More than One Regional?

[Greg Perkins]

ok, I don't mean to insult anyone here, but in my honest opinion, if you are attending a "regional" shouldn't that mean you are competing in your "region"? I by all means am a promoter of experience, but for those teams who NEED to win regionals to qualify (I haven't done first this year so I don't know if that applies anymore) isn't that giving them a handicap?
To make this a logical situation, if a team wants to compete at more than one regional, I think they should be unranked in doing so if it is just for "experience" then who needs wins or points? Also the cost situation, I do agree that attending multiple regionals instead of champs is a good idea, but there should be boundaries somewhere.
I don't mean to be negative but I have seen many GREAT teams be knocked out of a chance to go to the championship because another regional winner decided to come and dominate. If you want to flaunt your skills do it at the champs not at another regional.

[smurfgirl]

Thanks for all of the responses, you're definitely offering me a lot of insight. More responses to my first questions are certainly welcomed and encouraged, but I also have one more question to add:

For a team who wants to attend two events, is it better to do two regionals, or one regional and the Championship?

Edit: I also thought of something else I'd like feedback on- some posts have mentioned a "warm-up" regional, with lower pressure. Our team recently started using a full-scale practice field, and we simulate competitions with loud music, spirit teams, defensive robots, running pep rallies, etc. We also go to a scrimmage before ship date. I know this is not the same as a regional, but it does get in a lot of individual driver practice for technique, as well as six-robot driver practice. Does this change the idea of a first regional as a "warm-up" at all?

[cziggy343]

Originally Posted by smurfgirl

Thanks for all of the responses, you're definitely offering me a lot of insight. More responses to my first questions are certainly welcomed and encouraged, but I also have one more question to add:

For a team who wants to attend two events, is it better to do two regionals, or one regional and the Championship?

that is a risk since you must qualify by having to win your only regional. so then you may end up with only one event. id go with two regionals, then try (if you qualify) to find the money to go to the Championships... thats what we have to do this year... find the spare change under the counch

[lilBcos]

CougarTech choose to attend more than one regional this year and it paid off. during the FLR our robot preformed poorly but during the buckeye we had time to fix everything and had a great robot. so the extra regional gave us a chance to have a good season

[Daniel_LaFleur]

We go to one regional every year, BAE GSR. We only go to one because we can only afford to go to one.

We will only go to the championships if we win the regional, like we did last year.

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by smurfgirl

For a team who wants to attend two events, is it better to do two regionals, or one regional and the Championship?

If you can afford the Championship, go. The experience alone is worth it, no matter whether you are competitive at that level or not.

I foresee in the not too distant future that all spots at the Championship will be merit-based (including previous merits, like HoF and last year's winners). There won't be a "buy-your-way-in" option like 1025 is making avail of this year. Or if there is, it will not be available if your team went to CMP in the last year or two.

[KTorak]

We always have enough money for two events. However, due to students money situations, we opted for two regionals (closer than ATL) last year. So we did our normal GLR then hit up BMR. Last year, after being a two time regional finalist, we regret not going to ATL. Usually we do GLR and ATL.

[Steven S]

Originally Posted by Greg Perkins

ok, I don't mean to insult anyone here, but in my honest opinion, if you are attending a "regional" shouldn't that mean you are competing in your "region"? I by all means am a promoter of experience, but for those teams who NEED to win regionals to qualify (I haven't done first this year so I don't know if that applies anymore) isn't that giving them a handicap?
To make this a logical situation, if a team wants to compete at more than one regional, I think they should be unranked in doing so if it is just for "experience" then who needs wins or points? Also the cost situation, I do agree that attending multiple regionals instead of champs is a good idea, but there should be boundaries somewhere.
I don't mean to be negative but I have seen many GREAT teams be knocked out of a chance to go to the championship because another regional winner decided to come and dominate. If you want to flaunt your skills do it at the champs not at another regional.

But then at some places you get the opposite, the cheesy poofs have dominated SVR for what 7, 8 years in a row, maybe it's time for them to start moving around ya know?