1999 Letters from Dean and Woodie

[AllenGregoryIV]

Since the game hint this year has all looking back at the history of FRC. I thought I would share something I came across that includes somethings we all need to be reminded of every now and again.

Part of the 1999 Game Manual included letters from Dean and Woodie to all of FRC (FIRST-a-holics link).
I wasn't around then, so a couple days ago was the first time I read these and it's amazing how much of what they said remains true after all these years.

If you're not up for reading both letters I'll quote a few of my favorite parts.

Dean's

It is, of course, the teams themselves that are the heart of the Competition. I hope that each team member will fully seize the opportunity this competition is designed to provide: experience the exhilarating thrill of stretching yourself to the utmost, discover how much you can do that you never imagined doing, and most of all - have fun!

To me, one of the endless fascinations of engineering is its capacity to pry open our minds and reveal the far reaches of what is possible.

I am confident that once again you will all rise to these new challenges and despite the ever increasing pressure of competition, do so while achieving Woodie Flowers’ high standards of professionalism

Growth, especially rapid growth, rarely comes without pain and lots of hard work. I would like to especially recognize the FIRST team of staff and volunteers for their enormous efforts throughout this year.

Woodie's

Without you, FIRST simply would not be. We understand that. Your help in celebrating education is essential!

The next few months will be intense. At times, you may want to hang us. If you feel overwhelmed, remind yourself that you are a member of the select few in our society engaged in this crazy form of enlightened self-interest. This is a win-win activity.

As in the past, designing the competition has made our brains hurt for months. We have tried to:
• Create an exciting challenge which is new to all of us
• Make sure that we are ambivalent about potential ways to win
• Make sure that creativity and pursuit of excellence pays
• Make sure that a relatively simple design, operated skillfully, can be very competitive
• Insure that all participants will see levels of success rather than pass-fail tests

Not only will individuals depend on each other, but whole teams must have faith in other whole teams. Sharing. Empathy. Healthy competition. Effective communications and the ability to negotiate strategies quickly will be critical. We hope a delightful mix of understanding physics and understanding other people will prove to be the winning combination.