Possible Post Season Event

[slickguy2007]

Hey guys, I wanted to get your opinions on a certain question that keeps coming up on our team. I have mentioned before that we, team 1403, are interested in holding a post/pre season event at our school. We recently got a new (gigantic) high school so our district is very supportive in our efforts to do this. The only problem is that we know the NJ area is super saturated with post/pre season events especially during Oct/Nov. My question to you is, when do you think the best time to do it is? This is really important because we want this to be a successful event, and in order for that to happen we'd need a good number of teams to come on out. Once again, I know this question has been posed before and I'd really appreciate any help you have to offer. If you mention a date, please be specific. Thank you in advance.

This event would probably end up being less than $200.

GO 1403!!!

[C.Roberts 1089]

I chose late May.. cause my birthday's in late May... and so is Aroon's. And that means it'd be way cool to have a local off-season then, cause it'd be the best birthday present ever. Plus, there are no local off-seasons around that time that I know of. Last year I went to PARC with a few friends at the beginning of May, and it was killer. Four hour drive each way. But it was definitely worth it for those delish donuts that I found at Gables Bakery, thanks to... umm, whoever it was that recommended them to me. Tigertrons (222) Mom. GP at it's best =). But anyhow, it's good timing as far as I'm concerned.

[Arefin Bari]

I personally think that the October/November time frame is the best for an offseason competition. The reason I say that is because teams can bring in their new members to be exposed to the FIRST environment. It is also to get in touch wtih the teachers/mentors (since most of the time, their contacts are school phone numbers).

I didn't choose May/June/July/August frame is because, May is when teams take a break (most of the time). May/June is also prom, grad nights and graduation. Once school is closed for the summer, students don't like to come back to school. It is very hard to get in touch with the mentors too (I had hard times contacting teams in the late may/june for Mayhem @ the Museum, so I am speaking from experience). End of september is also fine. That is the time when most schools are opening back up. The planning committee should let the teams know that there is an offseason in September before the school closes so they can plan ahead.

[Corey Balint]

For the Northeast, October/November is impossible. There is an offseason almost every weekend. Starting today, there is 5 competitions within the next 5 weeks.

I agree with Fin on the may aspect.

June might conflict with graduations.

Your best bet is July/August. Probably early August to avoid conflicts with IRI and college.

[RoboMom]

One of your biggest hurdles is your field.
If you are considering using the NASA field, you need to look at the long list of events already using it.
That eliminates early-mid August and the end of August for starters.
Get in touch with Paul Kloberg, who is very knowledgeable about all things off-season.

[Billfred]

Just out of curiosity--when is graduation for the New Jersey area? I've been thinking for a while now on what it'd take to host one in South Carolina (where everyone gets out around the end of May or the first week of June), and mid-to-late June seems fine for me (as it's past the traditional first-week-of-summer madness that many high schoolers do, and it's not right up around IRI, which would force some teams to choose).