FIRST in Minnesota 2018

FIRST General Forum
#1

With the Great Northern Regional 1 week away and the Duluth Regionals coming in the following week, it seems like a great time to get a conversation going about FIRST in Minnesota in 2018.

Here’s an update on the state of affairs of FRC in Minnesota as I see them:

  • We have a new Regional Event!
    (kind of) North Dakota doesn’t count as a state right? But really the Great Northern Regional hosted in Grand Forks (the second best college town in North Dakota) is going to be insane. We have some incredible teams coming up from down south to find out what winter is really like (1986 and 525). Additionally, basically half of Northern Lights 2017 switched over to the Great Northern Regional including some incredible teams like: 3130, 2883 (knows what real winter is like by the way), 876 (so do they), 2823, 3883, 5172 and many others. GNR is going to be one of the best events in the world in Week 1.
  • Our teams are improving!
    Like seriously, I went to 2 Week 0 events and watched 2 others via live stream. The floor is raising in Minnesota, and it’s noticeable. I think the reason for this is strongly correlated with my next point. Not only is the floor raising, but we also have more and more teams putting themselves in a position to make some noise at Champs, and not just because we don’t need to worry about those pesky California and Texas teams. In all seriousness RIP One Champs. I’m going to predict that this is the best year yet for MN teams at Champs, and I’ll go out on a limb and say this is the year we finally get a champion.
  • We are leading the way when it comes to Hubs, Alliances, and Coalitions (HAC’s)!
    There 7 HAC’s in the state including 75+ teams from what I can tell. That is incredible involvement and I can speak directly to how the HAC’s are improving teams in the Central MN Robotics Hub. The Northern MN Robotics Conference is also doing some really cool things like hosting a Conference Championship offseason event. As the HAC’s continue to develop, Minnesota teams will get better and better.
  • 10,000 Lakes Regional (10K) is now the Medtronic Foundation Regional (MFR)!
    This is a well deserved nod to one of FIRST in MN’s biggest sponsors. Tell your teammates, tell your friends, tell your robots, 10K is now MFR.
  • There are many new resources available to help teams!
    The MN Mentors on Call program is underway and has successfully helped dozens of teams already. If you need assistance, the MN Mentors on Call can help to provide both local and remote assistance through a growing network of experienced mentors.
  • **We have a website that doesn’t look like it’s from 1999! **
    The FIRST in MN web development team (Jon Stratis) did an amazing job on the updated site. There are many easy to find resources available on the site under the FIRST Community Resources Tab, including a wonderful inspection video that features our Lead Lead Robot Inspector (LLRI is now a thing).
  • We have two of the best Ri3D teams in the world!
    'Snow Problem](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW0lAHk3VHA) and The GreenHorns absolutely killed it this year. There are many robots that look a lot like these 2 robots all over the world. It’s really cool that such inspiration has come from these groups of Minnesota FRC Alumni. Of course 'Snow Problem’s robot was much prettier :wink:
  • We’re still not in Districts!
    In other news, the sky is blue and we’re still not playing a water game.

If I missed any big events in Minnesota from the past year post them here! This thread can serve as a central location for all 2018 Minnesota FRC related discussion including predictions for events, buzz about Minnesota robots, ideas for making our great community even better and much more.

I’m looking forward to hearing what everybody thinks!

#2

A few things I think you missed:

Off Season event opportunities are growing - With the addition of EMCC and NMRC this off season I believe MNFirst is now involved in 6 off season events. A number of MN teams had 50+ matches during the summer and it will be interesting to see how that carries over.

FTC/FLL are growing - The number of qualifying spots for super regionals at FTC state was 11 this year - up from 9 last year and 7 two years ago. That’s a lot of growth relative to other states in the upper midwest. I counted roughly 30 FRC teams that run some type of FTC program plus roughly another 10 running some type of VEX program.

That means a lot more FIRST experience is coming into the FRC level and exists at the FRC level. For instance - we are using a rookie chassis driver for this year. By rookie I mean she has driven for around 36 FTC matches (including a state final), driven 25 off season FRC matches, and was our operator for 39 matches last year. 100 matches of experience is the new rookie.

A comment on Hubs -
One thing that struck me in the Snow Problem Ri3D thread was the picture of the people involved. I knew about a third of the people and none of them went to the same High School. FRC is a great way for High School students to start meeting the people you will be going to college with. My advice to all High School students - get around at the events this year and talk to people.

The game in general -
I felt Stronghold played pretty neutral on experience - after about 20 matches most drivers grasped the strategy. I felt that Steamworks favored teams with more matches. When it came to just running gears, high level game experience mattered and the lack of it for the MN teams showed in St Louis. It will be interesting to see how Power UP ends up playing.

#3

WOW. SO. MUCH. SHADE.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that North Dakota has the best team success density of any state in union.
Take that Mini-snow-duh. :stuck_out_tongue:

#4

It’ll be exciting to see what the outcomes will be! I’m personally excited to see how 525, 876, 1986, 3130, 4818, and 5172 do at the Great Northern!

#5

Fair point regards Grand Forks. MN has a couple of strong areas on its borders. LaCrosse also comes to mind. Do they make MN stronger or does a strong MN encourage next door sites? Both I 'spose.

T. Wolter

#6

Eastern ND, Western WI… it’s all really a part of MN, right? :yikes:

#7

In matters regarding robots, yes. Packers/Vikings…no Gracious Professionalism when it is Green-Gold vs Blue bumpers…

TW

#8

I’m going to add 4539 & 7048 to that list.

4539 has speed figured out, 7048 decided to outright skip their rookie season.

#9

I doubt the Iowa Regional and subsequent growth of FRC in Iowa would have happened were it not for the initial Minnesotan support of the regional.

#10

I’d like to think so, until we don’t get invited to the MN State competition.

#11

I don’t even think that’s going out on a limb. 876, 877, 4818, 7048. Where’s the weakness? All 4 teams should make the playoffs, and it wouldn’t surprise me if all 4 teams made the playoffs at Champs. The only bot I haven’t seen is 877, but I know for a fact that the other 3 will be insanely effective.

Now let’s work on growing the number of teams even more!

#12

They’re scared of us, that’s why we weren’t invited to their robot shindig.

On another note, I propose we create the I-29 Robotics Alliance and host our own multi-state championship in Sioux Falls, Council Bluffs, St. Joseph, or something. (And MN isn’t invited, I-29 doesn’t go through MN, now does it.)

(P.S. love ya MN)

MN FIRST is the machinery that is (going to be) responsible for much of the growth in the Northern plains states. 100% necessary.

#13

Let’s actually invite the top 5 robots instead of leaving one out every year cough MN state cough

#14

No joke, once I get back from grad school I want to get the wheels turning on this concept. There is lots of potential running in a 60 mile corridor along I-29.

Cities:
ND: Grafton, Grand Forks, Fargo et. al., Valley City, Wahpeton.
SD: Brookings, Aberdeen, Watertown, Hueon, Sioux Falls, Sioux City
NE: Omaha, Fremont, Nebraska City
IA: Council Bluffs
MO: Rock Port, St Joseph, Kansas City

#15

They count as much as Minnesota does in my mind.

Can you elaborate on what a HAC is?

You say that like it’s a good thing?

#16

That’s my way of hiding the pain. I’m actually dead inside.

#17

Check out this page for some details: http://mnfirst.org/first-community-resources/frc-community-organizations/

#18

+1

This is what I was just about to post.

#19

2018 is definitely going to be an awesome year for FRC in Minnesota! Can’t wait to see how the season plays out!

#20

Looking through the MN regionals I already see a major shortcoming. The complete lack of palindrome alliance possibilities. There is the 2052 - 4664 - 2502 alliance at Medtronic and that is it.

If we could swap 4607 and 4239 between the two Duluth regionals that would enable 706 - 4656 - 4607 and 93 - 2499 - 4239 as possibilities but people didn’t sign up right.