2010 Regional Dates

[Fe_Will]

Originally Posted by DRAKE343

Week 4

March 31-April 1
Sacramento

This is the most confusing date and totally conflicts with what I heard... From my understanding it is set for week 3. At least that's what Oregon teams were told a week ago.

Overall I'm pretty disappointed in the slow turn-around of information. I understand that there are only so many bodies at FIRST but its not like they didn't have months to get these details set in stone. Lead time is important if teams are going to make sound travel plans and not pay dearly to travel to distant regionals.

[Josh Drake]

Agreed, we're grapsing at whatever info. we can get, which so far is a site that's not complete, and info. others are posting here.
Our team meets Thursday night to try to decide. I would imagine things would be set by then.

[RMiller]

Originally Posted by IndySam

Wow Boilermaker, Midwest and St Louis all the same weekend. That sucks.

Yep and with Wisconsin right before, that is going to be rough. Might be good for some other Midwest regionals though.

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by Fe_Will

Overall I'm pretty disappointed in the slow turn-around of information. I understand that there are only so many bodies at FIRST but its not like they didn't have months to get these details set in stone. Lead time is important if teams are going to make sound travel plans and not pay dearly to travel to distant regionals.

Regionals are 6 months away, some venues only plan events 6 months in advance. Considering the other stuff they've had to coordinate (designing a game, new control system modifications, launching FLL and FTC, taking a break), I'm not too picky when it comes to when I hear about regionals. It only seems "slow" because we decided to start talking about it a month in advance...

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

Regionals are 6 months away, some venues only plan events 6 months in advance. Considering the other stuff they've had to coordinate (designing a game, new control system modifications, launching FLL and FTC, taking a break), I'm not too picky when it comes to when I hear about regionals. It only seems "slow" because we decided to start talking about it a month in advance...

@ Fe_Will

It would be nice to have information a little more ahead of time, but once you've had the experience of running your own event for years you'll see how much of a hassle things turn out to be. We've run competitions at our high school for years and booking the auditorium, gym, cafeteria, and auxiliary gym alone take a very long time (in a high school! ). I'd cut them some slack.

[ATannahill]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

Regionals are 6 months away, some venues only plan events 6 months in advance. Considering the other stuff they've had to coordinate (designing a game, new control system modifications, launching FLL and FTC, taking a break), I'm not too picky when it comes to when I hear about regionals. It only seems "slow" because we decided to start talking about it a month in advance...

From what I've heard it takes about 6 months to get a passport (without paying an arm and a leg) if a team expects to travel out of the country, they need to tell the students to get passports now. I do not want to hear a story of a student not able to go to a competition because they weren't told to get a passport soon enough. Most teams out of The United States, Canada and Israel know they will need passport but what about the teams that travel between the U. S. and Canada?

[Fe_Will]

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

@ Fe_Will

It would be nice to have information a little more ahead of time, but once you've had the experience of running your own event for years you'll see how much of a hassle things turn out to be. We've run competitions at our high school for years and booking the auditorium, gym, cafeteria, and auxiliary gym alone take a very long time (in a high school! ). I'd cut them some slack.

Perhaps you dont have the same type of relationship with your school's administration as we do? I booked our cafeteria the other day for a pre-ship scrimmage and it took less than 5 min.

I'd hate to burst your bubble but you aren't the only person who runs events, there is always someone who has been doing something for longer and shorter than you have...

[Vikesrock]

Originally Posted by rtfgnow

From what I've heard it takes about 6 months to get a passport (without paying an arm and a leg) if a team expects to travel out of the country, they need to tell the students to get passports now. I do not want to hear a story of a student not able to go to a competition because they weren't told to get a passport soon enough. Most teams out of The United States, Canada and Israel know they will need passport but what about the teams that travel between the U. S. and Canada?

Even with the new passport restrictions going into effect, children under 16 and children between 16 and 18 with school groups will still be able to cross the US/Canada border with an original or copy of a birth certificate. Mentors will need a passport, or one of a few other less common documents.

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by Fe_Will

Perhaps you dont have the same type of relationship with your school's administration as we do? I booked our cafeteria the other day for a pre-ship scrimmage and it took less than 5 min.

I'd hate to burst your bubble but you aren't the only person who runs events, there is always someone who has been doing something for longer and shorter than you have...

All I'm saying is to cut them (GDC, planning committee, anyone), some slack...Nothing more, nothing less.

[synth3tk]

Let's keep the chatter down to a minimum, ladies.

Thanks for posting the list, Drake.

[ttldomination]

Originally Posted by synth3tk

Let's keep the chatter down to a minimum, ladies.

Thanks for posting the list, Drake.

On a robotics forum??? NEVER!!!

Thanks for the list though.

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

All I'm saying is to cut them (GDC, planning committee, anyone), some slack...Nothing more, nothing less.

Definitely agree with this. I find myself frustrated at the event staff when something goes wrong, but in two months time, I'll find myself heading up a VRC qualifier. I'm not sure how many teams there will be, I'm not sure how much "side" stuff we'll do, but it's tough to do the planning. No doubt.

Originally Posted by Fe_Will

Perhaps you dont have the same type of relationship with your school's administration as we do? I booked our cafeteria the other day for a pre-ship scrimmage and it took less than 5 min.

I'd hate to burst your bubble but you aren't the only person who runs events, there is always someone who has been doing something for longer and shorter than you have...

True True. For our school we have an online system, where teachers can go in and book a certain part of the school for a specific date/time. The harder part is figuring out what all will be available to us (ie tables, electronics, speakers, mic, etc.)

As for the dates, I'm excited. My teammates were nervous when they first heard that we're now a week 1 event, but there was a sense of renewed responsibility in the air, kinda like "Man, we gotta get down to business quicker this year."

[TKM.368]

Originally Posted by Travis Hoffman

Three rolled eyes up for inconsistency -

Don't know what the harm would be to post the preliminary list for all, but those at FIRST know best. Anyhow, commitments were made to Volunteer Coordinators that VIMS would be up and running for them to start recruiting by a certain date. FIRST was honoring that commitment instead of delaying the start of recruiting.

Originally Posted by Fe_Will

Overall I'm pretty disappointed in the slow turn-around of information. I understand that there are only so many bodies at FIRST but its not like they didn't have months to get these details set in stone. Lead time is important if teams are going to make sound travel plans and not pay dearly to travel to distant regionals.

Working with a venue is not as easy as just calling them up and saying "Hey, we're coming!" Sometimes the venue doesn't have quite the same urgency as FRC teams do in locking down a date. I'd rather wait to make all my reservations AFTER the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed. Out here in the middle of the Pacific, we especially would like to know dates as soon as possible, but sometimes these things just take time.

[ChrisH]

Originally Posted by TKM.368

..... but sometimes these things just take time.

As a member of a Regional Planning Committee, the above is very true.

In general FIRST is very professional in the finding of venues and getting contracts signed. The venues are not all that way however. One venue we used several years ago refused to sign and fax a contract back to FIRST. It HAD to be snail mail and by the way "we might get to it in a week or so". It was not like that particular venue had people banging down the doors to use it either. It seemed like dealing with potential customers got in the way of their jobs, if you know what I mean. That year we were the hold up for release of the schedule and at the time it was very frustrating for us. This business of signing up venues is a two way street. BOTH parties have to be on the ball for things to work out well.

Now for the shameless plug. The Long Beach Convention Center staff are very professional and the venue is very well run. They make the Committee's life much easier. Add to that, proximity to three major airports (LAX, Long Beach, and Orange County (John Wayne), good hotels and restaurants in walking distance, two major attractions (Aqarium of the Pacific, and the Queen Mary) in walking distance, a beach in walking distance and our famous Southern California weather. I don't see why a frozen team from the far north would not want to come.

[keehun]

Originally Posted by ChrisH

I don't see why a frozen team from the far north would not want to come.

If we could only slap money like we slap people with trout...

[AB755]

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

@ Fe_Will

It would be nice to have information a little more ahead of time, but once you've had the experience of running your own event for years you'll see how much of a hassle things turn out to be. We've run competitions at our high school for years and booking the auditorium, gym, cafeteria, and auxiliary gym alone take a very long time (in a high school! ). I'd cut them some slack.

I completely agree about cutting them some slack. However most of the pressure to know dates relates to the October 1 regional selection timing. Can't have it both ways....