[EricH]

Originally Posted by BrentJ

Hi

Being new to FIRST I was wondering why kickoff is annually the 1st weekend in January?

Is this because of how it fits into the school term?

Reading a number of posts about days lost to snow I was wondering why kickoff is in the middle of winter?

Can any of the older members please explain the history behind this?

Obviously the dates have to be set a couple years ahead to book regionals etc.

That's how they started, and that's how they continue. However... Every 5-6 years, they move it to the second weekend in January to avoid New Year's Day. I'm guessing that either next year or the year after, that'll happen.

It's better than it was. It used to be that everyone had to send representatives to Manchester... in winter...in the state whose motto is "Live, Freeze, or Die". (Not really on the motto, but close enough.)

I think the reasoning is partly: not during summer, because everyone is occupied, so that leaves fall (most people still haven't settled into their courses) and winter/spring (college students are readjusting). Winter was chosen to allow everyone to compete before school let out.