[Jaine Perotti]

Team 716 is coming to the New Jersey Regional!

We did well in Hartford (3rd seed, quarter finalists, Judge's Award), but we are hoping to improve our team's ability to communicate so that we can do even better this time around. We are also going to work on improving our strategy. Last year, we came very close to winning the New Jersey Regional, but we lost in the finals to teams 56, 237, and 303.... all very amazing robots. I can't wait to see what they have in store for us this year!

The regional looks like it has a good mix of rookies and veterans...more rookies than were at the UTC regional. Also, I think there are a few Brazilian teams going (2 or 3?). It looks like there will be some veteran powerhouse teams as well.. such as team 25... just looking at the pictures of their robot makes me feel nervous!

I like the way that New Jersey was set up last year... there was always a good view from the stands, as compared to UTC where the view isn't quite as good. It also wasn't a ridiculously long distance between the stands and the pits, although slightly long. I liked how they had a screen last year in the pit area so that you could watch matches without having to go to the stands in the first place. That was helpful for the pit crew in finals was we needed to be on standby for battery changes and repairs.

This year, as well as last year and the year before, we are staying at our former principal's summer home in Tom's River, NJ. Even though it is about an hour away from Trenton, and the house is extremely small with only one bathroom, it is free.... and therefore we are taking the opportunity to stay there!

Good luck to all teams in New Jersey...hope to see you all there!

-- Jaine