I know my team number says rookie, but as many know already I am not. This year, I am paticularly impressed with the amazing caliber of the rookie teams.
As said already, any rookie who ships a robot (complete or not) is a winning team. As long as the kids get something out of it, and the program will continue... its amazing.
But looking around at all of the rookie teams across the nation this year, there are so many that have competed and done very very well. As Ed said... FLRC would not have been the same without the rookies. There were at least 3 Rookies in the top 8. Several rookie teams have helped win regionals. All of the rookie teams that have recieved the RAS award have done something truely incredible. Many rookies are going to multiple regionals, and winning multiple awards.
While the awards and the standings are not the true meaning of FIRST, they are a testament to how amazing our rookies are this year.
I know a lot of this can be attributed to the shear wealth of knowledge that is out there, and so many mentoring teams, and people that have been on teams starting new teams. FIRST is growing in leaps and bounds, and this years rookies are truely something to be proud of

I know I am certainly amazed at my kids and our whole team. Never did I dream a rookie team could do this well!
Congrats to all the amazing rookie teams out there... 1559, 1547, 1567, 1509 (our partners!), 1590, and all the other great rookie teams of 2005!!!
(Oh yeah, and thanks for the nod Ed!

and all our other fans ;-))