First (1st) Regional Competition

[nerdcool64]

My first regional was Southern california in 2002. After being taught so much about engineering and programming I went and got to see the robot I helped build go on to win the competition. It was just...wow! We went on to win our division and get 3rd place at nats that year, so not only was the regional, but the year itself was unbelievable.

[SkitzoSmurf]

FIRST keeps growing each and every year, and seems to get a little better and more challenging, every year. When I went to my first regional in New York, I was awe struck. It was just so kool, so friendly, and so fun. Blown away. There is no way to describe a FIRST competition, you have to see it for yourself. But I can almost guarantee you that it will hook you in, and you'll keep coming back, till who knows when. I'm addicted to FIRST, along with many other people, and I hope u will be too. Just a tip of advice, don't just sit there. Explore, get involved, do everything and anything there is to be done. You'll have a blast. WELCOME TO FIRST.

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by Solace

at my first regional we lost a lot. yup. that kinda sucked.

but seeing that you're on team 25, you probably won't run into that particular problem

We were terrible at our first regional in Cleveland and I still had a great time.
The atmosphere, the energy and the enthusiasm was contagious and overwhelming. I had never seen anything like it and I attend alot of sporting events, professional and amature.
Don't just gauge your enjoyment of the regional on how your robot does and how many awards you've won.
There's more to FIRST than just winning and losing.

[mtaman02]

The first regional i ever attended was the NYC Regional back in 2001 .

It was fun I saw Dean and Woodie for my first time there. They were both cool. Dean as a matter of fact had taken a picture with the 2001 522 Team Members and if i'm not mistaken with WILMA (2001 Girl) as well.

Later on that year I had met Deans Brother at Mt. Olive Mania in an offseason Novemeber event in Jersey Or was it PARC 5 in 2002 I forget.

My first National was 2002 in orlando. I must say my first time on the plane was Awesome both going and coming back. I had gotten Deans and Woodies Autograph on my 2002 shirt. Going to WDW was also awesome. I never thought that being away from my parents would be so fun. Usually a person like me would get homesick, as a matter of fact the first person to hug my folks was my ex g/f at the time and not me b/c i was upset of having to return from my awesome 5 day vacation.

And like many other posts here after your first regional you get hooked. FIRST is like a bug. After it bites you the first time your hooked forever. My coach always tells the visitors he can never keep the robotics door closed long enough b/c the members of the team would just break it down. Its just that addictive.

It's a fun learning experienced sport which will continue till the end of time as long as new students like you with the urge to have fun and learn continue to join your local HS's FIRST Robotics Team

[Collin Fultz]

Originally Posted by Ryan Dognaux

My first Regional (Buckeye) experienced was pretty good, only limited to the fact that I was incredibly shy my freshman year and didn't really get out into the pits a whole lot until last season.

Don't make my mistake! Get out in the pits and talk to people, have the time of your life

THe same was my first as well. It was good except the lady singing the national anthem didn't know the words...needless to say...i was hooked.

[Venkatesh]

My First regional was SBPLI in 2002. I didn't particularly enjoy that one, mainly because I didn't understand most of what was going on.

My second regional, J&J (2 weeks later), was amazing. I enjoyed the competetion much more because I knew what it was going to be like. And because I was able to help in the pits.

Since that time, I have been to a number of competetions, but I always believe that the J&J regional is best.

[shyra1353]

Originally Posted by Ryan Dognaux

My first Regional (Buckeye) experienced was pretty good, only limited to the fact that I was incredibly shy my freshman year and didn't really get out into the pits a whole lot until last season.

Don't make my mistake! Get out in the pits and talk to people, have the time of your life

agreed ... last year was my first regional and i hung around with only my friends from my team .. i mean we talked to others but as a group ... if you really wanna meet a bunch of new people, go around either alone or with only one other person ... i wandered with one other person at nationals and met a whole bunch of awesome people !!

as for how the regional was ... it was awesome ... i had such an awesome time ... nothing had said earlier about how high energy and how great regionals are really did anything for me ... but it was a blast being there ... and nationals was even better !!

[MisterX]

I remember my first regional was for Zone Zeal at the UTC in New Haven, and when I intially walked int here were a few kid then I entered the actuall arena part and I stood in amaze at the people in the stand let alone when I finally made my way down to the pita!!!! i was not expecting what i saw, i was figuring like 10-20 people from each team and not that many people there. I was absolutly amazed at the feeling and intensity in the air and that was only on Thursday by time Saturday came around it was CRAZY!!!!!!

I t was just amazing to see all these "nerds and geeks" in school go absolutly NUTS at this robotics compettion scream yelling cheering pounding banging chanting !!!!!! It was more intense then any pro game I have gone tooo!

[Alex Cormier]

my first regional we went to we own the regional it was crazy and shocking...

[BionicAlumni]

Originally Posted by Eric Bareiss

My first regional hooked me big time. I knew there was no way I could ever quit robotics. Here I am 5 years later.

My first regional was San Jose 2000, there were a lot of big name west coast teams just coming into their prime at that one. We (64) seeded second and allied with 192 (GRT). We ended up getting beat by 330 (beachbots) and the imfamous alliance of 60 and 254 ended up winning the regional. It was a west coast classic.

I screamed until I couldn't talk. Good times.

I too remeber that year. Post like that really make me miss FIRST.

As for my first regional it was also in San Jose. 1999 the first year of the SV regional. We camped in the mountains and had an AMAZING time watching our teacher scurry up a tree and being attacked by crazy animals at night. That was the year we were in the huge hanger if anyone else remebers that. Good times. :-(

AHHHH I miss first. Thank you god for the AZ regional in a week!

[ChrisH]

Originally Posted by BionicAlumni

I too remeber that year. Post like that really make me miss FIRST.

As for my first regional it was also in San Jose. 1999 the first year of the SV regional. We camped in the mountains and had an AMAZING time watching our teacher scurry up a tree and being attacked by crazy animals at night. That was the year we were in the huge hanger if anyone else remebers that. Good times. :-(

AHHHH I miss first. Thank you god for the AZ regional in a week!

It was COOOOLD in that hanger. Historic it may be, but I'm glad we haven't gone back. Remember the team party, that no one stayed for because we all wanted to go back to the hotel (or wherever) and warm up? It wasn't so bad for the first few hours, but as the day dragged on it just felt colder.

I also remember that was the first year of alliances, and for the finals you could keep declining until you were picked by a partner you liked. So lots of teams had made deals by about the middle of Saturday morning. But the picking teams could not choose among themselves. We were bumping along about 6 or 7 seed and had our eye on a team that had struggled early on, but now they had their bugs worked out and were climbing rapidly. Then they went and teamed with the Cheesy Poofs in their last round, got the high score of the day, and moved ahead of us in the seeding! Any guess who that might have been? Team 60. I don't think we got to play WITH each other until 2001, even though we went to all the same competitions, including the off-season ones. It got to be a running joke between us.


Actually my first competition was Nationals at Epcot in 1998. Back then it was more the size of a large regional now. We had a choice, we could go to Houston for a regional (the nearest at that time) or Orlando for Nationals. The cost was virtually the same, what would you do?

It was pretty warm when we walked in to the pit tent, and I was kind of worried about the heat. But that cold breeze, could it be? air conditioning? in a tent? how terribly inefficient! (and necessary as we would find out when the generators ran out of fuel mid-afternoon).

We got pounded and it was largely my fault as I'd never learned about not running electric motors at more than 25% of stall torque. I thought stall torque was the number you designed to. I'll never do that again! Amazingly one of our drivers was actually able to control our arm. We never did figure out how he managed it. It was so traumatic we haven't built an arm since. But I did get pretty well hooked, after all I'm still here.