**FIRST EMAIL**/Are you Ready? Let the 2007 Games Begin!

[Mark McLeod]

Greetings Teams:

We have a question for you: Are you ready to Rack 'N' Roll?

We are! And we can't wait for this Thursday to get things going. From the west coast to the east, five first week regionals are about to take place. And, the excitement continues with four more weeks of intense competition as the remaining regionals get underway coast to coast, in Brazil, Canada and Israel! We can practically hear the robot motors running, the music pumping, and the ever famous emcee call to action: "Three, two, one ... GO!" Can you hear it too?

We know there are going to be some amazing stories that will unfold at each regional, and we want to hear from you so we can share your success and fun with the rest of the community. In the event you feel your experience is one that may benefit others, please send it in an email to firststories@usfirst.org. We will collect and share your selected stories in our newsletters over the rest of the year.

There will also be questions that come up at the events, so please read below on the best way to communicate with us and get your answers.

• Rules or Scoring questions must be addressed with the Head Referee after a field reset has been signaled. Please carefully read Section's 7 and 9 of the Competition Manual, "The Game" and "The Tournament" respectively. Section's 7.5.3 and 9.6.2 clearly state that any calls, rulings, scores or penalties questions must be discussed with the Head Referee. We can't emphasize enough the Head Referee's decision is final.
• Questions or concerns "Other than" Rules or Scoring should be brought to the attention of the Pit Administration personnel who will handle appropriately.
• Event and Season feedback will be collected at Team Forums to be held the second and third weeks of May. A complete schedule with dates and locations will be forthcoming. The Team Forums are your best opportunity to share 2007 season feedback. If you are unable to attend a Team Forum, we will provide an alternate avenue for you to submit your feedback, full details forthcoming. If you have a question or concern post event that cannot wait for a Team Forum, please contact us at frcteams@usfirst.org. FRC staff will be traveling in support of the events, and depending on the nature of your inquiry you may not receive an immediate reply. However, we guarantee your inquiry will be addressed as soon as possible.

Team Support will have extended hours during the events. We will be available regular business hours (8:30 am - 5:00 pm EST) Monday-Wednesday, with extended hours to 8:00 pm EST Thursday and Friday, and Saturday from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm EST.

"Extra, Extra - Read All About..."

• Lost and Found Items:

• All Lost and Found items get packed on our trucks and come back to FIRST headquarters in April. All lost item requests will be addressed after the Championship Event.
• Medallions: Teams should pick up and sign for the participation (bronze) medallions at their first regional event. Each team who did not win a gold or silver medallion will receive a box of 25 bronze medallions. If a team requires additional medallions they will be available for purchase after the Championship. If a team does not pick up their medallions at their first regional event, FIRST will ship them to the team post season at the team's authorization and expense.
• Banners:The Winners and the Regional Chairman's Award winning teams Only receive banners as part of the Awards.
• Website Award Winners and Website Awards of Excellence certificates: All Regional Website Award Winners and Website Awards of Excellence certificates [to be placed on teams website] will be sent out post Championship.

Finally, we want to remind you that the events are not only supported by staff, but by event and committee volunteers. Some you will recognize, some will be new. They will all be giving their time and effort toward making each event a success. In many cases they will be in charge of key functions at the events, and will effectively be the voice of FIRST. We thank you and your other team leaders and students in advance for your gracious behavior toward them - without them the events could not take place. Please give a warm "Hello" and "Thank You" to each volunteer you meet along the way!!

We wish you all the very best of luck at the events. We look forward to providing you with a quality experience and seeing you on the road!

Let the Games begin! Let's Rack 'N' Roll!

Go Teams!