How does Lakewood DO IT?

FIRST General Forum
1

Posted by Joe Johnson, Engineer on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.

Posted on 3/9/99 7:10 PM MST

How does the Heat Wave team (Lakewood) keep fielding such great teams?

I recall when our first year in FIRST, 1996 (then U.S.FIRST). Lakewood then was paired with Raytheon E-Systems. They finished 2nd at the Nationals (loosing by inches as I recall).

Then they manage to snag Baxter (no slouch sponsor!) and for 2 more years terrorize the competition with their cool machines. Last year’s Heat Wave Machine looked great and beat the stuffing out of most of the competition. (FYI, In 1997, they finished #2 to the eventual National Champs, Beatty, at the Chicago Regional and in 1998 they finished 6th at the Nationals as well as 6th at the Motorola Regional. Not too shabby!)

Now comes the 1999 season: AGAIN, Lakewood loses a sponsor. AGAIN, Lakewood is in the hunt!

Go to FIRST’s results page, there they are again, at the 1999 Kenedy Space Center Regional… in 4th Place…

"Team 312 - Heat Wave Consortium & Center for Advanced Technologies at Lakewood High School (St. Petersburg, FL) "

Team #312… Heat Wave Consortium… We are not fooled! :wink:

What is the Heat Wave Consortium, Hmmm?

What I want to know is, HOW DO THEY DO IT?

Maybe there is a lesson here for all of us?

Joe J.

2

Posted by Dan, Student on team #10, BSM, from Benilde-St. Margaret’s and Banner Engineering.

Posted on 3/9/99 8:16 PM MST

In Reply to: How does Lakewood DO IT? posted by Joe Johnson on 3/9/99 7:10 PM MST:

Yes, they are very good again this year. Their machine may bring back memories of last year, but don’t be fooled.
Although the only differences I could see were a new arm-end manipulator and a back bar that pulled them up the puck - they are still just as efficient as last year. They have a claw and two moving velcro bars that rake the field for floppies (oh, and the arm can right their machine too). Their bar in the back lifts the Firestarter onto the puck fairly quickly.
Big Jimmy felt the heat in the first elimination round. It was close, but they got us in the end. :-Dan

: How does the Heat Wave team (Lakewood) keep fielding such great teams?

: I recall when our first year in FIRST, 1996 (then U.S.FIRST). Lakewood then was paired with Raytheon E-Systems. They finished 2nd at the Nationals (loosing by inches as I recall).

: Then they manage to snag Baxter (no slouch sponsor!) and for 2 more years terrorize the competition with their cool machines. Last year’s Heat Wave Machine looked great and beat the stuffing out of most of the competition. (FYI, In 1997, they finished #2 to the eventual National Champs, Beatty, at the Chicago Regional and in 1998 they finished 6th at the Nationals as well as 6th at the Motorola Regional. Not too shabby!)

: Now comes the 1999 season: AGAIN, Lakewood loses a sponsor. AGAIN, Lakewood is in the hunt!

: Go to FIRST’s results page, there they are again, at the 1999 Kenedy Space Center Regional… in 4th Place…

: "Team 312 - Heat Wave Consortium & Center for Advanced Technologies at Lakewood High School (St. Petersburg, FL) "

: Team #312… Heat Wave Consortium… We are not fooled! :wink:

: What is the Heat Wave Consortium, Hmmm?

: What I want to know is, HOW DO THEY DO IT?

: Maybe there is a lesson here for all of us?

: Joe J.