Winning a regional is great, but I'd rather rank second on my own accord (hey, even as Finalists you still get a trophy
) than to be a fifth wheel on the winning alliance. Consistently good quality (even if they aren't necessarily Champion banner winners) robots builds a team reputation, and that's something that winning a regional alone won't bring about.
And even if we don't make it to Atlanta? Well, the team usually applies for one of the open spots in the fall every other year or so. So usually every team member should get the chance to compete in Atlanta at least twice in their four high school years.