2011 IRI
 

Tentative date for the 2011 IRI is July 22 & 23 (Friday and Saturday).

We will confirm in early 2011 once the summer school schedules are set.

Re: 2011 IRI - Tentative Date!
 

I've locked up MARC for June 24th and 25th 2011. This will give teams a month between the two events. I like this timeframe better than early July.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

The IRI website has been updated with a bunch of new information regarding this summer's event.

The 2011 IRI will take place July 21-23, once again at Lawrence North High School. Please keep in mind that over 100 FRC teams would like to compete at IRI, so we have to make it an application process. Here are this year’s specifics:

• Applications for competing at IRI will be entered on the IRI website, starting May 9th, ending May 15th.
• All applications entered during those dates will be evaluated on what that team brings to IRI. Strength of on-field performance during the 2011 season is weighted heaviest. Other factors are also considered.
• Invitations to 66 teams will be sent out on May 18th.
• Most likely, there will be a wait list, so invited teams will have a limited amount of time to pay their entry fee (date tbd). Teams not paying by that date will lose their spot and a team from the wait list will be invited.
• We are working on alternative methods of payment (Paypal?)
• The entry fee is $650. Yes, this is an increase from last year ($500 was the fee in 2010).
• 66 teams (approximately) will be accepted to compete at IRI. Yes, this is a decrease from last year (79 competed in 2010).
• There will be a VIP / mentor dinner on Thursday night, ON THE PLAYING FIELD. Cost will be approximately $25. More information will come on this. We promise that mini-bots will be involved with getting food to the tables.
• Competing teams will each have nine (9) qualification matches
• There will be no mentor match or tournament this year
• There may be an opportunity for mentors and/or students to drive robots, competing in a separate fundraising event. This opportunity may or may not involve a method of destroying tubes used in the 2011 FRC game.
• There will be a talent show
• There will be a return of the Dean Simmons and the Kamen Brothers band, performing after the talent show
• Many student scholarships will be available
• The tech fair will once again be taking place on Friday and Saturday
• Teams will be treated to a meal on Friday night
• Teams will be given 5 coupons for IRI t-shirts
• A silent auction will again take place
• Proceeds from the silent auction and the tube-destroying activity (specifics to be determined) will be donated to two local charities
• Backpacks will be collected, again, for local school children
• Fun will be had by all, of course!

See you then!

Andy B.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Can we get a tentative event schedule?

i.e. Will teams miss anything by flying in late Thursday?

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Oh darn, we don't have a chance this year. :(

2791 will probably be sending a Volunteer Team again this year. At least, a few of us will show up!

I'm a bit saddened at the loss of the Mentor Matches, but I understand if / that they had to go.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Great update, Andy. The mini-bots continue to become more clever with each passing week, it seems. Looking forward to hearing about their talents in food service.

Will there be judged awards this year?

Jane

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Oooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh jeeez :)

We better start planning some more Kesha songs for the talent show...

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Thursday night will be for bringing in and setting up only.

We will have a "teams out" time enforced to allow a quiet evening for the sponsor / mentor dinner.

Matches will probaby begin about 11 AM on Friday. Detials being worked.

No Judged Awards.

NEW ADDITION - PAYPAL INVOICING - We are working to have Paypal invoicing. This will allow you to pay with a credit card, debit card, papal account, or send a check. We are still working the details but this should be working by the time invitations are sent.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Adding to what Chris said above, here is the Event Schedule.

As Chris mentioned, there is a VIP / Mentor dinner on Thursday evening, with an optional team load-in Thursday late afternoon. Most teams load-in on Friday morning. So, if teams get in late Thursday night, they are not really missing anything.

Andy Baker

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Andy,
Do we still have an auto entry if we sign up and is entry fee covered, even with the increase in registration?

Glenn

Re: 2011 IRI
 

The winning teams from 2010 (teams 330, 469, 359, and 399) all will be accepted and will have their entry fees waived for 2011 if they choose to apply.

So, yes. No entry fee for the Hawaiian Kids.

Andy

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Thanks for the quick response.
We will try and book our airfares before championships then before it hits over 1k like last year. :(

Re: 2011 IRI
 

How will I be able to defend my title???? I feel like my Packers this year winning the superbowl and not being able to defend it because of the lockout...............

Andy, I think this is a personal attack against Wisconsin winning at the two most important competitions in life....... Football and the mentor match! :rolleyes:

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Who will be watching the kids while all the mentors are at dinner? Will they have an activity somewhere else on the property? Like perhaps washing all the mentors cars?

Re: 2011 IRI
 

The HighRollers are talking about making a trip back to Indiana. IRI is one of the best events in FIRST. Great people, great event, great times.

-Keaton

Re: 2011 IRI
 

As per Andy Baker, "Applications for competing at IRI will be entered on the IRI website, starting May 9th, ending May 15th."

The M.A.R.C's registration dealine is May 14th. This puts their registration deadline at the same time as M.A.R.C.'s. There are a lot of teams that try and go to both events. If you are interested in attending both events please pay attention to this and don't forget to register for them both.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Will there be a Vex Qualifier this year?

Re: 2011 IRI
 

This is a problem that can only be solved with copius amounts of duct tape.
Or an electric fence.
Or a giant game of Ninja.
Or combine the two for a new game I call Ninja-Sparks (still working on the rules, but I garuantee it will be spectator friendly:eek: ).

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Will there be any Pre-Rookie festivities as there have been in the past?

I would hope the attending teams are not "from across the USA"

Are scholarships only open to graduating seniors on competing teams?

Re: 2011 IRI
 

I don't believe the Vex event qualified anyone for anything last year... But I am interested in knowing if Swept Away will return to IRI.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Team 330 is looking forward to this event. We always have a great time. Thanks for the update.

That's too bad. I was seriously considering entering this year... :]

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Yikes. 13 less teams can get in this year. That's 13 less chances for teams like mine to get accepted. We had a poor, incomplete show at Chesapeake, but I'd like to think we had a great turnaround at Virginia and finished with a top 5 robot (even if we finished 10th, I'll say we're awesome) Oh well. I really want to get a strong contingent of 422 to want to go so we can apply and leave luck to heaven.

It's a good primer for a championship in terms of team quality.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

no mentor match? that was the only time mentors got to break the robot... i mean test its optimal performance.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

How many seats are available to purchase for the dinner on the field?

Re: 2011 IRI
 

i dont think 1089 has the resources to make it out, on the off chance that we even get invited lol. but i know a bunch of the seniors (including myself) on the team have indicated that they would be interested in making a road trip out to volunteer or just enjoy the high level of robot action :)

hopefully, things work out and we can make it out as a group (seniors only haha) one last time before we all go our separate ways

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Wow, Aashay, you doubt us that much? On the contrary, 1089 is already working to figure out how to get there! We have a lot of unconfirmed possibilities right now, but I know our team works best under pressure (as do most FIRST teams)! We'll definitely be applying, and we're keeping all of our fingers crossed to get there!

Re: 2011 IRI
 

We are gana try to make it in again this year. Its always a blast!

Re: 2011 IRI
 

ill hoping to generate some interest for this within our team... lets see though..

Re: 2011 IRI
 

not doubting. just saying theres a lot of teams out there that are just as good if not better than us. trust me, i wanna go to IRI as badly as everyone else hahaha. and actually i just found out about this plan today from amanda lol. until today i had no idea we were legit submitting. this is gonna be funnnn :)

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Really hope my team applies this year. We had a really good robot that could have won a few regionals if it weren't for some very stiff competition. *cough* 118 *cough* I've been lobbying for them to apply but I don't know how their budget it. I would love to just volunteer but I have work and summer school this summer. I will be keeping up on the webcast though.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

I know the question was asked, but it never received an answer - will there be an unofficial VEX competition this year again?

Re: 2011 IRI
 

We are thinking about going, if we are accepted.
If we do get in, we are also looking for east coast teams that would like to share our trailer and split expenses on a bus.
We went in 2009 and shared a bus/trailer with MOE. We had a blast.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

We don't know about this yet.

Andy B.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

1089 is thinking of going as well if we get in! im sure a lot of our team members would be thrilled to share a bus with daisy :D i think we would be interested, lets see how it all goes down

Re: 2011 IRI
 

When does registration open up?

Re: 2011 IRI
 

From the IRI website: "Applications will be entered on this website, starting May 9th, ending May 15th."

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Applications open at midnight :01 Monday morning (May). It is not a race to apply, we don't look at applications until the process closes at Midnight on the 15th.

A complete, well thought out application is more important than one that gets submitted first thing tomorrow morning.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Even though, both times our team has gone to IRI I have traveled, I have never seen the application that we sent in. So I was wondering, what exactly do you guys look for in the applications?

Re: 2011 IRI
 

There are a few questions on the application that need to be answered. Mainly why do you want to come, is there anything unique about your team, etc.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

So 2791 submitted its application to IRI today. For awhile, we were unsure about submitting. We didn't make eliminations this year, and barely have a winning record. We're an outsider team that hasn't participated in the IRI before and we were very skeptical as to whether it was even worth applying for.

But at today's meeting, we did a 180. We talked about the IRI, and why we wanted to go in the first place. For the past 18 months or so, IRI has been our goal. We've wanted to field a robot competitive enough and a team strong enough to earn a trip to IRI. We looked at ourselves, looked at our season, and looked past the results on the FIRST website. We fielded a competitive robot this year. We're proud of the engineering we put into the various subsystems and considering our over constrained build season, we did an amazing job. I'm proud of the team. Plus, through this hardship, we have definitively grown and strengthened as a team. These students have grown so much in the past two seasons. We have gone from a group of kids to a group of driven individuals working in harmony toward a common cause.

After this reflection, I believe we've definitely gotten our act together enough to justify applying to IRI. Our team is strong, our robot is simple, and we're as much of a team as we've ever been. Plus, it is true that you miss 100% of the shots you don't take. If we don't apply, we're guaranteed failure. Why not take the shot?

Re: 2011 IRI
 

This is indeed a fun event to attend.
Being on the field with 469 last year for 10 matches was something that would never have happened during the FRC season.
Playing with 330 in 16 matches last season was great as well.

Win or lose, IRI lets you play with and against all the teams you hope to.
I also hope that 233, 254 and 987 decide to go this year as they weren't there last summer. A shoe in I believe. ;)

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Kind of curious, who is the all-time winningest team at IRI? Most wins? Most blue banners?

Re: 2011 IRI
 

469 has 5 IRI blue banners (2001, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010). 68 has 3 blue banners (2002, 2008, 2009). 4 more teams have 2. Only 2 teams have won the world championship and IRI in the same year (469 in 2003, 71 in 2004)

IRI has been won by 27 different teams. Michigan teams have won it 20 times, more then every other state combined. Illinois and California are 2nd with 4. The host teams (45, 234, 1024) have never won, and Indiana has only won 3 times.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

No coincidence there. We have only won Ramp Riot once back in 2001 and we were a finalist in 2003. When you are running an event like this, you are very focused on being a gracious host and the competition comes second. (as it should be)

Re: 2011 IRI
 

I believe 987 is applying today...

Re: 2011 IRI
 

right on.:)

Re: 2011 IRI
 

When can volunteers sign up?

Re: 2011 IRI
 

2415 has submitted our application! looking forward to seeing who's on the final list :)

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Volunteers can sign up now. There is a link on the IRI website in the "Contact Us" tab, or you can send an email to Brant Bowen at - volunteer@indianaroboticsinvitational.org

Re: 2011 IRI
 

1477: Texas Torque has sent in our application. We would love another chance to compete with the big boys.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

233 sent in their application for consideration as well

Re: 2011 IRI
 

He really is a brat sometimes ;)

Re: 2011 IRI
 

1038 has submitted an application. We are hoping to come and have fun, even though we don't have a home when the school year ends.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Really guy? C'mon don't do that to me.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

971 Spartan Robotics is hoping for a spot.

In case the kids didn't put our performance the last few years on our application.

2011 SVR Semi Finalist
2010 Cal Games Champions
2010 Newton Qtr finalists
2010 SVR undefeated Champions
2009 Cal Games Finalist
2009 World Champs
2009 Galileo Champs
2009 SVR undefeated Champions
2004 SVR Champs

Re: 2011 IRI
 

548 is submitted, looking forward to a great competition if we get in. Hopefully continue our reign of upsets this year. Between 5th seed alliance at Waterford and 8th seed at states, fun things happen when were on the field.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

I don't knw what you are referring to ...


aaahh, the power of the admin authority ;)

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Since Andy said in his 1st post on this thread that the invites would go out on the 18th, will the list be put up on the IRI website on the 18th as well?

Re: 2011 IRI
 

I was wondering How and where IRI posted event data.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Probably at the tititular http://www.indianaroboticsinvitational.org/ .

Re: 2011 IRI
 

254 has applied.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Bacon has thrown their pig into the ring.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

The automatic timer on the application process stopped a little early and it says no more applications accepted.

We are going to get that changed - the applications end at Midnight on the 15th.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

I just applied for 1771.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Below is an update with regard to the teams who have applied to compete at IRI. Keep in mind that more applications may be put forth today (Sunday, 5/15). This list totals 104 teams. We are meeting tomorrow evening to decide upon the 66 invited teams. So, there will be about 40 teams listed below who have applied but will not be invited to compete at the IRI.

Thank you to all teams who have applied. If you believe that your team has applied to IRI, but the team number is not shown on this list, please make sure you apply today.

Sincerely,
Andy B.

104 IRI applicants:

1
11
16
25
33
45
48
51
67
68
70
71
74
79
81
93
108
111
116
118
125
135
171
177
217
233
245
254
269
280
292
302
303
322
330
341
359
447
461
469
494
548
573
781
829
830
836
868
888
910
931
971
987
1018
1024
1037
1058
1086
1089
1094
1114
1319
1477
1501
1503
1519
1529
1538
1625
1640
1646
1675
1684
1714
1718
1720
1730
1732
1741
1747
1771
1902
1923
1987
2016
2056
2062
2081
2169
2194
2337
2415
2587
2648
2771
2791
2826
2867
2949
3098
3138
3176
3320
3357

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Oh goodness, field looks tough. Hope we get in *fingers crossed*

Re: 2011 IRI
 

It sucks when you wanna go but dont have enough student interest in going. Especially becuse most the students dont know what IRI is and how fun and competitive it is. :(

Re: 2011 IRI
 

The Tators tossed their app in the hat :)

Re: 2011 IRI
 

I heard that 1126 sent in the application today, around the time you put up the list Andy.
:D

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Team 399 has sent in their application to IRI. Looking forward to going back!

Re: 2011 IRI
 

399 Has applied!

Re: 2011 IRI
 

326 has applied =D

Re: 2011 IRI
 

When is payment due?

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Gosh Cormier, yell everybody, why don't ya!

Oh wait...

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Well... I might if you guys make it in. :p

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Fingers crossed. Here's to hoping!
:D

Definitely going to be tough competition!

Re: 2011 IRI
 

I really hope my team gets accepted. I really would like to disco with the cream of the crop!! :D

Re: 2011 IRI
 

We have a total of 114 applicants for the 2011 IRI. Lots of great teams!

The invitation team will be busy for the next few days and will get the invitations out as quickly as possible.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

We had a couple of teams apply late last night, before midnight, via email and PM. We now have a total of 116 teams applying, which I believe is the most ever for IRI. Here is the list of applicants:

1
11
16
25
33
45
48
51
67
68
70
71
74
79
81
93
107
111
116
118
125
135
141
171
177
217
233
234
245
254
269
280
292
294
302
303
322
326
330
341
359
399
447
461
469
494
548
573
781
829
830
836
868
888
910
931
971
973
987
1018
1024
1038
1058
1086
1089
1094
1108
1114
1126
1319
1477
1501
1503
1519
1529
1538
1592
1625
1640
1646
1675
1684
1714
1718
1720
1730
1732
1741
1747
1771
1902
1923
1987
2016
2056
2062
2081
2122
2169
2194
2337
2415
2587
2648
2771
2791
2826
2867
2949
3098
3138
3176
3320
3357
3487
3547

Andy B.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Maybe at this point we should have an "IRI 2" for all the teams that didn't make the cut. :)

Re: 2011 IRI
 

We'll make it a New England event! :p

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Mission Accomplished.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Half-accomplished, anyway. The web site isn't yet updated with this year's information.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

There will be some very good teams missing the cut this year.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Amen, Mike Taylor. Thanks to your team (1529) and the Digital Goats (829) for running this event.

We (me, Fultz, IRI host teams 45, 234, 1024, and the rest of the Indiana teams) are committed to make CAGE work as another strong off-season event in Indiana. CAGE is more Indiana-focused, but is also an excellent event for out-of-state teams to attend. I really look for CAGE to grow in the near future.

Andy

Re: 2011 IRI
 

I call MARC IRI Jr.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

I agree MARC is getting closer to that IRI status each year... Right now its pretty close to a lot of the same teams that were at MSC... Which we all know was great... It just needs out of state notice to bring in more teams like the 111 and 254 and 1114...

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Illinois Robotics Invitational - Where the D list come to play

Re: 2011 IRI
 

missing the cut? anyone can apply. some simply can not to go for various reasons. which teams can't make this cut you speak of?

Re: 2011 IRI
 

I think he is talking about the 50 teams that applied but won't recieve an invitation.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

IRI is an invitational event. Approximately 66 teams will be invited to compete this year. It'll be the strongest IRI yet, IMO.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Some stats on the teams who've applied.

- 48 of the 96 elimination round teams from the Championship have applied
- 11 of the 12 Einstein teams have applied
- 18 of the applied teams won multiple events
- 46 of the applied teams won an event or a division
- 69 of the applied teams were an event finalist or better

This will not be an easy decision making process for the IRI organizing committee, there will definitely be some high performing teams left out.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

my apologies i thought he was making reference to something else, i do realize IRI has a cut off. "this is not my first rodeo" is a correct analogy

Re: 2011 IRI
 

is this your scouting database at work?

Re: 2011 IRI
 

...Yeah, we're not getting into IRI this year.

Can't you FIRST teams at least wait to raise the bar until we make it over? :)

Re: 2011 IRI
 

A recent happening causes one correction:

968 has applied. (according to what Fultz just told me)

So, this means that the entire field of 12 Einstein teams at the FIRST Championships have applied are are willing to compete at IRI.

The team list for invited teams will be posted on Wednesday. To all of the applicant teams: thank you in advance for understanding this is a very difficult decision for selecting the competing teams.

Sincerely,
Andy

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Wow. Glad I didn't pay in advance for the rooms.

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Looks like its just 62 teams to be selected, as all 4 teams who won IRI last year has applied and will get in. :)

Re: 2011 IRI
 

The invitation list will be posted Wednesday, no later than Noon Indiana Time.

The selection team is finalizing data and double checking. With so many strong applicants this is a tough decision time.

In the applicants -

All 12 Teams From 2011 Einstein
All 4 2010 IRI winners
All 3 Michigan State Champions

Re: 2011 IRI
 

Which is currently eastern daylight time, for everyone outside of Indiana who doesn't know we started observing daylight saving time a few years ago.