!

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Really? Are you referring to Connie?

I know that the P'tree Regional reps have been trying to schedule the regional for either Week 3 or Week 5. But a lot of teams from P'tree and Palmetto overlap, and since our commute to Palmetto has increased almost 5 fold...this new TN regional might be something we look into...

- Sunny

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Got a slight confirmation from my mentor that NJ will be around the first or second week. NJ is up in the air at the moment as of the regional. Something good is in the works but more on that later.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

On this list, week 6 has two day events and others are three days. Does anyone think that we are going to see a big increase in bag and tag, or is this just a mistake??

Just my $0.02:D

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Bill has expressed on his blog that there might be more bag and tag events but they will try to limit two day events.

FYI-You only give 2 cents when you express an opinion.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

NC might be a bag and tag (only speculation), but the building is reserved for three days.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Indeed I am.

Week 5 Peachtree? I know it used to be a Week 3, but looking at the GCC's calendar, I don't think Week 3's possible. We were assuming that it was just going to be week 1 again...

See, the thing is, a lot of Peachtree/Palmetto/Tennessee regional teams would probably (alright, might--we're planning on those three, I think) overlap, and I don't think Connie would put Tennessee either right after Peachtree or the same time as Palmetto, even if it's in Charleston :/

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Well, I think that there was a bit of a let down at P'tree this year simply because of it being a week 1 event, and then the rules changed and stuff. So that might be something they are trying to avoid.

Right, the teams do overlap. But with P'tree, Palmetto, TN, and the NC Regional all in the same general region, there are going to be at least two that are back to back.

- Sunny

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

Tennessee - Week 2 - March 10, 11, 12

Georgia - Week 3 - March 17, 18, 19

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

How official is this? I'm not seeing this on the GCC Calendar...

But wow....making P'tree, Pametto, and TN Regionals back to back to back is tough....Really tough...

- Sunny

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

I'm in the 10,000 Lakes regional in MN, and my team was thinking about doing a second regional, which is the best time (and distance, drivable preferably) friendly option?

Oh, and will FIRST compensate for extra travel expenses, like I've heard?

Or are we doing something against the rules? :o
(Confessions of a sophomore team captain)


Thaine

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

We can't tell you for sure what regional would be best for your second event. Wisconsin might be helpful as a week two event.

It will (probably) cost an extra 4,000 dollars and you will be on your own for team transport and you should read section 4 of the manual to learn about robot transport. You might need to learn about Bag and Tag rules.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

The ONLY official word is from FIRST headquarters.

Having said that the Peachtree date is posted by the RD here

.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

FIRST never compensates for travel or anything like that. Extra regionals "only" cost $4000 more though, I guess.

Second regional for you guys is pretty much Wisconsin. It's a few weeks earlier and the one that's not ridiculously far away. Kansas City is probably the other semi reasonable regional.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

I think the Robettes (2177) have gone to both St. Louis and Kansas City in the past (though not the same year to my knowledge). Lots of teams have gone over to Milwaukee (especially before the days of the Minnesota Regional(s), all of four years ago(!)). Honestly, Chicago (Midwest) isn't that much further than Milwaukee if scheduling doesn't work.

Re: 2011 FRC Season dates
 

I'm assuming that if they were looking for compensation they don't have a ton of money for travel, and I think Wisconsin is probably the only event that's easy to bus to... Midwest is probably only an hour or two more though.

A reminder that any of these are unofficial and you shouldn't do any serious planning with them.

Week 1 (3/3/11-3/5/11)
+Greater Kansas City Regional (posted)
+Finger Lakes Regional (break)

Week 2 (3/10/11-3/12/11)
+Florida Regional (break)
+WPI Regional (break)
+Wisconsin Regional (confirmed on venue website)
+Tennessee Regional (posted)

Week 3 (3/17/11-3/19/11)
+Peachtree Regional (event site)
+Boilermaker Regional

Week 4 (3/24/11-3/26/11)
+DC Regional (posted)
+Autodesk Oregon Regional
+Hawaii Regional
+Palmetto Regional
+Philadelphia Regional
+Long Island

Week 5 (3/31/11-4/2/11)
+Las Vegas Regional (posted)

Week 6 (4/7/11-4/8/11)
+Virginia Regional (posted)
+North Carolina Regional (confirmed on venue website)