2009 Dallas Regional

[Tazlikesrobots]

Originally Posted by AshWalker

There was also 98 - St. Marks/Hockaday from Dallas. Dissolved sometime around 2001 due to major sponsorship issues. Their last year was the year before my freshman year. The schools split into two teams and both moved to BEST. I'd kill to get an FRC team restarted there, but thats a challenge now living on the other side of the country.

And are you sure 55 is Austin Acad? That is a middle school. (I remember them from BEST)

Not 100% sure on the team number , but they had an FRC team in 2000 and 2001. They switched to BEST sometime after that....

[wireties]

Hey, don't forget about the Full Metal Jackets (Rockwall High School - Team 1296). We'll probably participate in a Dallas Regional.

[Andrew Schuetze]

It's a year away but not too soon for teams to start looking at travel dates so any news as to what week this event will be as well as LoneStar, Bayou, OKC ...

Does this event have a name? One might think of a cowboy theme but then that is more Ft. Worth Texas and the DFW metroplex is so much more than a wild west town

Looking forward to some day being able to compete in three or four regional events and never leave the State

[Kevin Sevcik]

Originally Posted by Scott Carpman

FIRST can have a Texas two-step, LSR then Dallas two weeks later. Have LSR and OKC on the same week (2?) and Dallas during 4 if scheduling permits.

Just FYI, I can pretty much guarantee that LSR isn't ever going to be a week 2 regional unless it absolutely can't be helped. Rodeo is in town until week 5, and even if we don't hold the event at Reliant Arena again, the Rodeo takes up a fair amount of hotel room and general interest in town, along with the attention of some LSR committee members. I can't see the committee voluntarily competing with the rodeo unless scheduling conflicts make it unavoidable as it was this year. So I think we'll see LSR return to a 5th week regional next year, though possibly in a new venue.

Back on topic, I'm curious if the Dallas regional is going to have any problems attracting teams, given the proximity to the more established LSR regional. I imagine it'll come down to the venue and how cramped and frenetic or not it will make the regional.

[Pavan Dave]

Originally Posted by Kevin Sevcik

Just FYI, I can pretty much guarantee that LSR isn't ever going to be a week 2 regional unless it absolutely can't be helped. Rodeo is in town until week 5, and even if we don't hold the event at Reliant Arena again, the Rodeo takes up a fair amount of hotel room and general interest in town, along with the attention of some LSR committee members. I can't see the committee voluntarily competing with the rodeo unless scheduling conflicts make it unavoidable as it was this year. So I think we'll see LSR return to a 5th week regional next year, though possibly in a new venue.

Back on topic, I'm curious if the Dallas regional is going to have any problems attracting teams, given the proximity to the more established LSR regional. I imagine it'll come down to the venue and how cramped and frenetic or not it will make the regional.

My concern exactly. It needs to be a different date then LSR definitely and preferably with OKC and Bayou. I hope the LSR, OKC, and Dallas regional committees are communicating at some level. I personally am happy for Dallas but think that the Southern region is not strong enough to have as many regionals as the currently do.

It will need support from veteran teams.

Pavan.

[AshWalker]

Originally Posted by JVN

I remember them from the year 2000. They are indeed a team of Middle School students. They're team name back then was "Texas Torque" and they kicked my butt at the first ever regional I attended (Long Island 2000).

Interesting. Sounds about typical for them though from what I remember. From what I've heard they've also stopped competing in Dallas BEST due to politics, so interesting to know they've since moved to FTC.

I also just realized I'll be in Dallas for kick off and the first few weeks of build, then back in Boston for the last weeks of build. Its going to be a fun time.

[Pjohn1959]

My concern is that there will be 4 regionals somewhat close to each other, and if they are not scheduled correctly, they will 'water down' each other.

Travel Distances:

Houston to Dallas: 239 miles
Houston to New Orleans: 348 miles
Houston to Oklahoma City: 445 miles
Dallas to Oklahoma City: 206 miles
Dallas to New Orleans: 520 miles

I would like to be able to complete in two of these 'close' regionals, but if they are scheduled on the same week or one week apart, then it will make a difficult choice as to which one we will attend.

[GaryVoshol]

Welcome to the dilemma Midwest teams have every year, with Buckeye, Great Lakes, Detroit, West Michigan, Midwest and Boilermaker available for many of the same teams. Plus Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, St Louis, Finger Lakes and the two Canadian regionals nearby. I'm sure the New England / New York / Philly areas have the same decisions to make.

Choices are good! Even if having to choose may be hard.

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

Welcome to the dilemma Midwest teams have every year, with Buckeye, Great Lakes, Detroit, West Michigan, Midwest and Boilermaker available for many of the same teams. Plus Milwaukee, Pittsburg, St Louis, Finger Lakes and the two Canadian regionals nearby. I'm sure the New England / New York / Philly areas have the same decisions to make.

I've been thinking about that. It's a good problem to have. And all the venues sell popcorn and diet coke, I just know!

[Tazlikesrobots]

Originally Posted by JaneYoung

It's a good problem to have.

Totally agree!

[Amanda Morrison]

Originally Posted by Kevin Sevcik

Back on topic, I'm curious if the Dallas regional is going to have any problems attracting teams, given the proximity to the more established LSR regional.

I'm skeptical this will be an issue - especially after going to the OKC Regional and seeing some of these phenomenal rookies compete. I don't necessarily think established regionals always have the advantage, either... it definitely depends on the individual regional committee, location, and event volunteers to make a regional a success in the eyes of the teams, not the number of years that it has been in existence, at least from personal experience from the however-many events I've attended between FLL, FTC/FVC, and FRC.

That aside, if we can bring back some of the defunct FRC teams from the area, it'd be great. Even so, it looks like there are 11 Texas FRC teams for which this event will be closer than the Houston event, and it will be closer for 12 of the teams total that went to Houston last year. There's 39 OK teams, 1 AR team, and 2 LA teams that will find Dallas closer than Houston.

What do you think the regional capacity might be? Especially with the draw of a new regional, 148 might want to invite some of our friends from the north to come compete.

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by Amanda Morrison

What do you think the regional capacity might be?

From looking at the Regional listing -

OKC had 39 with one opening
LSR had 46 and was full. I'm not sure how different that has been at Reliant.
Bayou had 46 with 8 openings.
So - Bayou had 54 slots available...

That sounds about right. Maybe more, maybe less.

But if you bring your rowdy friends, that could make things a little tight. Always a good thing.

Jane

[Pavan Dave]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

Welcome to the dilemma Midwest teams have every year...

I'll give you that, but I raise you to the amount of teams in those areas. The North East has a bunch of teams and a few regionals are very close to each other. On top of that we're talking about a new regional. We already know that in the NE many teams are somewhat willing to change a week to help support a weaker regional especially a week 1 or 2 regional to get some experience. But in the south (Texas and company) we don't have nearly as many teams. On top of that, hardly ever does a NE team come down as opposed to Southern teams (57 and others) who try to go up North.

Originally Posted by Amanda Morrison

I'm skeptical this will be an issue - especially after going to the OKC Regional and seeing some of these phenomenal rookies compete. I don't necessarily think established regionals always have the advantage, either...

That aside, if we can bring back some of the defunct FRC teams from the area, it'd be great. Even so, it looks like there are 11 Texas FRC teams for which this event will be closer than the Houston event, and it will be closer for 12 of the teams total that went to Houston last year. There's 39 OK teams, 1 AR team, and 2 LA teams that will find Dallas closer than Houston.

What do you think the regional capacity might be? Especially with the draw of a new regional, 148 might want to invite some of our friends from the north to come compete.

I hope that we can get more teams to reestablish themselves, but first we have to think of why they quit and help them work out a solution. If they left because they didn't like it thats one thing, but if they left because they could not recruit students, get funding, or get school (and/or district) support it will be much harder. EVERYONE talks about bringing up new teams, but rarely do I hear of helping sustain teams....

Also, I have a feeling we may even see some Canadians take a hike down in the next few years if not some chickens learning to fly...

Originally Posted by JaneYoung

From looking at the Regional listing -
LSR had 46 and was full. I'm not sure how different that has been at Reliant.

... Who says we'll be at Reliant? Word on the grapevine isn't Reliant, but its just the grapevine nothing official.



Pavan


.

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by Pavan Dave

... Who says we'll be at Reliant? Word on the grapevine isn't Reliant, but its just the grapevine nothing official.

Pavan,
I meant numbers. I don't know off hand what the listing was for LSR at Reliant as far as capacity in the past. Sorry if I was unclear.
Jane

[Tazlikesrobots]

Originally Posted by Pavan Dave

I hope that we can get more teams to reestablish themselves, but first we have to think of why they quit and help them work out a solution. If they left because they didn't like it thats one thing, but if they left because they could not recruit students, get funding, or get school (and/or district) support it will be much harder. EVERYONE talks about bringing up new teams, but rarely do I hear of helping sustain teams....

.

I do know that some DFW area teams faded away due to loss of funding. Other teams (like 317) faded after their school lost their teacher / sponsor. I believe that there are plenty of companies in the area that would be willing to fund teams, it just may be a matter of locating the companies and pairing them with schools in their community.

If nothing else, we could take a page from the success book from LSR and start an organization in the area like Houstonrobotics.org dedicated to help teams find funding.