2009 Greater Toronto Regional

[Karthik]

Shawn,

It takes a lot of class, integrity and humility to make a post like that one. Thank you for letting everyone one know all the facts behind what happened. You are a true leader.

As for your strategy in Match 2, I think it was brilliant. You knew winning the match was highly unlikely, so you came up with a plan that gave your alliance the best chance of success in match number 3. I commend you for having the courage to try such a different strategy at a crucial time.

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I'd like to apologize for forgetting to have the drive teams shake hands before finals match 2. There was a considerable amount of confusion before I walked on the field, and even more so when the booing hit. In the midst of all of this I simply forgot to do the handshakes. I sincerely apologize for forgetting this FIRST tradition.
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Let's focus on everything amazing that happened at GTR this weekend. This regional overwhelmed me with the level of enthusiasm and passion of the students. I spoke to so many people who had such an inspiring level of excitement for FIRST. It's great no only to see that people "get it" but that they want to make other people "get it."

Special thanks and congratulations go out to:

Team 1535 - You've inspired me to get myself a t-shirt cannon!

Teams 1141 & 2200 - For showing everyone that a simple design coupled with smart strategy and dedicated people can be the recipe for a great robot.

Team 677 - As a fellow Buckeye it was great to see this spirited team from The Ohio State University. I had such a blast leading all those O-H-I-O chants.

Team 1126 - This was my first chance to interact closely with team. They really blew me way. From top to bottom they have an amazing program. I was especially impressed with their attention strategy. No wonder they've been so successful over the years. It was great having a chance to chat with Dante, Dylan, Matt Starke and the rest of this role model team.

Teams 188, 610 & 1305 - It was an honour to play an alliance as tough of yours in the final. You played a great mix of offense, defense and empty cells. Seeing the firepower of 188 & 610 was a sight to behold. Our alliance absolutely didn't want to play that match as a 3 on 2. All year long I've been impressed by the students on team 610. They're a great group of individuals who built an amazing robot. This is definitely one of the most underrated teams in FIRST. Team 188, you guys are just amazing. This team has grown so much this year and has shown it on and off the field. I've talked about the deadliness of their robot before, but when you add in the strategies that they were running it becomes that much more dynamic. Also to 188, thank you for taking the time to watch the 1114 Chairman's presentation and provide the valuable feedback that you did.

Teams 2056 & 2185 - This was really a fun alliance. Team 2185 earned their second regional victory of the season by playing some savy, hard nosed defense. As for 2056, I don't even know what to say. They have now won six consecutive regionals. That streak is the longest in the history of FIRST. We are talking about an unparalleled reign of dominance at the regional level. I've had a chance to spend more time with them this year than I have in the past, and this team blows me away. They have a group of students who absolutely love robots, their driveteam is definitely one of the best that I've seen. Tyler and Stan, you two have built a dynasty. Congratulations. Thank you for picking us.

Team 2809 - Rookie All-Stars!!! When you look at this team, it's nearly impossible to realize that they're rookies. They carry themselves like a team who's been around for years, role models to everyone who sees them in the pits, the stands and on the field. It's no wonder since they have a group of extremely dedicated and experienced FRC and FLL mentors. Petey, Jno, Michelle, Mike, Kate, Remi, Stu & Christine, the dedication of your students is a testament to the kind of people you are. I see a very bright future for 2809, hopefully starting with a Rookie All-Star award in Atlanta!

The Amazing GTR Volunteers - The group of volunteers at Toronto have been working this event for years. It's really a family like atmosphere and one that I love being a part of. Charles Offor did an amazing job in his full debut as a Game Announcer, and I can't wait to work with him again. Special thanks to Jeremy and Liz for coming up from Rochester to give us a hand.

Everyone who was part of 1114's RCA submission - I can't thank you enough. It's a great honor to earn such a distinguished award. It's overwhelming to see how far this team has come since 2003. Special thanks to 1114 students Candice, Matt & Scoot who were great ambassadors for the team this weekend.

I'm still blown away by the amazing things we saw at GTR this weekend. It was an inspiring weekend. I can't wait to be back in 2010!