[Al Skierkiewicz]

Wow people, I take a few hours to make a dent in my taxes and you add three pages of posts. I have a few things to add here so try and follow me it will be a bumpy ride...
Long overdue is my praise of the NDSU students at Duluth. I heard praise from almost everyone at the event. They handled themselves very well, doing the hard work that does need to get done at any event. From what I could see the FTA and other Key Volunteers, just pointed and said "go do (this)" and the next time they saw them it was done. Nice job everyone! I can give no higher praise that to say 'I would work with again, anytime'. I am thankful that you had a school schedule that allowed to attend the events.

Andrew, no one thinks less is more. I would love to see more than ten matches especially if my team could only attend one event. That being said, there are all kinds of issues that rear their ugly head that will compress that schedule. Every minute that is delayed, means the next regional will likely have less time to unload and setup. Regionals do not make the truck schedule. Districts will still have to transport the field, generators and other equipment from regional to regional. In districts in small states that is a lot easier than in larger states like Michigan and Minnesota. (BTW Michigan is larger than Minnesota in area)

A few things that haven't been mentioned yet...
Every team wants to take home hardware. Too many teams are missing out on the awards because or their travel schedule now. They end up leaving prior to the finals matches if they are not competing. If it was me, every team would get some kind of award. However, even the awards that we do give out, all take time to present. We could compress that little by making presentations during finals matches. Say for Highest Rookie Seed, Entrepreneur, Excellence in Design, etc. In a six minute reset time that is a good use of time.
Judges stay to the end (to present awards) and all of them have been going full on interviewing teams for two solid days and deliberating. To lengthen the day adds to their tough day. They are the very ones we want to keep happy as they are leaders in industry (at least many of them) and we are hoping that will garner sponsors for our teams and events. Many of those people have to travel as well. Districts have less awards so they have less time dedicated to presenting.
Finally, we need to load out the field. There is a lot of time in tearing down the field, getting it packed (correctly), loading the truck and getting it on the road. Any delay here may affect the next regional. Having been in Minnesota when the truck didn't show until midnight on Wednesday, I can tell you, it is very distressing. A team that did not attend that event stayed until the field was setup, after 4 AM on Thursday morning.