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Posted by Nate Smith.

Other on team #66, GM Powertrain/Willow Run HS, from Eastern Michigan University and GM Powertrain.

Posted on 10/15/2000 6:56 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: DrJoes Vision posted by S. Krussell on 10/15/2000 5:48 PM MST:



: These are central locations for many teams in Michigan, UNLIKE having to go to MSU this year.

In the past few years, while we have all watched FIRST grow by leaps and bounds, the buzzword from FIRST HQ in Manchester has been 'expansion.' And while it seems to have been at first glance a step backward to move the Great Lakes regional to MSU AND have it the same weekend as Chicago AND put a cap on the GLR which is LOWER than the number of teams at the event last year, I beg to differ. First(no pun intended), they may be preparing for a 2 stage event by moving the event to MSU. None of us(as far as I know) have seen the venue at MSU, and it may be large enough to support two stages, but they are keeping it down to one for the first year, in order to give MSU an idea of how an event runs. Also, Dean has mentioned repeatedly that one of his goals is to have a regional within a short(~1-2 hour) drive for all teams. If this is the case, the regionals may eventually be broken into state competitions, where the best X teams from each state compete at nationals. If this is the case, what better place to hold the state tournament than just minutes from the Capitol? Finally, keeping in theme with the 'expansion' mindset at FIRST, moving an event to an area with virtually no involvement in FIRST is probably the best way to get people in that area knowlegable of the program and get them involved in coming years. And, if making it easier for new teams to get involved means making it slightly harder for those teams who have been involved for 2, 3, 4, or even all 10 years, then so be it. Also, by looking at the numbers for remaining space at the regionals, it is obvious that the move in location did not deter many of the teams who attended the Great Lakes regional while it was at EMU from making the jump to MSU. After all, it is still the closest regional for those teams.

Just my thoughts...trying to delve into the mind of those at FIRST to see what their intentions were when arranging the schedule for this year...as always when I try this, though, I could be entirely wrong...

Nate