Kickoff Traditions

[Tom Bottiglieri]

Does anyone have any quirky kickoff traditions?

I set my alarm very early, get up and dressed, then watch the kickoff. After watching the kickoff I start working on a scoring program for the new game to share with my team and Chief Delphi. After that, I go to our teams kickoff meeting, held at the town library. Its almost like a party, with pizza and snacks. We discuss the new game and try to have a good time.

How about you?

[Bharat Nain]

We go to the Kickoff at NJIT.
Sunday - mostly sleep, or some do strategy and such
Monday & Tuesday - We meet at school to discuss robot design, the game etc
I guess we do it like most typical FIRST teams.

[Dorienne]

Our team pretty much wakes up extremely early, goes to the school all groggy-eyed, gets in cars, and flies on the highway to kickoff wherever it may be, and then we just go back to the school and spend 3 hours working on strategy and whatnot. Fun stuff. Our team's boring compared to yours though Tom. =( Sad.

[Elgin Clock]

The night before, I make sure that NASA channel is still channel 213 on my TV, test a tape on my VCR and go to sleep.

Then I wake up at around 9:30, and wait for the FIRST logo to show up on NASA TV signaling the start of a brand new season.

Then I tape the Kickoff, and surf CD with anticipation and the excitement of a kid on Christmas Day.

Then, I either DL the manual, print it out, or both..

Sunday, we have a Kickoff Pot-Luck Dinner with the team where we introduce everyone to the game (by my video) and eat.. All people are expected to know at least most of the rules by Monday and fully comprehend what the game is..

Then, Monday.. The Fun begins. Brainstorming, and then Design.

[Smurfbotguy]

WSe dont exactly have any traditions other than gathering at our school and watching the kick off on the NASA chanel, but this year we are skrewed cuz the school doesent get the chanel any more. So our "tradition" has ended but we are gonna watch it on the web cast. Yeah.

[Bcahn836]

i guess we are starting a tradition this year.
Everyone who isn't going to the kickoff either in New Hampshire or the remote kickoff is going to our Public Relations mentors house to watch the kickoff on the Nasa channel.

[bigqueue]

Wake early.....
Brush teeth.....
Wash Face.....
...reolize what day it is and freak out trying to get moving and pulling together all my pre-kickoff paperwork. (for our team brainstorming meeting)

It really is an exciting day.....and a long one too.

The snow we are expecting should put even more excitement into the fun tomorrow!

[Lisa Perez]

I get strangely hyper even though I have had NO coffee or sugar whatsoever, contrary to popular belief. And then I spin around in my spinny chair. I'm like a 6-year-old, seriously.

.. My teammates do that, too.

.. Does that count as a tradition?

Anyhow, always tradition to get an ultra-expresso frapuccino from Starbucks in the morning!

[KathieK]

RAGE gets together to watch the broadcast together, then meets on Sunday afternoon to brainstorm. And I sit in the corner, absolutely amazed at all the creativity flying through the room.

This year we are holding a local kickoff event - 130 people coming - and I've been worried about the snowstorm all day. I HOPE the weather will be OK in the morning!

[Jeff Rodriguez]

Also, we tend to call the team members at the kickoff, so they can get our questions answered.

[LivingDeadMan]

I go to the kickoff with my team and stay for workshops. Then we go to someones house and stay up till about 3 making robot designs and having a good time.

[henryBsick]

1) Saturday:Wake up early walk to the Theater.
2) Open up and let in the set-up crew
3) Get everything hooked up and tested.
4) WATCH THE NEW GAME!!!
5) Sunday: There is a noon-ish meeting to throw out some designs to everyone along with strategies for brain food.
6) Monday: We have off to think of designs.
7) Tuesday: First official meeting were all thought of designs are brought together and robot design is *hopefully* finalized.
8) Remaining six weeks: Would it be corny if I said "priceless"?

[Alaina]

Prior to kickoff we assign someone to record kickoff from the NASA channel. On the day of kickoff, people from my team meet at school around 5:15AM in order to be in San Jose for the remote kickoff at 7AM. We go to kickoff, say hi to people, pick up our kit, maybe go to Denny's for lunch, and then go home. Later Saturday night the team meet's at a person's house for a pot-luck dinner and viewing of the kickoff video.
Then the stragetizing commences.

Happy Kickoff everyone!
(it's like a national holiday or something)

[Steve W]

Wake up early.
Fix my hair.
Drive to Krispy Kream.
Go to Ontario Science Center.
Work like crazy.
Watch video til just the right time.
Unvail the game pieces and set up.
Get ready for Robovision Comp.
Clean up.
Go to another mentors house and check out KOP.
go home to bed cause I am whooped.

[Dested]

Well, idk if its a tradition, but right now we are at a Lan party at the president of the clubs house. Its the first year were doing it, but i wouldnt mind making it a tradition

Tomorrow, we'll wake up (well, really just shut off the half-life2) and drive down to Brophy highschool to watch the remote kickoff. Then freak out cause we know what the freakin magnet is for, and then sleep. Sleep till about sunday night (i wish ). Then sunday, prolly a team meeting, some minor planning.

We are still debating if we wanna meet on sundays as well as the rest of the week, because if you think about it, if you meet sundays too, u really get an extra week :-)