2012 Texas Robot Roundup

[jessjank.]

2nd Annual Texas Robot Roundup (TRR) FRC Off-Season Competition
Sponsored by Time Warner Cable and National Instruments
Planned and organized by Alamo FIRST, the ausTIN CANs – Team 2158, and Austin area teams and volunteers!
www.robotroundup.org

When:
Saturday, July 28th, 2012 (Friday, July 27th is an optional practice day)

Where:
Anderson High School, 8403 Mesa Drive, Austin, Texas
(Home of FRC Team 2158 – ausTIN CANs)

Cost:
Early Registration by May 25, 2012: $200
Regular Registration by June 29, 2012: $250
NOTE: This year, FIRST in Texas will NOT be managing registration funds, so please do not send checks there. See the Team Registration link for more details.

Registration:
Teams
Volunteers

Why:
This is an opportunity for FRC teams (Veteran, Rookie, and Pre-Rookie) from all over Texas and beyond to come together one more time after the end of the competition season to share experiences, learn from each other, build new friendships, practice and compete with their robots, and have a fun time. TRR is also an opportunity to bring new team members, mentors, sponsors, and the community up to speed on what FIRST is really all about, so please feel free to spread word of the event.

Feel free to share the attached flier. Please contact us at RobotRoundup@gmail.com with any questions!

Who's excited?!

[jessjank.]

To answer some questions that are certain to come up:

• Any Austin locals interested in taking part in the TRR Planning Committee please send an email to RobotRoundup@gmail.com. I plan to start having meetings following Championships.
  
• The schedule is not finalized yet, but will be made public as soon as it is ready.
  
• We plan to again host a variety of workshops, presentations, and meetings! Stay tuned for details later this summer.
  
• As of right now, we plan to once again hold a Mentors Tournament and a Robot Skills Challenge. Stay tuned for sign ups to come out later this summer.
  
• Like TRR 2011 and many other Off-Season Events, we do not plan to have robots inspected at TRR 2012. However, we expect teams to follow the 2012 Game Rules and abide by the values of Gracious Professional.
  
• We will be working with our Head Referee, Referee crew, and the decisions of other Off-Seasons to determine if we will instate any changes to the game play rules. Any rules changed will be done so in favor of the teams. We will make announcements of any rule changes as soon as possible.
  
• We plan to give out a variety of awards again this year, though the full list is still to be determined. Definitely look forward to some new additions.
  
• TRR 2011 Awards were all peer-judged. As of now, the intention is to continue with this tradition.
  
• The ausTIN CANs will be hosting their Annual Tin Can Food Drive. The team who contributes the most cans will receive an award.
  

Again, please send an email to RobotRoundup@gmail.com with any questions!

[Michael Blake]

The Bronc Botz #3481 from San Antonio will be there!!

[jessjank.]

Originally Posted by Michael Blake

The Bronc Botz #3481 from San Antonio will be there!!

We're excited to have TRR 2011 finalists, the Bronc Botz, back for 2012! Your alliance partner (148) was the first team to register (besides the host team)!

As of right now, we have 8 teams already officially registered, and at least 13 more who have told me they will be registering soon. Teams, make sure to register soon! We haven't set an official cap yet, but may need to in order to ensure that teams each get enough qualifying rounds.

I will post a list of registered teams this weekend and continue to provide weekly updates.

[AllenGregoryIV]

Spectrum will be registered by the end of the night. The school internet isn't liking Google Docs right now for some reason.

[androb4]

Team 441 might make an appearance!!

[Mk.32]

Hello,
We are a team from San Diego CA, with some interest in going.
However the main issue we face at the moment is getting our robot from SD to Austin, is shipping something that is feasible in cost for a small team?
Not sure if any parent would make the 12hr drive...

[midway78224]

Team 3997 Screaming Chickens Lone Star Rookie All Star will be there and ready to rumble.

[waialua359]

We'd like to come.
Since we plan on going to IRI the weekend before..........

[JohnSchneider]

Originally Posted by waialua359

We'd like to come.
Since we plan on going to IRI the weekend before..........

Oh god. Because we need more competition in Texas

Naw please do. I talked to one of your mentors for a while at Lonestar, and you guys were awesome.

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by animenerdjohn

Oh god. Because we need more competition in Texas

Naw please do. I talked to one of your mentors for a while at Lonestar, and you guys were awesome.

I'm thinking about mining the wisdom and experience through a workshop or a session of training and Q&A. Oh... the possibilities. Oh, oh, oh... the possibilities. I think I'm just going to sit here and say that to myself over and over all night. It would be totally aMAZing to even dream about much less think about.

Jane

[androb4]

Will there be an official field or what??

[jessjank.]

Originally Posted by androb4

Will there be an official field or what??

Of course. Just like last year, we are arranging for AndyMark to provide an official FIRST field. We hope to have a partial practice field for teams as well.

[androb4]

Yess! Full FRC experience! Lol

Thank you

[jessjank.]

Originally Posted by Mk.32

Hello,
We are a team from San Diego CA, with some interest in going.
However the main issue we face at the moment is getting our robot from SD to Austin, is shipping something that is feasible in cost for a small team?
Not sure if any parent would make the 12hr drive...

Originally Posted by waialua359

We'd like to come.
Since we plan on going to IRI the weekend before..........

We are extremely excited that teams from beyond Texas are interested in attending the Texas Robot Roundup. At this time, we have not yet investigated shipping options for teams, but will certainly look into how other off-season competitions that often cater to many non-local teams, like IRI, manage shipping. Please feel free to send me an email if you have any thoughts or questions about the event. We would love to be able to host your teams and will do our best to provide you with assistance and options.