UFH: Alan Skierkiewicz

['lil Gach]

Congrats Al!!!!!!!! That is so awsome... I know that I didnt know a lot coming into electrical last year... You and Nate both helped me a lot! Great Job Al!

[OZ_341]

Congratulations! I have enjoyed all of your posts and admire Wildstang tremendously. Best of luck this season!

Al Ostrow
Team 341

[Stephen Kowski]

Congratulations. Your valuable advice has prevented me from killing myself and others numerous times =)

[Sean Schuff]

Congratulations Al!!

It's been a real pleasure watching your team in action (and actually getting to compete WITH you on occasion) these past 5 years. You and the rest of WildStang are true role models in the FIRST arena!

Great job!!

Sean

[Kyle Love]

Congrats Mr. Skierkiewicz!!!

I like to see great people from great teams win awards! Hopefully all mentors on FIRST teams can be good people just like yourself.

-Kyle

[Matt_Kaplan1902]

Congratulations Al!!
Another awesome choice.

If you ever get bored with Wildstang your more than welcome to come down to Plantation and work with the SigmaC@Ts

Congrats again!

[Greg McCoy]

Congratulations, Al! This was definitely overdue. You always have top notch, sensible electrical advice and share it effectively and clearly. Your presence on ChiefDelphi has certainly helped countless teams and individuals.

Congrats to a fellow ham

[Jaine Perotti]

Congratulations Al Skierkiewicz!

Originally Posted by Andy Brockway

Thank you for the help and info that you provide on these forums. Several of my students has benefited from your advice. As have I!!

I was privileged enough to be one of those students.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...d.php?p=299165

Your response to this question was immensely helpful to me.
Whenever I read one of your responses to someone else's question, I am always impressed by the quality of your advice. Your responses are always clear and very valuable. You have been helpful to countless people on these forums, and you have touched the lives of many. I hope to have the privilege to meet you one day.

You are an inspiration to all.

Thanks,
- Jaine

[Karthik]

Like many others who have posted here, have never met Al, yet I am constantly astounded by the wealth of information he has to share. Al's posts are always very detailed, provided tonnes of valuable information. I make sure to read everyone of his posts in it's entirety.

There was one thread that Al was involved in that sticks out in mind.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...d.php?p=224625

For those who don't want to read the whole thing, it was very close to the 2004 ship date, and there was a frantic question by a team who's robot was not working at all. Al took the time to go through all the possible problems. When it seemed as though the situation needed a more in depth look, Al asked where the team was located and if it was close to Chicago. Despite how close it was to the ship deadline and the fact that he was surely busy with his own robot, Al was willing to go out of his way and make a personal visit to this team. (He didn't end up going, but it's the thought that counts...)

It's that kind of dedication which makes FIRST the wonderful program that it is. Thank you Al. I look forward to meeting you at some point down the line.

[dez250]

AL, Congratulations, i don't know where i would be now with out your help. For the help you have provided not only to myself but to all of the Chief Delphi and FIRST community has been invaluable and i don't think we can thank you enough for that. And now i think it is time well overdue for all to gather round and hear a couple of the many wonderful times Al has helped out people who he had never met before.

The first time i met Al in person was in Atlanta this past April at the 2004 Championships. While working in the pits with team 250, damage almost occurred to our RC while trying to connect our program cable to the RC due to it being in a tight place. Well after trying to come up with a quick solution other then moving the RC and rewiring the bot again, i decided to go and find Andy Baker to talk to him about this and if he had a recommendation but at that time team 45 was out at a match. While about to head back to my pits i notice Wildstang is almost right behind team 45 in the pits. I approach one of the mentors i recognize from 111, Dave Flowerday, and he grabs Al to ask him about it. As Al turns around, he recognizes me from this forum and digs through a box to pull out a patch cable made of a set of IDC 9 pin connectors and some ribbon cable. He hands that to me and tells me if it doesn't work to come back and get him. I wound up not having to go back, due to his quick thinking and excess of supplies that he didn't have a second thought of donating to a needing team.

The next time i would see Al would be at IRI this past summer. While we talked during some of the matches and caught up about past events and the past season, i was at IRI to volunteer and help out. Later in the day, a problem arouse with the field, and more specifically the ball cups that held the 10 point balls. On the not so simplex wiring on the underside of the components, multiple wires got spliced during set up and kept shorting out the sensor. During our lunch break a group of volunteers went to take a look to see if a fix could be developed with what was on hand there. After noticing the problem i approached Al and asked him to take a look and see if he could help out. Not only was he willing to help out, he grabbed Wildstang's extra supplies once again and came up with a solution that kept the field in working order for the rest of that event and also for Sweet Repeat and Kettering Kickoff.

I am honored to have worked with such an amazing and talented mentor in FIRST. Thank you Mr. Skierkiewicz for all you have done and i hope to be able to work with you again in the future.

Congratulations on this achievement Al, for you are a true Unsung FIRST Hero!

[Mike Martus]

Always there to help with wealth of knowledge. I know where to go for the answers.

His team ranks among the best of the best. It is clear he is a driving factor for his team.

Glad you were nominated, well deserved for sure.

[Venkatesh]

From what I know of Alan Skierkiewicz, this was only a matter of time. =) Congratulations!!!

[shyra1353]

Congratulations and thank you so much for all your help. I wonder if you know how much your advice and feedback has actually helped.

I was actually reading one of your posts earlier today and thinking "Why is he not a UFH??" and then I saw the UFH symbol next to your name .. so again congrats and thanks for all your help

Congrats to Al!

He is an inspiration to his team and many others. Al is always in the pits helping out....if it isnt his team he's in someone elses pit providing his positive and useful insight. Thanks for all of your help and support to the FIRST community!

[Andy Baker]

Al is one of those mentors who we all learn from. I am inspired by the help he gives on these forums and his effort to help teams throughout the year. Each year, it seems that the TechnoKats learn something from Al.

Also, Al is one of those knowledgeable inspectors, like Mike Martus, who takes the time to completely inspect a robot at a competition. Students and teams deserve this sort of quality treatment. Al has a unique way to be strict with a team while inspecting, but fatherly and nice at the same time. It is obvious that his focus is for the safety of everyone involved with that robot he is inspecting.

While these things are impressive, they don't really show the impact that Al has on his team and others in FIRST. If you get to know Al, you will also get to know his wife, Dottie. Both are great people. Dottie is somewhat of the "team mom" at Wildstang, from what I can tell, and keeps those 'Stangs in line with cookies, cheering, moral support and encouragement. She is always looking out for the students, as is Al. At many competitions, Dottie and Al have gone out of their way to make my family feel comfortable in the stands. My kids have received countless Wildstang stuff over the years, and they really get a kick out of it.

Al and Dottie are part of what makes FIRST great. They are both role models for us all.

Andy B.