Team Socials

[Dan Petrovic]

166 is a team that likes to travel to a new place when regionals come around. It's incredibly exciting to visit a new place and see teams you don't normally get to see.

Part of that excitement is brought upon by Team Socials. So here is my question to fellow CDers:

Which Regionals have great Team Socials? Last year we went to the Boilermaker Regional and had a blast at the Team Social, so where can we relive that without going back to the Boilermaker Regional (not that it would be a bad thing to go back)?

Thanks in advance, your word might sway the team's decision as to where we go!

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by InfernoX14

166 is a team that likes to travel to a new place when regionals come around. It's incredibly exciting to visit a new place and see teams you don't normally get to see.

Part of that excitement is brought upon by Team Socials. So here is my question to fellow CDers:

Which Regionals have great Team Socials? Last year we went to the Boilermaker Regional and had a blast at the Team Social, so where can we relive that without going back to the Boilermaker Regional (not that it would be a bad thing to go back)?

Thanks in advance, your word might sway the team's decision as to where we go!

phoenix had a good one in '05 and '06; wasn't there in '07.

[Dan Petrovic]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

phoenix had a good one in '05 and '06; wasn't there in '07.

Can you elaborate on it, as well, please?

[EricH]

Originally Posted by InfernoX14

Can you elaborate on it, as well, please?

They take everyone over to the local science museum. That's where the food is; then you wander the exhibits until about 8:00 (if memory serves).

L.A. did something similar last year, except the food was at the venue and we walked over to the L.A. science museum. (The Star Wars exhibit was very popular...)

[Kate00]

Waterloo. No question. I know that it's across the border, but on top of being the most well-run, fun event I've ever been to or heard of, it has a great team social.

I really enjoyed the Waterloo social. All of the years I've been there has been a free arcade, private rooms and tables for teams to strategize, and plenty of food. There is a large area to socialize, and one of the best parts for me was being on a university campus, actually in their Student Life Centre.

The activities in the years I've been have varied - two years ago there was a movie shown upstairs, with a large area for socializing downstairs outside the arcade. Last year, there was a VEX game set up with premade robots built by Vex experts. You signed up in teams of 4, everyone from a different FRC team, and played the game. The team with the highest score got a prize, and it was a really cool co-operative game.

Probably the neatest part of the Waterloo team social is that all the big names come and hang out. I got to talk to the lead designer from 1114 and winner of the Waterloo WFA 2007 (Derek Bessette), the pioneer of FIRST in Canada and winner of the Greater Toronto WFA 2007 (Mark Breadner), the Chair of the Waterloo regional and Volunteer of the Year at Waterloo 2005 (Ian Mackenzie), the winner of the WFA in Greater Toronto 2006 and a phenomenal programmer (Shawn Lim), JVN, Karthik Kanagasabapathy (he's won more awards and regionals than letters in his last name)... that's a lot of WFA and VoY winners, as well as a lot of inspiration in one room. It was a really incredible experience.

In conclustion: Pick Waterloo!

[AndyB]

A person from our team actually coordinates the social. Two years ago, it was at the Zoo and we had a blast. Last year it was held in the Italian Community Center building and there was a variety of events to attend. I may be a bit biased, but I've never heard a complaint about a Wisconsin regional team social.

This years social will be held at the Discovery World (brand new). It's gonna be amazing.

[ChrisH]

Originally Posted by EricH

They take everyone over to the local science museum. That's where the food is; then you wander the exhibits until about 8:00 (if memory serves).

L.A. did something similar last year, except the food was at the venue and we walked over to the L.A. science museum. (The Star Wars exhibit was very popular...)

IF we get the budget the regional committee is planning to do the same in 2008. Though we will probably have the food at the museum as well this time. The museum management is a bit more co-operative now that they have seen FIRST in action.

So the Southern California social will be very similar to Phoenix, but we only have to walk across the parking lot, not drive across town, to get there.

This assumes we have the level of sponsorship to have a Social at all. We won't know that for some months yet, unless we get a really big donor unexpectedly.

[Otaku]

I've heard that SVR's were pretty good, but it wasn't there in '07.

[synth3tk]

Buckeye Regional was pretty good. Prolly could've had something else during the night, though.

We went to the Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame and ate, then walked around looking at exhibits. IMHO, there should've also been a dance or something...