[Richard Wallace]

Originally Posted by neilsonster

I don't know if it's possible to squeeze in a mini practice area somewhere, but it would be really helpful. We really couldn't test out our autonomous mode outside of matches at all.

At STL this year (and in previous years) we held remote kick-off. To begin familiarizing teams with the playing field, one very gracious local volunteer constructed low-cost (wood) center and side goal assemblies with diamond-plate ramps. The goals were set up behind a curtain so they could be unveiled just after the game was announced. Local sponsors and volunteers have constructed field elements for our previous remote kickoffs, including goals and tetras for 2005, center platform with goals and bar for 2004, ramp for 2003, etc. After the kickoff, these field elements were sent to the practice field that team 931 builds each year and opens to all local teams during build season.

At the STL regional, these field elements are used to build a practice area, generally smaller than a whole field but usually at least half, with carpet but without field boundaries. We cordon off the practice area, staff it with a volunteer who communicates with pit administration via radio headset, and let teams sign-up for time slots to use it.

Something like this might work at Waterloo also, if traffic flow could be managed. Pit space is a little tighter there than at our STL venue.