Question of the Week!!! (7/19/04)

[Lisa Rodriguez]

Now, this will sound a bit corny but... Andy Grady

Although I did not meet Andy until sometime around the UTC regional, he probably showed me more about FIRST than anyone has before. In previous year, on my team, it was about our team, and only our team, maybe sometimes who we needed to do well. This year, our team decided to try and stop that, but old habit die hard. It was UTC alliance picking time and we were not in the Top 8, but doing fairly well. We had really only talked to one or two teams about being together. So I stood waiting, hoping to be picked. Low and behold, 126 picks us. There is much rejoicing, yet almost no reassurance, for, at that point, we had no idea who they were (our scouts were a bit...touchy and didn't like doing their job) But to our joy, 126 has Andy Grady amongst other fantastic people on their strategy team, and know exactly what's going on. I mean, they help up a sign saying who to pick 3rd round. All throughout the finals, we would play a match, then run out to the stands, and there would be Andy and his strategy team, telling us exactly what we needed to know and what to do. Not only would he tell us, but he would also listen, made sure we had no problems and then reassure us and tell us to go kick butt. We came in a very close 2nd.
After UTC, i would still talk to Andy, having previously seen him on CD. When nationals rolled around, we talked a bit more, disappointed we wouldn't have a chance to wreck up with them in the same division. But we had fun anyway! At least once a day, if not twice, Andy would stop by our pit, ask us how we were doing, and tell us we were gonna do great. We also had a scouting agreement to help each other out if we ever got to Einstein. Well, we didn't do so hot, but we still had fun, and that's what mattered.
Again, after the season, we still talked a little. It was only in the few weeks previous to Battlecry that i learned of Andy's past!
Never did i think one single person could be on so many teams!! It comes to light that no one dislikes Andy Grady, he is a great guy, and helps out everyone he comes in contact with it. Since he no longer offcially has a team, he announced at BC and had a good time doing it, still coming when he could to check on us, or talking to us while que-ed. What was espcially entertaining was out pit backed up to the crack in the bleachers through which we could talk to Andy. Many know, Andy won the BC STAR award, and well deserving.

Now, as this may seem normal to many, I had never previously seen this happen, such a nice guy, so well connected and so happy to just be at a competition. Andy Grady has truly left an impression.