[FRC Blog] Championship Waitlist, Crate Fittings, Travel Resources, & Canburglars

[Hallry]

Posted on the FRC Blog, 3/18/15: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...es-canburglars

Championship Waitlist, Crate Fittings, Travel Resources, & Canburglars

Blog Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2015 - 15:21

Waitlist!

Some teams have wondered when we’re going to start releasing FIRST Championship waitlist slots. That’s going to start today. We’re starting much earlier than in recent years because of the significantly larger number of waitlist slots we are projecting we’ll have available (thanks to the 600 FRC Teams we’re going to have at Championship. I’m completely pumped). So, waitlist teams, some of you will be getting some emails starting today that are going to make you smile.

Having Trouble fitting Your Robot in Your Crate?

Some of our Championship-bound teams (OK, full disclosure, I just got goosebumps writing that phrase – have I mentioned we’re going to have 600 FRC Teams at the FIRST Championship this year?) have found, post-bagging, that their robots are too tall to fit in their crates, which are not allowed to be taller than 70”. So, they may feel stuck, unless they’ve got crates that work like one of these:



(Not the Dalek. The TARDIS behind it. Though having a crate that works like a Dalek might be fun too. Fun, but clearly unsafe.)

Not to worry. Just send an email to frcteams@usfirst.org explaining the situation, and they can grant you permission to open your bag so you can disassemble your robot to the point where it will fit in your crate then re-bag. Note, though, that no other work may be done on your robot other than the disassembly . And practice is right out.

New Championship Travel Resources Program

Continuing with our Championship theme (600 Teams!), we’ve got a new travel resources program teams may use. Check it out here. Through this website you can access special events, get help finding transportation, and even get travel insurance if you’d like. We recognize the logistical complexities of trying to get your team to St Louis, and your interest in making sure everyone has fun. This new program is designed to help.

Canburglars

One of the many things I love about FIRST is the richness and depth of our culture. One way this shows itself is in the neologisms created by our community. ‘Canburglar’ is one of these. It means a mechanism that can quickly snatch Recycling Containers from the Step during Auto. I’ve seen some impressive ones, and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens if two of these face off against each other in a match. One important note, though – with the speed at which some of these move, it’s very important to make sure these mechanisms are safe. Inspectors will be checking to make sure mechanisms like these, and all other aspects of your robot, are safe. Please be ready to discuss the safety features of your robot with the Inspectors. We’ve said it before, often, that nothing you are doing is worth getting hurt over. Safety should be the priority.

Frank

[theyams]

How does a team get on the waitlist? Our team (1197) just missed qualifying for the Championship (lost in Finals) at the Los Angeles Regional, but is considering trying to get on the waitlist. I think we are considered a veteran team (since 2003) and we had one trip in 2011 to the championship.

[theyams]

Ahh, never mind; I found it in a recent e-mail blast posting on the FIRST site:

"Championship Waitlist: Veteran teams who did not compete at the 2014 FIRST Championship can join the 2015 FIRST Championship waitlist at this time. To do so, your team’s Main or Alternate Contact must login to TIMS, click on the “Team Summary” button and select the “Edit/View” button in the Event Registration section"

[Hallry]

Originally Posted by theyams

How does a team get on the waitlist?

From the August 22nd, 2014 FRC Blog post:

Waitlist Changes for 2015

With the increase in team capacity at the 2015 FIRST Championship, even with the increase in Wild Card availability outlined above, we expect to be able to offer a good number of Waitlist slots in 2015. To support our interest in the fair distribution of these slots, and to provide greater opportunity for teams that haven’t attended in a few years, we are making some changes.

Waitlist slots will no longer be first come first served, as they have been – essentially – in prior years. When teams sign up for the Waitlist will no longer matter, as long as they sign up during the time the Waitlist is open.

Also, teams will be selected randomly from the Waitlist, with the number of chances they have of being selected equal to the number of years they have missed attending Championship. As an example, if a team on the 2015 waitlist last attended Championship in 2012, that team has ‘missed’ Championship twice, and so will have their number ‘put in the hat’ twice. If a team on the 2015 waitlist last attended Championship in 2004, they have ‘missed’ Championship 10 times, and will have their number put in the hat 10 times.

Teams who have never been to Championship will be considered as missing every year they have been a team. You will note this means that teams who attended Championship in 2014 will not be eligible for selection from the Waitlist. As a practical matter, though, since for several years Waitlist sign-ups for teams attending the prior year Championship have been later than those who had not attended the prior year, we rarely – if ever – have ended up inviting those prior-year teams anyway. One final note – teams must have participated in FRC during all their ‘missed’ years for those years to count in this system. As an example, for a team that participated in FRC in 2002, then did not participate again until 2005, we would only look back to 2005 in determining Championships missed.

[theyams]

Thanks! I found that post earlier, too!

[theyams]

A couple more questions. A blog post came out in January (1/8/15) that announced the opening of the waitlist. So, did the waitlist close since then? Is it too late to even consider getting on the list for this year? I think we are really pushing it to even consider going this year, but several people on our team were asking, so I thought it wouldn't hurt to pose the question.

Thanks!
Brian

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by theyams

A couple more questions. That blog post came out in January (1/8/15) that announced the opening of the waitlist. So, did the waitlist close since then? Is it too late to even consider getting on the list for this year? I think we are really pushing it to even consider going this year, but several people on our team were asking, so I thought it wouldn't hurt to pose the question.

Thanks!
Brian

Call FIRST and talk with them, and see what they can do.

[The_ShamWOW88]

Originally Posted by theyams

How does a team get on the waitlist? Our team (1197) just missed qualifying for the Championship (lost in Finals) at the Los Angeles Regional, but is considering trying to get on the waitlist. I think we are considered a veteran team (since 2003) and we had one trip in 2011 to the championship.

Originally Posted by theyams

A couple more questions. A blog post came out in January (1/8/15) that announced the opening of the waitlist. So, did the waitlist close since then? Is it too late to even consider getting on the list for this year? I think we are really pushing it to even consider going this year, but several people on our team were asking, so I thought it wouldn't hurt to pose the question.

About getting on the wait list, contact FIRST and see if you can get on the wait list still.

You are considered a veteran team and just in case you didn't know how the wait list works, it's basically a lottery drawing and you get entries equal to 2015 minus the last year you went to Worlds or your rookie year. So if you've never been to Worlds, you would have 12 entries into the lottery (2015-2003=12).

[MARS_James]

What happens if a team is called up off of waitlist then they qualify at an event, do they open up a wildcard?

They way wildcards work this year I would say yes but I just wish it would have been stated in the blog

[SailorDad]

Our team is on the St Louis waitlist and we're wondering how long we should wait for an invitation.

With the final week of regionals this weekend and as teams are declining their invitations, slots are likely to open up.

The team is trying to decide between preparing for a trip to St Louis or planning for the year-end party!

[tindleroot]

Originally Posted by SailorDad

Our team is on the St Louis waitlist and we're wondering how long we should wait for an invitation.

With the final week of regionals this weekend and as teams are declining their invitations, slots are likely to open up.

The team is trying to decide between preparing for a trip to St Louis or planning for the year-end party!

There is definitely still a chance for your team to receive a spot for Worlds, I suppose they will continue giving spots out until all the divisions are full. Don't count it out yet, especially if your team has a lot of entries!

[Mark McLeod]

Plan for a party in St. Louis?

[forbes]

Originally Posted by MARS_James

What happens if a team is called up off of waitlist then they qualify at an event, do they open up a wildcard?

Waitlist teams do not generate a wildcard according to the admin manual 7.3.3.

[SailorDad]

Our team met last night and decided to punt St Louis and party now

We'll try again next year under the district model ...