[Kims Robot]

There are of course a ton of the Chairmans and "great" teams that inspire us all, but I have to say I love how this post started... with the "little teams that could".

So I figured I will add a few of mine. I dont think many know team 1551 from Naples NY (or at least anyone outside Rochester might not), but they have a coach that is just awe inspiring to me. He is a physics teacher, with no engineering companies nearby, he got his students so excited that they spent 3 years raising money to make it to their first FIRST competition!! Every year since they struggle to scrape together funds, but every year they learn a little more, build a better robot, and keep chugging along. Their kids are great, they have some happy parents, and their coach continues to amaze me (heck he even got married the day before kickoff and pushed his honeymoon off until AFTER robot season!!!).

Another is one I will always remember... in 2000 I was lead inspector at Championships, and there was this little team of a father, his son and his son's friend, and they built this little scissor lift on wheels with a cardboard box on top. Their robot wasnt even working when they got there, but I grabbed a bunch of the teams I knew to help them and they got up and running. They had such an amazing attitude and were so excited and having so much fun that I get a smile on my face every time I remember them.

And I have two more to name that will likely come as no shock... my two old teams, 176 and 229... while both were just "being born" while I was on them, both have come an amazingly long way and do so many great things now. 176 hosts the UTC Scrimmage every year, they are at countless fairs, parades and events when I am home over the summer, and they just always seem to have a great group of hard working kids! 229 was my first "baby", but all the college kids that poured in and brought tons of experience years after me really made it great. Its so inspiring to see the amount of work they put into their summer programs, the great FTC and FLL programs they have put together for some very underfunded underprivileged schools in their area, and all the grants and funding they are able to acquire for their many programs. Its amazing and inspiring to go back and see the transformation.

Good luck tomorrow everyone!