Just for fun, here are the Iowa rankings according to the FIRST in Michigan points system. I’m feeling pretty good about being an Iowa team these days; Iowa had the highest average OPR of any state, and each team made it onto an elimination round alliance.
Team Points
525 127
3928 111
967 85
4646 28
167 19
I would have posted this sooner, but it took a team of experts several weeks to compile the results.
You have had 2 rookies in 2 years, if you keep that up you can match California in a measly 200 years!
You just won Chief Delphi.
Think about it this way: There was a 25% rate of growth in Iowa this year and a 33% growth last year. If they keep this kind of growth up they’ll be at Michigan levels in no time!
Finally, the debates are settled. No one can argue who the best is in Io…wa? anymore.
Just one more team and we could actually field a full match of 6 robots. Then at the Iowa regional we can have 80 straight matches where we swap 1 robot from each alliance every match!
Also, 60% of Iowa teams earned a trip to champs.
Actually, Iowa’s growth has been in FTC. We went from 65 to 134 teams in one year.
If we could get into a district system (maybe with Minnesota or Kansas / Missouri), we’d probably see some of the FTC teams add or switch to FRC.
This is a pretty significant factor that could help Iowa expand rapidly if FRC’s costs came down. There are a total of 19 FTC events in Iowa (9 scrimmages, 9/11 qualifying events depending on how you count double events, and a state championship). Only California, Texas, Florida, and New Jersey have more FTC events (using FIRST’s current information). All of those states have significantly higher populations and Florida and New Jersey are piloting the “Meet” model for FTC which increases the event number due to smaller event sizes.
Districts would be nice to have to help justify the competition on a cost basis. I worked the pits at the FTC state championship in 2012 and had a chance to chat with one of the sponsors there. Naturally I asked some about FRC since that is my background and they indicated that they looked at it but weren’t interested in sponsoring FRC teams because of the significantly higher costs. Given an Iowa FRC team’s steep travel costs at present you can sponsor 10 FTC teams that attend multiple events for the same cost as 1 FRC team attending 1 regional. FRC does a slightly better job of inspiring students than FTC according to FIRST’s data but not enough of a difference to justify reaching way less students.
Once the costs come down I think the limiting factor will be finding mentors, but even 20% of Iowa FTC teams participating in FRC would be significant.
We also have over 350 FLL teams in Iowa who went to one of the 12 FLL Regional Qualifiers in the state. We have a great group of future FTC and FRC team members on the way.
You get more of those smart farm kids(1) that can make mechanisms out of anything and you’ll be even more scary. I do see from newer posts that you’ve had fantastic FTC & FLL growth; that’s great. And you do have some very good teams; I’ve always enjoyed being in the same tournament with any of you folks.
For fun, I put you in the mythical MO/KS district and here’s where you’d rank:
There would be 87 teams in an IA/MO/KS district. 3 Iowa in the top 10 is a bit top-heavy; maybe we don’t want you. :eek:
(1) I’m allowed to say possibly stupid things about Iowa in an attempt to be funny; I grew up there. :] I love to see the Iowa teams doing well. And that was a serious statement about the farm kids.
Looking forward to seeing how Iowa grows FRC in the future! When I was in FLL (2006 Nano Quest and 2007 Power Puzzle) we had ~60 teams go direct to state champs. The next year, it grew so much they had to have regionals! I know that FTC will continue to grow strong with support from Rockwell Collins, hopefully that can lead into growth for FRC!
I am quite confident that your serious statement is also accurate. I have had very good results hiring farm kids who can make mechanisms out of anything handy.
I believe the pertinent expression is “git 'er done!” 
And I would love to see a district system that includes KS/MO/IA + southern IL. It would start with five events, likely growing to six or seven within the first two years. Championship in KC, in that great big rodeo arena of yours – with pancakes for breakfast on Saturday. It will be ultra competitive and a whole lot of fun. 
Great job Iowa teams. But you guys still have some catching up to do with your neighbors to the north. 
Hopefully I can help with that when I come down there for college.
Minnesota had 2 teams in 2006 and now I think we’re at 181 teams.
I have a coworker who’s nephew lives outside of Iowa City. He was involved in FLL, but spends too much time on the farm to be involved with FRC. Instead, he’s building a mechanized body suit, ala Iron Man.
Yes - Iowa would need 103 FRC teams to match Minnesota based on population (and we have just 5) - simply amazing FRC density.