2006 Wisconsin Regional Thanks and Congrats

[Ricky Q.]

I have thanks and congrats to give out from 2 perspectives: a WI Regional Planning Committee Member and from my team.

First off, thank you to the other members of the WI Regional Committee (John, Carla, Laurie, Craig, Kevin, Jason, Ted, Jon, and Marc), you guys are awesome. We put together a great regional and worked great togther. From our first meetings last summer, I knew we had something special.

Special thanks to Susan Lawrence, FIRST's Midwest Region Director, for all your help. You helped us all through our first year doing this and were always there for us.

Thanks to all the volunteers, without you this would not have happened.

Thank you to all the FIRST Veteran Volunteers who came to Milwaukee and helped us out tremendously. These included Mark Koors, Andy Baker, Larry Lowell, Dan Green, Paul Copioli, Al S., Eric Rasmussen, Greg McCoy and many others. Thank you!

Thanks to Dean Simmons and the Kamen Brothers for coming all the way up to Wisconsin from your world tour. You rocked the zoo. Also thanks to all the volunteers who made all the food, you guys were amazing.

And thank you to all the teams who came to Milwaukee and strutted their stuff, that was one of the most intense FIRST competitions I have ever seen.

Now for the team stuff, thanks to my team for having patience with me as I balanced planning the regional, mentoring, and being field coach for #269. You had faith in me and it helped tons.

Thanks to 1108 and 81 for being some great partners in the elims. 1108, I better see you in Atlanta now, Congrats on the awesome Chairman's Win.

Congrats to 111, 1625, and 1816 on being the winners. And to 70, 494, 1739 for putting up a tough fight.

Congrats to all award winners, these teams were a special bunch.

And finally, congratulations and thank you to the WI Woodie Flowers Finalist Winner Bob Blersch. This is the man who brought FIRST to Oconomowoc, and he brought FIRST to me as well. I was a lost puppy in my first year at OHS in 2002 until this guy pointed me in the direction of #269. He is an amazing FIRST mentor and teacher, I can't even begin to describe how much he means to me and to everyone involved with our team. Thanks Bob, and congrats.

[ngreen]

Thanks Ricky.

It was great teaming up with Cooney Quest and Metal Heads (loved your microswitches). We didn't win but we competed in a couple hard fought matches and were glad to be in the alliance.

I want to say thanks to all the refs and volunteers. It was a lot of fun working with everyone and other than a couple of restarts everything went really smooth.

Congrats to 111, 1625, 1816, 70, 494, and 1739 for the exciting finals.

Good luck to all the teams headed to Atlanta.

[JackN]

I would like to thank all the volunteers and refs for running the show. I would like to thank Paul Copioli and Dan Green for anouncing the event. I would also like to thank DSKB for rocking out and giving me a set list. Finally i would like to thank 1781 for being a great defensive partner to the Martian teams. I would like to congratulate the No. 2 alianace. They were one tough group. Congrats to 1108 on the CA. I would love to read what you did. And finally i would like to congartulate all the teams involved. You guys were good. This was one tough regional.

[Kevin Kolodziej]

This list is going to sound familiar, but it needs to be out there!

As a planning committee member:

Thanks to Susan Lawrence for all the work you've put in and the guidance you've given us so we could pull off this event. We'd have been in well over our heads without you!

Thanks to the rest of the committee (John, Craig, Jason, Laurie, Carla, Ted, Ricky, Marc, and Jon) for giving me a chance to realize another one of my dreams. Its been a blast to work with you all and I look forward to doing it again for next year!

Thanks to all the volunteers that made this event possible. We had a lot of first timers working various positions but you would have never known it.

Thanks to all the teams for showing those in Wisconsin that are new to FIRST how a FIRST competition is supposed to work. Excellent GP, excellent matches, excellent spirit, and excellent machines.

Thanks to Dan, Paul, and Tyler for a wonderful job on the mics. You kept the crowd into it and did some really neat stuff (Saturday opening was great).

Thanks to my social volunteers - the cooks in the back, the servers, the greeters, and the security crew - you are all amazing. Without you, perhaps one of the greatest socials of all time would not have been possible.

Thanks to Dean Simmons and the Kamen Brothers for putting on an AMAZING show. You've never sounded better and your setlist was mighty impressive. You "Milwaukee Zoo" and "Symphony of Construction" songs will forever by my favorite DSK songs now. Thanks for putting up with me and my sound system near-disaster...but it worked out WONDERFULLY in the end.

Thanks to everyone for putting up with the scoring system. The refs and counters did an amazing job and keeping track of the real scores and getting the correct results to everyone quickly.

Thanks to EVERYONE for putting up with me and my sickness all weekend! Thanks Elise for the cough drops...they worked like a charm =)

As a member of Team 1675:

Thanks to 537 for the Victor...we'll get it back to you at or upon return from Atlanta.

HUGE thanks to 1864 for picking us in the finals. We performed progressively less and less on Friday, swapped out our worm drives in record time on Saturday morning, got some confidence back, and did everything we could in the finals. It was great playing with you and 1716 and we wish you the best in your future endeavors. We'll be happy to have you back in our shop anytime!

As a member of 1714:

Thanks to 537 and 1091 for being great alliance partners. Luck was not on our side but it was still fun running with you guys. Best of luck to you in the future!

Thanks to 111, 930, and 1091 (there may have been one other - I'm sorry if I missed you!) for the team awards.

As a member of both teams:

Thanks to both teams AND the alliance partners for putting up with me coaching both teams in the eliminations. I couldn't partake in the between match discussions or the repairs, but everything was handled just fine. You guys are all awesome!

I think that about does it. Can't wait for next year!

Kev

[Chris Hibner]

I just want to say that I thought this was a great regional - maybe even the best that I've been to. It was a great venue, the location in the city was about perfect, Milwaukee was a great city, and the social was very fun (for me at least). I would love to come back.

A big thanks to Kevin and Ricky for their organizational efforts with the Social. It went really well.

[dubious elise]

Oy vey...where to start....

The Referees and Field Crew - Not only did you all cope extremely well with the scoring issues, you kept smiles on your faces the entire time. Thanks especially to Andy for keeping me in the box and Dennis for generally cracking me up while I waited for the rest of my drive team to appear.

DS&TKB - Awesome performance! The 269 alumni had a great time helping me with the song list (yes, there were a few that I didn't know...) - I'll be sure to pass around the shirt accordingly

Dan, Tyler, and Paul - Great work keeping the crowd pumped and the matches on schedule with your "speed rounds". Paul, thanks a load for dealing so well with our massive Cooney flag!

The Regional Planning Committee - A team social at the zoo? In the Primate House?! What could possibly be more fitting or entertaining?!? You guys did a fantastic job, crossing all of the t's and dotting every i. The pits were spacious, the seats in the stands were comfortable beyond words, and the social was a blast. I'm ready for next year already!

"Rookies" - Your nickname is in quotes for a reason. You all competed with strategy, gracious professionalism, and spirit beyond your year. It was a pleasure to work with you and have pits so close to yours rather than being ordered by team number as it was in past years. Congratulations especially to 1714 for winning the Rookie Inspiration Award (twice!) and 1816 for being outstanding finalists; I sincerely hope that you both can dig up the funds to attend the World Championships this year.

Teams 1108 and 81 - I could not have been more thrilled to be allied with both of your teams. Congratulations on winning the Chairman's Award, 1108, you have truly earned it and I am waiting with baited breath for your follow-up win at the Championships If someone from 1108 PMs me, I can send you the picture of your drive team that was in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal on Saturday.

Stephanie from 93 - That broken leg was all for you.

Team 269 - Mentors, sponsors, current students, and alumni - I love you all for coming down to show your support and for everything that you did during the build season. I hope that you all had a great time and have ideas in your heads for next year!

Ricky - If I hadn't had Chem. with you, Brian, and Mr. Holzmiller as a scared little freshman, I probably never would have joined robotics. Thanks for your help with absolutely everything, even if it was simply IM-ing the word "ROBOT" at me every night when I came online.

[Jeremiah Johnson]

Uh oh... Wildstang won ANOTHER regional?!?!?! Congrats to all the teams that participated. Sounds like it was a good regional.

[Joe J.]

Thank you to 525 and 1732 for selecting us for their third alliance member.

Thank You to 1091 for their Team Spirit Award.

Congratulations to 111, 1625, 1816 on winning the regional.
and to 1108 on winning Chairman's Award.