Regional Competition Dates?

[Eugenia Gabrielov]

Though this isn't the case for every regional, I believe a few of them are locked into spring breaks (Boilermaker seems to be set on Purdue spring break, second weekend due to the venue availability). Though this isn't fullproof, you might want to consider looking at regionals that have a very specific venue issue that forces them to be on a spring break or especially later or early.

A polite email to the regional committee might work well - they're under a lot of stress I'm sure, but it wouldn't hurt you to try (keyword patience). Having a few particular regionals in mind when you prepare to travel with your team, even if you do not lock down travel arrangements right away, might accelerate the process as other regional dates are fixed.

Originally Posted by waialua359

thanks Mark.
This makes much more sense now.
The Hawaii regional committee looked at all of the weeks and decided that having it during our spring break was the #1 and probably only possibility as its choice. Some of us suggested week 1 (our first regional) primarily due to cost for Hawaii teams that wanted to compete in mainland regionals. The robots would then not have to make two round trips from Hawaii to the mainland.
Given that other regionals may be more flexible in having their regional based on the other factors that you mentioned is good reason to wait until the official date.
Time is money though.

[Bob Steele]

Dates for the Oregon and Seattle Regionals are as follows:

Oregon Regional at Memorial Coliseum in Portland
Week 2 March 5-7, 2009

Seattle Microsoft Regional at KEY ARENA in Seattle
Week 5 March 26-28, 2009

Good luck to everyone
We hope to see you at these events!!

SKUNKWORKS

[Tonya Scott 476]

FYI--Oklahoma City Regional is week 1. We had an incredible experience last year! Looking forward to it.

We ship on Tues, and 9 days later--compete

[R.C.]

Week 1:

Oklahoma City Regional

Week 2 March 5-7, 2009

Oregon Regional at Memorial Coliseum in Portland

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5 March 26-28, 2009

Seattle Microsoft Regional at KEY ARENA in Seattle
Las Vegas Regional
SBPLI Regional

Week 6

So this is what we have so far. I'll keep updating this.

[SlaminSwimster]

What day is kickoff??

[acdcfan259]

Originally Posted by SlaminSwimster

What day is kickoff??

I believe January 3rd. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Pavan Dave]

Actually if there is a place you really want to go contact the regional directors. They are the ones who usually know the date and times that teams enter and FIRST enters and actually work with setting that stuff up. Maybe email some of those people, they are THE ones with the information, and its not "hush-hush" its just "unofficial" until FIRST publishes them all.

Like for Houston, our wonderful director already gave us all of the necessary information so if you're going to Houston, you can book your hotels now if you wanted to.

Pavan Dave

[Roger]

Originally Posted by acdcfan259

Quote:

I believe January 3rd. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Surprisingly, FIRST has announced it -- check out RoboMom's link at FIRST.

Kickoff 03-Jan-2009.
Robot ship deadline 17-Feb-2009.

No official word on the website for regional or Championship events. I wonder if they'll make Easter (April 12th) the bye week? What is it, five weekends of regionals, a bye week, then the Championship? (Okay, in the past -- maybe they'll stretch it to six weeks this year?)

I only know this because I just got my shiny new 2009 calendar book! I got it now just to fill out my robo-schedule for next year.

Edit: Now I'm confused. On the link above under Event Payments/Championship payments, if you qualify at '09 regionals week 1-5, pay by 03-April, week 6 pay by 07-April. Read into that as you will.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Roger

No official word on the website for regional or Championship events. I wonder if they'll make Easter (April 12th) the bye week? What is it, five weekends of regionals, a bye week, then the Championship? (Okay, in the past -- maybe they'll stretch it to six weeks this year?)

They had six and a bye last year. Week 6 only had one regional, though. With three more regionals, plus the Michigan registration for the state championship around Week 5, they better have another week!

[GaryVoshol]

Last year Week 4 was Easter; there was no bye week. (Of course, most regionals don't have Sunday events.) There was a week between the last regional and the Championship.

Championship is April 16-18, 2009.

Ship is Feb 17.

That means:
Week 1 - Feb 26-28
Week 2 - Mar 5-7
Week 3 - Mar 12-14
Week 4 - Mar 19-21
Week 5 - Mar 26-28
Week 6 - Apr 2-4.

Week 6 regionals (including the Michigan State Championship) wouldn't know who qualified on Apr 3, the Week 1-5 payment deadline. Thus the 4 extra days.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

Last year Week 4 was Easter; there was no bye week. (Of course, most regionals don't have Sunday events.) There was a week between the last regional and the Championship.

I believe that the "bye week" refers to the week between the last week of regionals and Atlanta.

[Raul]

Originally Posted by Roger

Surprisingly, FIRST has announced it -- check out RoboMom's link at FIRST.

Kickoff 03-Jan-2009.
Robot ship deadline 17-Feb-2009.

No official word on the website for regional or Championship events. I wonder if they'll make Easter (April 12th) the bye week? What is it, five weekends of regionals, a bye week, then the Championship? (Okay, in the past -- maybe they'll stretch it to six weeks this year?)

I only know this because I just got my shiny new 2009 calendar book! I got it now just to fill out my robo-schedule for next year.

Edit: Now I'm confused. On the link above under Event Payments/Championship payments, if you qualify at '09 regionals week 1-5, pay by 03-April, week 6 pay by 07-April. Read into that as you will.

This is interesting because in 2004 January 3rd also fell on a Saturday and FIRST decided to move kickoff to Jan 10. I think I remember it was because they thought some people may encounter excessive issues trying to travel so close to New Years day.

But I hope this is correct because it works out better for my work schedule to start Jan 3.

[Roger]

I'm only repeating dates from what I see at official web sites. A lot has changed in five years, so maybe an earlier date works better for them, or they need all the time they can get. And maybe they've got the 2009 Game in the bag already, so they can't wait to show it off! Okay, maybe not.

[RoboMom]

Originally Posted by Raul

This is interesting because in 2004 January 3rd also fell on a Saturday and FIRST decided to move kickoff to Jan 10. I think I remember it was because they thought some people may encounter excessive issues trying to travel so close to New Years day.

But I hope this is correct because it works out better for my work schedule to start Jan 3.

This may be an easier date for those attending the kickoff in NH (will it be easier to travel?), but not sure about for those in the field managing local kickoffs. The new teams and especially the new teachers are going to need a little extra mentoring from those teams/regional committees who have been through the process before. Looking at the logistics, schools will have been on vacation for the previous two weeks. The organization and the communication to the teams attending the local kickoff (for example, the consent forms needed to attend) will all need to take place before the winter break. It's going to be difficult for many to get access to their schools (and workspace) during this weekend. Here in MD, NASA-Goddard is such a HUGE supporter and is the party to receive the KOP's during the previous week. Not sure how big a vacation week this is for them. And I'm guessing this is going to be a tough weekend for the site of the local kickoff.

[Roger]

Just out of curiousity, and because RoboMom brought the logistics angle in -- how much "stuff" is done at the other kickoff sites? Do they have just the big screen showing NH, or do they also have the Game Field under wraps for post-kickoff inspection? (I'm guessing the KOP distribution is there too.) I realized how spoiled I've been with NH so close, and so jaded in willing not to go yet again -- it is fun, but the benches are so hard to sit on! (It also gives a spot for a student to go in my place.)