[ToddF]

The practice field at Palmetto did not have carpet under the pyramid. We have a floor pickup arm and our strategy is to do 3, 5, or 7 disk autonomous to get ahead quickly. With no carpet (just a slick masonite board), we were unable to tune our 5 and 7 disk autonomous modes on the practice field. This was severely limiting, as we were only able to try things during matches. In our last two qualification matches we sacrificed our working 3 disk autonomous mode for the chance to try our untested 5 disk routine, but without test field tuning, we scored no autonomous points. Unfortunately the same field will be at our next regional, as well, so things won't be any better. We'll have to get in as many practice matches as possible, just to do tuning we should be doing on the practice field.

Our experience with the folks running the field was great. Although they tended to let folks run over their scheduled times, they also worked to get as many teams on the practice field as possible. Once, they had three robots working on climbing, us working on tuning our shooting range, and a fifth team at the feeder station, all at once. We all worked to stay out of each others way and be as GP as possible, as we all wanted to keep practicing. I'd much rather work with people like that than "practice field Nazi's" who enforce the letter of the schedule.

It was a lot of fun practicing with that many teams around. Everyone was applauding each others successes as we got systems to work.