[TomH]

Unfortunately, yes, it is the end of build season. It's that time when all your hard work comes down to whether your fingers (and toes) are crossed or not, and hope that those few zip-ties and pieces of duct tape hold together long enough to survive a 2 minute, 15 second match where anything can go wrong, and if something does, the diagnostic for damage back in the pit is minor, if any is needed. All those long, tedious days and nights, those few well-hated snow storms that set us back, and a place full of machines, robot parts, a few odds and ends, and a FIRST robotics team make you want to fish that the FedEx guy never comes, and you have a 'bot to cherish.

That doesn't mean though that this year isn't over (remember, the crossing your fingers and toes?!). We can't forget what FIRST is truly about, gracious professionalism. They game us a problem, and as a world-wide community, we gave them close to 2000 solutions, all about to be battered on a 52' x 28' (hope those quickly thought dimensions were right) field covered in Wi-Fi, and the cheering of eager teams and spectators, as well as flying soccer balls, and at the end, we all will walk out with one more experience.

So yes, build season is over, it was too long, and too short at the same time. Those last few minutes of machining just to get the 'bot ready for the FedEx guy to take it away will all be shown to see whether it will hold up or not. The recycling bin is filled with empty soda cans, the floor and tables covered in bolts, shavings, and tools, the minds of FIRST students filled with memories that will last a lifetime, and a robot stands ready for the competitions, and I'm pretty sure these are going to be good ones too.

-Tom H