2010 Silicon Valley Regional

[unobtainium-42]

Our team was looking forward to another fun year of robotics, but we encountered some major roadblocks this year and could only register recently. So of course we are on the wait list for the event, and all the next closest events are probably full too. We noticed that some of the entries for SVR are teams going here as a second competition, and it does not seem in line with Gracious Professionalism that some teams should be able to go to two competitions while we don't get to compete at all.

Does anyone know what we can do at this point?

[EricH]

1) Talk to your Regional Director and see if you can get moved up the waitlist.
2) Don't sweat it. Every regional has some slots held back for rookies that are late registering. Those open up too. If you're moved up the waitlist, you're higher in line for those.

By the way, make sure of your status on the "event is full". Yes, all of the events within a reasonable range are full.


As for the "It's not in line with GP for some teams to go to 2 events while others don't get any", that situation hasn't happened yet to my knowledge. There's also a number of discussions on this type of topic here on CD, with the conclusion that if it's a 2 event/1 event situation, it isn't necessarily.

[BrendanB]

I don't think that saying that you can't compete at all and that it is ungracious for other teams to attend two competitions is valid. You still can compete, just at another event. My older brother's team registered late in 2005 and had to go all the way to Canada to compete along with another team from West Virginia who also registered late. Events fill up fast if you were unable to register in a decent time that is your fault, to put it bluntly. Also, other teams going to two events it not ungracious. Teams attend multiple events to get more experience and learn new things and meet new teams. That is one of the reasons that the Michigan districts were so popular as teams got the experience/fun in having more matches.

Staying on the wait list is a good idea as spots may open up as other teams might drop out for some reason or another, but I would highly suggest that you find another regional before events closer to you fill up. And if for some reason you have to travel to compete this year, who knows, you could have a lot a fun with it!

[Chris is me]

I'm hoping the thread doesn't degenerate into dozens of posts criticizing the OP for misusing the phrase "Gracious Professionalism". I mean he does bring up a point that his team can't go to any regional and others get to two, and while it's not "un GP" at all that other teams are using their right to go to two events after the first event deadline passed, it's still a sticky situation for the OP, and if he used the words "unfair" instead of "un-GP" it would be a lot better. The post isn't worded in that he thinks other teams should drop out in order for them to compete or anything like that.

Granted, you can't expect any team to drop their second event to allow you to compete (though that would be extremely gracious if a team did). I'd say your best hope is to contact the SVR Regional Director and see what he or she can do.

You still can compete, just at another event.

Perhaps the team can't afford to travel.

[Cory]

Originally Posted by unobtainium-42

Our team was looking forward to another fun year of robotics, but we encountered some major roadblocks this year and could only register recently. So of course we are on the wait list for the event, and all the next closest events are probably full too. We noticed that some of the entries for SVR are teams going here as a second competition, and it does not seem in line with Gracious Professionalism that some teams should be able to go to two competitions while we don't get to compete at all.

Does anyone know what we can do at this point?

Email Jim Beck, he is our regional director and can help you. His email should be listed on the FIRST website.

[unobtainium-42]

Thanks for the advice!

Originally Posted by Chris is me

if he used the words "unfair" instead of "un-GP" it would be a lot better.

Too late for that I didn't mean to spark any controversy. I would not expect anyone to give up a slot, especially one they have paid for. It just seems a little odd that teams are allowed to make their second choices before everyone has made their first choice. I guess that would slow down the registration process.

Does anyone know what's up with the SVR website? There's an interesting animation of a robot but no important information. I had to find Jim Beck's email elsewhere.

[JYang]

Originally Posted by unobtainium-42

Does anyone know what's up with the SVR website? There's an interesting animation of a robot but no important information.

Game hint?

[unobtainium-42]

I hadn't thought of that. It's weird that they would have just an animation for so long. I remember checking the site earlier this year and I wondered what was going on.

As I recall, last year's game hint was more of a hint at the theme and not the actual mechanics which makes sense in hindsight. The SVR animation seems construction themed. So are we building something with Crackerjacks, Haagen-Dazs cups and Diet Coke cans? Granted, it's for a website that may be under construction.

But there is another place for discussing (over-analyzing) game hints. Personally I doubt this is it, but you never know.