2013 Greater Kansas City Regional

[Bruce Newendorp]

We will miss seeing all of our friends in Kansas City this year. Unfortunately the Kansas City date conflicts with our spring break so it did not work out for us this year. We really enjoyed being here the last few years.

We will be heading north to Duluth instead.

[pwnageNick]

PWNAGE 2451 will be attending Greater KC Regional for a second year in a row!

-Nick

[Alpha Beta]

Originally Posted by pwnageNick

PWNAGE 2451 will be attending Greater KC Regional for a second year in a row!

Great to have PWNAGE on board. We'll try to get used to the new number.

Did you know...

6 of the 54 teams registered have earned a Regional Chairman's Award at some point in their history. Of those 6 only 1710 actually earned one in Kansas City.

• 1625 (2009, 2010)
• 1710 (2009, 2012)
• 1730 (2011)
• 1986 (2009)
• 1987 (2009, 2010)
• 2996 (2011)

11 teams have earned an Engineering Inspiration Award. (Thanks NASA for helping to fund these teams' way to the Championship.)

• 1625 (2008, 2011)
• 1710 (2011)
• 1730 (2009, 2010)
• 1764 (2010, 2011, 2012)
• 1939 (2008)
• 1986 (2011, 2012)
• 1987 (2008, 2012)
• 2164 (2010, 2012)
• 2341 (2010, 2012)
• 2359 (2011)
• 2451 (2012) as team #2949

[pwnageNick]

Great to have PWNAGE on board. We'll try to get used to the new number.

As we all are...

-Nick

[Alpha Beta]

While we are at our 54 team open registration capacity, this tournament can easily go to 64 teams. Anybody out there on the wait-list?

Did you know... of the 54 teams currently registered 21 of them (39%) have been to Championships in the last 3 years, meaning they could have student members on the team who can speak about the experience first hand.

0935 (2011) – earned but declined spots in 2010 and 2012
0967 (2010, 2011)
1209 (2012)
1625 (2010, 2011)
1710 (2011, 2012)
1730 (2010, 2011)
1764 (2010, 2011, 2012)
1984 (2011)
1986 (2010, 2011, 2012)
1987 (2010, 2012)
2164 (2010, 2012)
2341 (2010, 2012)
2345 (2010)
2359 (2011)
2410 (2010, 2012)
2451 (2011, 2012) as team #2949
2996 (2011, 2012)
3528 (2011, 2012)
3784 (2011, 2012)

An additional 12 teams have been to champs earlier in their history. Most recent year listed for each team.

662 (2006), 938 (2004), 1723 (2006), 1775 (2007), 1802 (2008), 1806 (2009), 1810 (2006), 1939 (2008), 1997 (2007), 2004 (2009), 2335 (2008), 2874 (2009)

PS. Going to Champs is not the best indicator of a successful team. There are a ton of great teams who build very successful robots, and send students to top end colleges every year who don't find their way to Champs. Looking forward to the day when a district system allows the teams who have been close for years to finally go.

[holygrail]

Every year, the Kansas City regional surprises me with its depth and competitiveness. Usually we are a week one or two event. This year, with us having a couple of weeks to watch, learn, and think, it is going to be insane. I can't wait to see everyone there.

If your team is looking for a great place to compete and meet some excellent teams, come to K.C.

[Mongai]

Originally Posted by Alpha Beta

0935 (2011) – earned but declined spots in 2010 and 2012

We have some reasoning behind this actually. Each year, when RaileRobotics plans its budget in August for the season ahead, we determine how many regionals and/or nationals we will be attending and we stick to this budget. Nationals is always contingent on dollars and the amount of time missed from school. Getting invitations year after year and/or qualifying year after year puts a tremendous strain on our sponsors to generate an extra $15,000 minimum to attend nationals. Team 935, over the last three years, has committed extra resources (money, time, summer hours) to many projects, including the development an emergency response team robot in which we are just now completing and our LEGO summer camp for children. As a general rule, we try to go to nationals (budget pending qualification) every other year, not back to back.

Although Nationals is a blast to go to, we've observed that investing our resources into long-term projects teaches our students more about FIRST's ideals than attending a five-day event.

[Alpha Beta]

Originally Posted by Bruce Newendorp

We will miss seeing all of our friends in Kansas City this year.

We will miss playing with 525, as well as several of our St. Louis area friends like 1094, 1208, and 1985. We will have to fight our way to champs in hopes of meeting up with you all again.

Did you know...
The #1 seeded alliance has won every year at the KC regional except for 2008. That year the #8 seed with 476, 1806, and 1802 pulled off the Cinderella story.
But before you think the #1 seed alliance always wins in a run-away...

• Last year the #1 seed (1986, 16 & 3784) was pressed to a 3rd game in both the quarters and semis, escaping the final quarter final game by 1 point with a basket in the last 6 seconds.
• And in 2010 the #1 alliance (2345, 525, & 931) needed a 3rd match in the finals to overcome (1625, 16, and 2410). 1625 played on Einstein that year. 16 was the #1 seed in Chicago and a division finalist at champs. 2410 went on to be the #1 seed at Oklahoma later that season.

[Nemo]

Originally Posted by Alpha Beta

And in 2010 the #1 alliance (2345, 525, & 931) needed a 3rd match in the finals to overcome (1625, 16, and 2410). 1625 played on Einstein that year. 16 was the #1 seed in Chicago and a division finalist at champs. 2410 went on to be the #1 seed at Oklahoma later that season.

I was just telling somebody about those finals yesterday! Overall, that year KC was a really tough regional, and the finals in particular were a great show.