[Timothy D. Ginn]

So, I called Spectrum today to find out when the NXT kit, coach manual, field setup kit, etc. were going to arrive and found out they'd lost our team's order (and the orders of a number of other Canadian teams); so... it wasn't coming. They're sorting out that situation now; but, it means that a lot of us will be getting our kits mid-October, too (despite the kits actually having been available), later this week or on Monday of next week. I've learned a lesson: call frequently and check up on things rather than thinking they're under control.

What we've been doing with our kids is watching the kickoff videos, picking a team name, doing teamwork exercises, the programming challenge thing from Skye's guide and a bit of work on the research project. I think we'll end up registering for a later competition because the alternative is just not to go to a regional (and I'd really rather not do that), or organise our own unofficial regional (considering I'm the only one on the team who's done the FLL before this would be quite the challenge).

I've been told that electronic copies of a lot of the coach materials are on the Forum (which would be good because I haven't seen them and have been going from Skye's guide so far). Do you have any other suggestions for those of us stuck getting kits mid-October?