Purdue 2005

[Eugenia Gabrielov]

Westside Boiler Invasion is actually hoping to get a regional organized at Purdue University next year, for the first time ever. Is there anybody else starting up new regionals, or who thinks they'd come to ours? That would be so cool!

[Matt Adams]

I'd just like to give an update that the Purdue Regional is definitely good to go for next year. We got the thumbs up from FIRST a couple weeks ago.

With the new entry fee increase, I'm sure that many of the Indiana teams will appreciate the chance to travel somewhere that's somewhat local and won't require hotel accomodations.

The reason I'm posting is to get some honest feedback about a conflict of interest.

Team 461 has all of it's engineering support in the form of undergraduate engineering students that attend Purdue University. There's been some lively discussion among our team about attending the regional which our Univeristy (and an independent group of students) is sponsoring. The cost savings would be enormous, and though we're not hurting terribly for money, every team would love to save 20 to 30% of their budget if possible.

Is this any different from having Motoroala teams attend what was once the Motorolla Midwest Regional? Are there other colleges that attend and host their own regional?

What is the probability of backlash if our team is successful at our own regional, or wins any sort of award?

Is this something that's practical?

Feel free to give some honest and constructive. Thanks in advance!

Matt

[Ryan Dognaux]

If you guys win an award it's because you're a great team that deserves to win an award - that's my opinion.

I'm excited for this.. I'm not sure if we'll go as a team, but just to know that there's going to be an official Indiana Regional is awesome. I know I'll be there no matter what

[Tyler 178]

I am from the Pacific Northwest, where the two teams I've been on have basically been rookie teams. The first team I was on took a year off due to budget issues, so it was basically a rookie team when I joined even though it was technically their second year. Then last year, I started a team with all rookie team members at my own school.

This year, I got to go back to the Detriot Regional and watch some veteran teams in action. I got to see chiefdelphi #47, and the killer bees #33, among others, because there were several really good robots. I was on a college visit to decide between Michigan and Purdue.

I ended up picking Purdue and am going into the freshman engineering program at Purdue. It was icing on the cake when I realized that Michigan didn't have a FIRST team. Purdue not only mentors a team, but will have its own regional next year!!! I won't have to travel far to stay in touch with the action of FIRST.

I'm looking forward to staying involved.

And team 461, if you guys do good next year, it's not going to be because you are at your own regional. You guys had an awesome robot this year, (I saw lots of video via webcast), and you didn't have your own regional. So if you win awards, don't feel bad, because you probably earned them.

[Mike Soukup]

Originally Posted by Matt Adams

Team 461 has all of it's engineering support in the form of undergraduate engineering students that attend Purdue University. There's been some lively discussion among our team about attending the regional which our Univeristy (and an independent group of students) is sponsoring. The cost savings would be enormous, and though we're not hurting terribly for money, every team would love to save 20 to 30% of their budget if possible.

Is this any different from having Motoroala teams attend what was once the Motorolla Midwest Regional?

It's no different at all; I wouldn't expect any conflict of interest issues. Of course some will complain, but that's just what happens when you get a huge group of people together. Go ahead and attend your own regional and if you get any flack, you'll have a lot of people defending you.

[Andy Baker]

Originally Posted by Mike Soukup

It's no different at all; I wouldn't expect any conflict of interest issues. Of course some will complain, but that's just what happens when you get a huge group of people together. Go ahead and attend your own regional and if you get any flack, you'll have a lot of people defending you.

Matt,

I agree with Mike. This opinion will be the overwhelming majority opinion of FIRSTers. If 461 does not compete, it would be a disservice to your team members, Purdue, WLHS, your families, and your community.

This regional will be great and unique. Many people have stepped forward already to volunteer their services to make it work. One of the great things about Purdue is the number of alumni who are involved in FIRST. The unique thing about this regional will be the venue. It will be held in the Armory, which has a very large, flat arena. Bleachers will be brought in and set up just for this competition. Pits will be very close to the field. It's gonna be a very exciting time!

Andy B.

[ChrisH]

Originally Posted by Mike Soukup

It's no different at all; I wouldn't expect any conflict of interest issues. Of course some will complain, but that's just what happens when you get a huge group of people together. Go ahead and attend your own regional and if you get any flack, you'll have a lot of people defending you.

I don't see how this would be so very different from team members being on the Regional Committees or volunteering to be Inspectors. Here in Southern California, if we eliminated all the teams that had members that were on the committee or otherwise volunteering, we would have eliminated at least 25% of the teams that attended last year.

I would avoid having team members acting as Judges and not allow them to inspect their own robot or that of a mentee team. We used those guidlines last year and nobody had any complaints at the Team Forum last night.

[Anne Shade]

Matt,

Georgia Tech is one of the major sponsors for the Peachtree Regional and the Georgia Tech FIRST group (a group of undergraduate students) help run the committee and the team recruitment effort. We participate in the Peachtree regional with our team, the Circuitrunners team 1002, and even won the regional and the regional chairman's this year. We did not receive any backlash for it since others saw that the team deserved it.

I definetaly say that you should participate in the regional that your team will help run. It's great to be able to participate in the regional that you put so much time and effort to plan and get going. It seems that your situation is very similar to what ours was about 2 years ago so if you have any questions, let me know. Good luck and have fun with it .

[Nick Seidl]

As a college advisor for the WBI team, I'm excited about having a regional here on campus. Just a similar note as those from other university teams have pointed out, I've been to a regional that was in part sponsored by a university. The VCU sponsors the regional in Virginia. Having been on a team in high school that atteneded that regional, I can say that we never heard anyone say anything negative when one of the VCU teams was successfull in any way. I think attending a regional in your own community is a great way to show support for those sponsors, and encourage the community to come out and see what competitions are like. Very few of us ever have the opportunity to really have a "home game." in FIRST.

[dez250]

dont worry about confilcts with a host team/sponser winning an award or the competition. It seems every year multiple awards at the UTC regional go to UTC sponsored teams and many of the past UTC regional winners have been UTC sponsored.

[Pierson]

Don't worry about conflicts. It would be worse to not appear at your own regional than it would be to win it.

Just follow the guideline's that ChrisH posted above, and especially, don't fill the ranks of judges with Purdue people. (I don't think I need to explain why )

[Pierson]

Since I can't edit my last post... I'll add another. The University of Washington competed at their regional for 2 years. Then the venue was changed because there were not enough local teams to support the regional.

[Barry Bonzack]

Seeing a bunch of teams from Indiana and probably Michagin competing at the same time.... If I wanted to see that, I'd just go to the Championship in Atlanta.

Kidding. I'm sure it would be a great event, and on a beautiful campus. If your team wins an award, it would be because they earned it, and all teams would know it in their hearts. There should be an extra award given to you for your efforts in making another regional.

[Kyle Love]

I can't wait for the Purdue Regional!!!!

-Kyle

[Josh Hambright]

PURDUE REGIONAL! 10 blocks from my apartment...at most...probably less! All i can say is that i've been excited and talking about this for the last 3 years and i cant believe its finaly going to happen. The day i found out the dates i requested them off work!
Now if only DJ and I can figure out how to secure the announcer spots