I am starting this thread to give everyone an opportunity to descibe ONE team they feel exemplifies FIRST, and why they think that. If you know of a team that acts and interacts as a model for FIRST temas to follow please leave their team number with a description of how they display their FIRST behavior.
470-Every year this team comes out with a fighting spirit. They are always willing to help. They are spirited win or lose. They cheer on EVERYONE. They are active in our shared community. They are our “rival” school in every other sporting event, however in FIRST they display nothing but a smiling face and a winning attitude. Thank you for being FIRST Ypsilanti.
121 - Rhode Warriors
These guys are amazing. They work hard, and they play hard. They are some of the fiercest competitors, but always willing to help out another team. They talk trash, joke around, and are always ready for a good time. They’re HS kids are enthusiastic, involved, and highly motivated. Everytime I play with, or against these guys, it’s a great time.
These guys have Andy Baker, need we say more. Of course we do, they have a whole team that seems dedicated to the FIRST way. While I believe i’ve only seen them at nationals, I’ve seen their presence online a lot. I’ve already mentioned that I was highly appreciative of their white pages, especially the gearbox and omniwheels, you can never be to thankful for the kind of stuff that helps you win They also offer lots of insights in threads and without a doubt, create excellent robots. Not to mention, didn’t they make a practice robot they lent to people in competitions when other bots didnt work? Kudos to them.
Along with agreeing with John, I would also have to say team 88, TJ². They are some of the best competitors I have ever run into while at the same time being extremely gracious and spirited. I have met so many people who have come through the TJ ranks and they are just wonderful people…and its no wonder because those people that are inspiring them are every bit as great…(i.e. Moe and Liz)
Thank you to TJ² for always keeping things fun!
BTW…A close second, would be every team that attended the NYC Regional this past weekend. If anyone ever wants to know what FIRST is about, take a trip down there for that competition…it was inspiring…absolutely inspiring.
Although I have never met them in person, I too would say the Tecknokats team 45. I hold them personally responsible for keeping me up late at night designing shifting transmissions in Inventor. Perhaps next year we will actually make one.
Also, what the Technokats did last year in letting that team compete with their (the technokats’) ball drive robot was really awesome. Way to go guys!
It is so obvious, I can’t believe no one has mentioned them yet…
CHIEF DELPHI!!!
Team 47 has been a model of what a FIRST team is all about for nine years. This team has done incredible things for FIRST, their community, and their team members. They are amazing, and have been quite an inspiration to me and many others.
47 was the first “superstar” team in FIRST. They travelled all over the country to go to regionals, and won them. They developed amazing technologies like swereve drive before anyone else. They brought their huge and spirited team everywhere. They caught flak for being so good, and made many other teams jealous of their strength and ability as a team. This team grew so well that in their sophomore season, 1997, FIRST made a special award just for them. They got the “snowball award” for developing like a snowball rolling downhill, picking up size and speed as they went. They have shared so much with the FIRST community, and deserve to be recognized for it. They even gave us this amazing forum which is in my opinion the heart of the FIRST community.
THANK YOU CHIEF DELPHI!!
You are a standout among the elite of FIRST teams, you show us all what we should be doing. Keep up the good work!
I gotta go with 447 on this one. I met these guys in 2003 and was blown away at how much they like to help in any way they can. Tough competitors on the field, gracious buddies in the pits. The kids are enthusiastic, the mentors are fun guys… and they keep finding ways to raise the bar, every year.
I have more of an event that I thought was a great example. When we were teamed up with 93 at the midwest regional, we hit the 10 point ball off in autonomus, and knocked all the balls into their basket. http://www.soap.circuitrunners.com/2004/movies/il/il_044.wmv (great video of course) After that, I heard someone chanting 525 in the background, but didn’t really notice it because I was operating the arm. So after the match I turn around and realize that the entire team 93 is back there lined up around the exit chanting 525. That was an expierence I’ll never forget.
I highlight the Thunder Chickens. From the bright yellow chickens running around the arena cheering and dancing, to the chicken give-aways, to the great robots and forum posts and team leaders - they are a complete package. Strong competitors but always helping others catch up to them.
Team 254 the cheesey poofs, always a tough competitor, yet the nicest pit neighbors, opponents, and alliance partners. Simply the best team I have ever interacted with in my FIRST experience.
Without a doubt team 60 is the most examplary team I’ve ever known. They give all they can and They get nothing but crap. People gang up on team 60 because they are too good, but what people forget are the little things they do.
The AZ kickoff 2004 had 14 teams but only 13 kits so team 60 offered to get theirs 2 weeks late. Team 60 has brought a mobile machine shop to both of their regionals 2003 and both 2004 and they spend their own time to make other teams parts. They designed a money making strategy and offered it to any team who would take it. They refuse to decline an alliance even if they could pick their own and even if it means them losing. They will send any team any of their blueprints from any year at the drop of a hat. They even raise money to give other FIRST teams as grants.
All of that and people still pick on them. Well, my hat is off to team 60.
I would like to give thanks to the BeachBots. Every year they come out with an amazing robot, and an even better team. It’s no wonder they have recieved the Chairman’s Award at both the LA and Phx regional – in two consecutive years.
I really take my hat off to Team 330. I look up to them, and hope that some day my team will be as amazing as they are.
A large part of FIRST is the “superstar” teams that travel all over the country. Many of these teams exemplify the FIRST spirit and are really great people, however, I don’t think we spend enough time recognizing the teams that don’t necessarily have the resources to do those types of things. There are a lot of smaller independent (by which I mean without a huge sponsor or a lot of mentors) teams that are really incredible and don’t necessarily have the resources to win chairman’s awards every year. Just to pick one example, I’d say 716 really exemplifies FIRST
Yeah, 60 let us in their pit in AZ after they left for the evening so we could check out their robot. And this really nice guy from Laron spent over an hour talking with me at the team social about how they make all the parts and offered to send me full plans of any year’s robot.
And of course, not to forget Chief Delphi. As said before, it really is one of those things that is so obvious it goes unnoticed. I learned a majority of what I know from this great place.
So many teams, so little forum space. If I had to choose one, it would have to be 1002. They provided a scouting service, ranking service, internet acess, and other services at the VCU regional. It’s amazing. They are the team I think are exemplary FIRSTers.
Team 60 is a favorite team of mine, yet I didn’t know some of what you mention.
When at our kickoff a few mentors mentioned asking Team 60 for blueprints of their 2001 arm, some mentors scoffed that they’d do it. Mark and I were confident they would. Of course they did. They’ve helped our team take a giant leap forward.
I remember first meeting team 60 when Glenn traveled from Phoenix to So Cal to give a driver workshop.
What you didn’t mention was a couple of times I know of when even ANOTHER alliance team has won, and doesn’t have money to go to nationals, team 60 chipped in money to help a couple of teams in that boat go on to nationals over the past couple of years.
Maybe unmentioned because we take them for granted that our ADDICTION will always be fed, that they SERVE so well (Brandon), that they inspire team members and mentors alike and are INCREMENTAL
The process of increasing in number, size, quantity, or extent.
in spreading FIRST
and an undiscovered source of information and inspiration by many international? and national team members just trying to keep their heads above water for a six week build season,
but once discovered, becomes incremental within that team helping to inspire and grow that individual team.
I think the best team i have seen would have to be MIM - 343. I won one of their easy question of the day shirts in 2002, and got talking to their mentors one day. and its amazing at the quality of their robot, and the professionalism that they hold. I was a little taken back, and suprised that they had not one ounce of negative karma in their commitment to first. thank you agian 343 in all that you do.
not to mention that their accent was kinda cool too
They also offer lots of insights in threads and without a doubt, create excellent robots. Not to mention, didn’t they make a practice robot they lent to people in competitions when other bots didnt work? Kudos to them.
Perhaps next year we will actually make one.