Every year Woodie tells us "people really like succeeding in a really tough challenge". For our team this has been "the year from Hell" and we had nothing but trouble with the control system since we opened the box back in December. Some may have seen us scrambling to finish the final touches in the pits during the long delay on Thursday and we still have a few bugs to work out.
But the competition was truly the watershed event that released much of that pent up frustration. We watched hard hitting action and rapid decision making and that truly is what FIRST should be about. And today I wake up with some degree of pride and satisfaction.
Over the years I have always said that if you build the team the winning robots will follow. At NJ yesterday I was privileged to see the evolution of 3 great teams. 2753, already FTC champs, reminded me of all of the thrill of the first win and the excitement of doing great at something new. I think "that was us 10 years ago". They get it and we need more of it.
1923 simply changed. They went from a loosely knit bunch of kids who didn't even get organized for a community fair a few years ago to a real team that put in the hours, did all the weekends of work and practice and listened to their stellar mentor Wayne Penn to now experience the success they sought for so long. Just imagine where you can go from here?
1089, a team from out of my own household, FINALLY got the recognition they truly desired. I've watched them go through just about everything wrong that can happen to a team. Cobbled together might describe their organization at times in the past but they set goals and worked towards them. Goals not to "win the Chairmans award" but goals to develop a working team structure, to educate the younger kids, to include the town of Hightstown. And they do it for the right reasons. 1089 does more with less and they do it well.
Yesterday ended our string of first place wins at NJ with our friends the Cybersonics. I hope they feel as I do in appreciating the winners that succeeded us and I hope they came away from the event with some sort of pride and satisfaction that they too survived the season from Hell. Florida will only be fun for both our teams!! Look out guys ; )
Tomorrow the letter writing begins. A lot of "issues" need to be fixed from this year. But maybe FIRST is worth it and maybe they we can grow with us.
TTYL
WC
and below- a little fun from 25 about our build season
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NonsIR6qKWY