Question: What was the first FIRST competition you attended?

[Tim Baird]

My first FIRST comp was the UTC Regional in '99. We had a good 2 days of qualifying rounds and then won with team 19. I was hooked.

Ever since then, it has consumed all of my free time (read: all of my time) and I still have no regrets.

[Richard Wallace]

My introduction to FIRST came during a work related visit to Deka R&D in early January 1996. Dean Kamen convinced my boss that Emerson should sponsor a team, and I was standing at the right place to get the assignment. The next morning I was at the kickoff, and the next evening I was on a commercial flight home with two extra boxes of checked luggage -- the KOP. When I got back to St. Louis, my first task was to recruit a team!

My first FIRST competition was the 1996 Championship at Epcot, before teams had permanent numbers. We were called the Arch Rivals -- note the St. Louis theme. In the pits we were right next to another midwestern rookie team called the Baxter Bomb Squad. Their history is now storied, while ours ended after the 1997 season. Boy was it hot in that tent! And carrying the robot to and from the field made us really wish we had brought a cart!

After that I took four years off from FIRST, starting back again in late 2001 when the St. Louis regional was being organized. 931 was the first and only St. Louis area team in 2002. Now our area is up to 18 teams and still growing.

[Andy Grady]

My first competition was the New England Tournament at Memorial High School in Manchester, 1995.

After a year of getting used to the whole FIRST experience on Gael Force (Where I didn't really put that much effort in) I treked up on the Clinton bus to go see the action. The competition was amazing, yet primitive...nothing at all like it is today. Two fields layed out in the gymnasium, big television screens for seeing the score and time, and the man in the middle of the field as emcee who "I thought I recognized from somewhere on TV" (Woodie Flowers).

Back then at that competition...there was no music...however schools brought bands to keep things plenty loud. There was no play by play announcing...you pretty much had to figure out what was going on in a match on your own. The gym was packed and very energetic. There were cheers comming from every corner of the gymnasium.

I watched the whole day as the Gael Force robot struggled to even pick up a ball, let lone score up a mile...yet for some reason...this was the coolest thing I had ever experienced.

I remember having to leave right after our last match (I believe it was the only one we would end up winning) and thinking to myself..."yeah, I want to do this next year...and next year I want to be down on that field!"

Of course, the next year, I was.

Walking into that gym last year for River Rage sent chills up my spine. I didn't know back then how much of an effect that day would have on the rest of my life..and seeing it all again brought back alot of amazing memories.

[Kristian Calhoun]

The first competitions that I attended, in order, were the 2005 Duel on the Delaware, followed by Ramp Riot, and then Brunswick Eruption 4*.
However, the first actual "official" FIRST competition that I attended was the '06 New Jersey Regional. To then be followed by the Las Vegas Regional and the Championships.

*BE 5 is going to be off the [drive] chain. Be there.

[Tom Schindler]

My first competition was the UTC scrimmage at South Windsor High School in 1997... Way back when the robots ran off of 2 drill batteries..

I couldn't believe how different every team's robot was! It was quite amazing to watch them glide around the field and fumble to pick up the toroids...

I don't recall who won or any specific events (besides a few random robots falling over, which was spectacular), but i knew i had to be a part of it. Coming up on 10 years later, I'm still hooked.

I can agree with Andy when he commented on how he had no idea how much effect the first FIRST competition would effect the rest of his life. I don't know where i would be, or what i would be doing right now without FIRST, it really is a life changing organization!

Tom

[Katie Hans]

My first FIRST competition was the 2006 Finger Lakes Regional. I had a really great time. It was a whirlwind experience for me, but I do remember a few points:
1.) I had to go in and be interviewed for the Chairman's Award, which was really nerve wracking,
2.) The guy selling Ben & Jerry's ice cream was really nice,
3.) I liked a lot of the music that was played,
4.) People on my team started painting faces/limbs/hair,
5.) I think we almost killed the drive team with a stampede,
6.) And for some reason I remember I dropped the blinking paw light that the X-Cats were giving out on the floor and then it didn't work. But I still have it.

[Graham Donaldson]

Brunswick Eruption '05... I remember not knowing what to expect and as a pre-rookie team member, if I could be called that, I remember being really bored because I didn't have anything to do. But my 3rd competition, Palmetto Regional '06, I was busy every day, all the time! Just goes to show that if you just throw yourself into the team and do your best to get involved, you can really play a crucial role! (*cough* SCOUTING!!!!! *cough*) .

The Canuck

[travis48elite]

My first FIRST competition was the Pittsburg Regional in 2004 where it was there that I really got hooked on to FIRST. It was one of the best times I had ever experienced up to that point in my life. But the best FIRST competition that I have attended would have to be the Buckeye Regional in 2006 when my dad attended who had been helping out the team and now I think he is hooked to FIRST also!

[StephLee]

The first competition I ever went to wasn't one my team competed in; we went to Pittsburgh in 2005 on that Saturday to watch and get an idea of what to expect the next week at Chesapeake. I remember (and will always remember) the overwhelming noise and the feeling of awe when I walked in at the top of the stadium and looked down in the middle of a match. It was incredible.

The first competition I competed in was the following weekend, at Chesapeake. It was an insane amount of fun, and I remember barely needing sleep or rest at all that weekend...until the car ride home.

[Hiteak]

The first one was the last day of the FLR 2005 Regional as a viewer. The FIRST regional that I competed was FLR 2006. It was amazing though being at both. Being right besides the field and meeting new friends along the way was great.

[Not2B]

2002 GLR

First comp ever - I was a mentor for our team. I have vague memories.
- Unpacking and seeing all the other robots and feeling sick...
- Seeing the drill motors pop out of their motor mounts in our first match. Straight up.
- Wondering what just happened.

[Joe J.]

2003 Great Lakes Regional

Our robot broke....a lot. It was a lot of fun though.
The first time our robot got up the ramp with out breaking or falling over, our team went crazy cheering.

[ScoutingNerd175]

Bash at the Beach 2004. Our robot got broken... a lot... really a lot. But I had a wonderful time and I've never looked back. I'm still upset that we didn't go to Bash this year!

[Pavan Dave]

my first FIRST competition was the FLL Competition what i helped out in...my first FRC competition was LSR. this year

-junx

[Dan Petrovic]

2002 UTC regional.

I was woken up at 4:00 AM to drive all the way to New Haven, Connecticut. I wasn't happy about waking up earlier than I'd normally have to for school. That morning before we got there I was asking myself "Why am I here...?"

It was so much fun! Loud music, tons of robots, tons of excited students. 166 won the Play of the Day award for pushing their partner, 151 who was their sister team back in the day, back on their wheels.

I'm so glad my parents dragged me to that competition now!