[pilum40]

Greetings from 3355-The Purple Vipers! We were one of those "mid-table" teams this year! We actually achieved our main goals and dang it...I'm very proud of my all sophomore team!!! It has been the best team hands down I've had since starting to coach/mentor/facilitate FRC in 2010. When we had any issues, they swarmed like ants to work the problem and fix the solution. Our main goals this year were:
1. Have serious fun at the Regionals-enjoy the moment!
2. Make EVERY match-Thursday through Saturday afternoon!
3. Work on coop points in every match...don't be greedy...it doesn't help
4. Get as much information about how other teams operate as possible to make our team better for next season!
5. Make sure our robot was simple, robust and elegant!

We're a very small team with limited technology resources and no mechanical engineer mentors. I'm just an AP teacher so my main job is to manage egos, logistics, and recommend solutions. When I walked the pits; I was deflated. The really cool designs, multi-piece robots, custom parts, cool powder coatings just made me sit down. I had not even thought about any of these things. Frankly, these ideas were beyond my scope-freely admitted. I'm not whining-just stating fact from a different perspective. I'm sure y'all have all been in a similar place.

Did we achieve our objectives? That's the important part right?
Yes:
1. We did not miss a match the entire competition/practice day included
2. We were mechanically robust enough to play with the "great teams"
3. We actually scored the first coop points in the tournament. Hats off to my team!
4. I do think we were the only robot to rescue another robot in the round that had fallen over. Don't know if we got points for it or not. My drive team got a big high five from me for what THAT'S worth. That shows the team character in my book!
5. We had fun! Our team was very very tired by Saturday noon but no griping, whining, or slacking was to be heard nor found in the pit area.

What did we learn?
1. Winning is great. Winning and working through disappointment is better!
2. We need to step up about 10 levels technologically speaking. We need a smarter mentor....I'm not it. This year showed me where my expertise wall was located. Did all I could do...wasn't enough.
3. Big funding is great. Using what we have is better. We built our robot for less than 2K. It didn't have the "coolness factors" but it worked and worked well.
4. We need to expand our support base in our school organization. We work in 1/2 of a weight room. This must change if we are to move forward.

Would I do this again? H@#$ yeah! Would my sophomores do this again? I do think so! Thanks to the folks that put on the Dallas Regionals. Y'all "done good"