FIRST 101 [3/27/06]

[Andy Grady]

Hello again class, time for another action packed session of FIRST 101. Today we look back at the evolution of...

THE ARENA

I know this may be hard to believe, but FIRST wasn't always held inside of a massive arena or dome. Back in the day, much like current day offseason events, the competition was held in a high school gym. FIRST actually started at Memorial High School in Manchester NH with its innagural National Championships. It would soon move back and forth from Memorial in Manchester, to Nashua High in Nashua New Hampshire (currently known as Nashua South High School).

As the years went by, FIRST got bigger. Soon the national event had to be moved to a larger venue...which is where Disney World came into play. Back in the American Pavilion, about 75 teams would show up for the Nationals in Disney in its first year outside of the high school gyms. The beauty about the American Pavilion was that it was a good 5 minute walk from pit to field..."uphill...both ways...and we had to walk back down the hill to give the one pair of shoes to our brothers and sisters so that they could walk up." (credit my old CADD teacher Paul Morrison for the quote).

Regional events steadily got bigger. The New England Regional would move from Memorial High School to New Hampshire College (now known as Southern New Hampshire University...current location for the official kickoff). As a matter of fact...the events got so big...that even the college gym couldn't handle it. It was quite an experience having to wait outside of the high school gym instead of being in the stands watching your team...all because there were so many people there that fire codes would be broken. (Joke is on them, I still found a way in ) Even today, the spirited electricity that was contained in that gym by the huge crowds is something that hasn't been effectively replicated even in the large arenas with tons more people!

Since those days, the competition has blossomed into a major happening. Large arenas and now the Georgia dome are cluttered with people.

When you go to current competitions, and you complain about pits that are too small, not enough seating, expensive food, bad food, etc, etc...consider this...

Imagine your current pit...now shrink it by 2 to 3 feet squared...

Imagine the seating currently...now eliminate about 5000 seats with more people in the gym than you currently see in regionals today...oh..and that is if you are allowed in by the firemen...

Imagine the current (all be it expensive, you are right) selection of chicken fingers, pizza, hot dogs, sausages, hamburgers, fries, pretzels, soda, water, etc...now make the lines three times as large with the selection of only a burger, dog, chips, and soda...

Ah yes...the old days my friends...they were great...

But at the same time...sometimes you don't realize just how lucky we have it.

Did I mention that back in those days...there weren't even such things as webcasts?...Thats a subject for a different time though.

Class Dismissed.

-Professor Grady

[Jherbie53]

Thanks for the First history. I love reading about what it was like before i ever thought of doing anything like this. Keep doing posts like this one.

[Koko Ed]

Video proof of the old days!

[Jay H 237]

I remember driving down to New Jersey for the regional back when it was held at Rutger's University. 237 wasn't competing in it, rather a few of us went down there only as observers. After getting there they wouldn't allow us in there due to the fact there were too many people. We had to stay in an adjacent building and watch the matches on a large screen TV. Later on we were finally allowed in and it was packed! I believe this was back in 2000.

Needless to say, FIRST has outgrown original facilities in many areas.

[Greg Marra]

"Imagine the seating currently...now eliminate about 5000 seats"

Let's see, at the UTC regional, two bleacher banks that are designed to seat one thousand people each, minus five thousand...

This year's UTC regional was extremely action packed, and it was impossible to get in or out of the stands because people were sitting (or standing and cheering) in the aisles! It was very intense.

[dk5sm5luigi]

That line to get into the New England Regional was terrible. My parents drove all the way up from CT to watch and they ended up in an adjacent building watching it on a tv. People also have great stories from the old team parties and eating cold chicken in the mall.

[Ashley Weed]

Ohh back in the good old days in New Jersey downtown at the University gymnasium. Receiving wristbands daily so your "necessary" people could be guaranteed entrance to the venue. My parents too, along with team members have experienced the fire codes. Driving several hours to see competition only to be sent to a remote location. The intensity of the crowds was unlike anything you will ever see these days. Teams packed in right to the last inch of the playing field and player station - when we were still aloud to use noisemakers!

... mmmm and the lunch breaks down the street to the kiosk for a FatCat.

[Justin]

Give me those days over any current FIRST venue any day...period.

Nuts? Andy and I frequently lament about the atmosphere of the good ole' New Hampshire College/DEKA New England Regional venue to anyone who will listen ;-) The truly unfortunate part is, while Andy's post is a good start, the New Hampshire College venue cannot be explained with words, pictures, or video...it had to be experienced. Sadly those who have experienced a regional at this one of a kind venue are a vanishing breed. I would give my FIRST career for one more regional of 30 or so teams and 2000 people packed into that gym.

Long live the DEKA New England Regional,

Justin

P.S. Dean with a full beard...rock on!!