What First Competitions have you gone to (or are going to)? Team 250 is going to the Finger Lakes Regional and Nationals this year. Obviously most teams are going to be going to a Regional around their area, but it would be nice to know what people thought of them.
I went to the Finger Lakes Regional and the Philadelphia Regional last year. My team came in second place at each one. They were both awesome. The Finger Lakes Regional was at RIT and we made some great friends there. But to me, Philadelphia was more fun. It was held at Drexel and the weather was great. So my friends and I hung out with students and mentors from other teams. Of course we loved the actual competition (I lost my voice from cheering the first day!), but half the fun is interacting with other teams. Another funny thing at Philly was that we met, and later teamed up with, a team from RIT. It was Team 84, Chuck. They had a great scoring robot last year and the “Rochester Rebels” almost pulled off the upset and won the whole competition. Either way, both competitions were great
So post if you liked or disliked a particular regional in a certain year or if you are just looking forward to a competition. It would also be cool to know anyone who is planning to go to the Finger Lakes Regional or Nationals this year. Maybe we’ll see each other there.
Palemetto by far was the best region that we have attended with Buckeye a couple of years ago and the rock and roll hall of fame team social a close second. We enjoy the trip south and the friend we meet in South Carolina. Try it, you will like it. Not to mention that SC basketball team came home after winning the NIT to the arena on the championship day.
That’s great that you had a great time in Palemetto but I am from New York so that would be a really long drive because it would be kinda expensive to drive. Thanks anyway!
02-03: Buckeye Regional and Nationals
03-04: Buckeye Regional,West Michigan Regional, and Nationals
04-05: Buckeye Regional and Florida Regional
05-06: Buckeye Regional, Palmetto Regional, and Nationals
This year we are going to the Buckeye and Florida, and we hope to make it to the Nationals
These were all fun to go to but I would say my favorites were Palmetto and Florida. The Florida Regional was really fun and we took second place there. The Palmetto is also a lot of fun and the people/teams were really nice in both of these. The Buckeye is really fun too but it doesnt feel the same when a regional is 5 minutes away from your house.
I’ve been to every single Palmetto Regional thus far (when it’s a half-mile away, there’s no excuse), the Championship every year since 2004, the Florida Regional in 2005 and 2006, and the Saturday of the Peachtree Regional in 2006.
Call it bias, but I think Palmetto’s the best of the three regionals I’ve been to. (The Championship is a whole other ballgame.) Florida’s a hard-fought regional, and you can’t get much closer to the field than you do at Peachtree (and I’ve shagged the stray Poof balls to prove it), but Palmetto’s always had the best balance of teams, venue, and atmosphere.
That is very true about Peachtree you are so close you can feel the action!!:eek:
Im looking forward to attending my first Regional at Palmetto this year.
I’ve been to the Chesapeake, Philadelphia (not since 2001 though), VCU, Peachtree, and Colorado regionals, and VCU takes the cake by a long shot.
VCU 2007, once again the largest regional in FIRST (66 teams!!!)
I have personally been to a few regionals (Long Island, Buckeye, GTR, FLR, BAE, UTC) and of course Nationals (Disney, Houston, and Atlanta)
I found that the atmosphere at GTR was by far the best. The competitiveness of each of the regionals was good, but GTR and UTC definately stood out. With GTR there are so many teams that have great potential if they are paired with the right combination of robots/teams. With UTC the competition is always tough. You never know how you will do until the match is over.
Nationals is always great but i still look back and i loved it when it was held at Disney. Great times under those tents, especially being out in the sun watching the finals on the Einstien stage.
Never been there myself. I hope the venue can accomodate the crowd.
42 or 48 teams seems like the optimal number to me. Multiples of six are good so some teams don’t end up playing extra qualifying matches as surrogates.
I’ve been to every St. Louis Regional, starting with the first one in 2002. Also to Midwest in 1997 and 2004, Buckeye in 2005, Waterloo in 2006, and the Championship in 1996, 2003, and 2005. And I went to IRI in 2006, which was more fun than most of the official FRC events I’ve attended.
Of course I prefer St. Louis because these are the people I work with season after season. This year should be especially good, because many of our local area teams are maturing into competitive forces now, and we will be hosting several very good visiting veteran teams: 45, 148, 217, and dozen or so others that are also very good, if not quite as famous.
Our team is going to the Florida Regional. Now if you take the time to really think about this it makes sense. See, we’re all up in Michigan freezing our fingers off. So going down to Florida provides a great change of scenery and gets us out of the cold weather.
Because this is only my second year, I have only been to 2 regionals and the championship, but I think they were both great. The diversity of teams from at the Florida Regional was pretty cool, and it keeps getting more and more competitive year after year as so I’ve heard. You couldn’t help but notice the southern hospitality at the Palmetto Regional. Everyone was so friendly, and the arena was really nice!
This year we’re heading out west to the Las Vegas Regional, and I’ve never been anywhere close to the West Coast. The sheer thought of being on the opposite side of the country makes it so much cooler. We’ll be back at the Florida Regional and the Championships again too. I’m so psyched about this season!
VCU has had 60+ teams since at least 2003 (earliest I can remember the amount of teams it had), but I believe 66 is a new high. The Siegel Center is VCU’s basketball arena though, so it has ample seating (even with one wall of seats collapsed to provide pit space). The atmosphere in the arena is amazing, and even without any “elite” teams from outside Virginia the last couple years, VCU still remains a fairly competitive regional (9 different VCU attendees have reached the divisional eliminations at Championship the past 2 years).
Richard, the VCU Siegal Center handles the crowd great. We had an announced 7,694 at the basketball game this past Saturday. (16-3 baby)
Personally, I’ve been to all the VCU(2000-2006) and Chesapeake Regionals(2002-2006), San Jose and LA in 2003, Nationals at Disney in 2001, Nationals in Atlanta in 2005. I’ve also been to probally a dozen off-season competitions as well.
Lets see, by year I’ve been to the following competitions
2001: VCU, Mid Atlantic, Championships
2002: Mid-Atlantic, Canadian Regional (Inaugural), Championship
2003: NJ Regional (Switched Names from Mid-Atlantic), Championship
2004: NJ, Chesapeake, Palmetto (Inaugural), Championship Graduated in 2004, so all subsequent Regionals are Volunteering
2005: NJ, NYC, Championship
2006: NJ, NYC, Philly, Championship
Up until now I never realized how many I’ve gone too…wow. Anyway NJ will always hold a special place for me since It’s me “home” regional. And Palmetto will be special since its where my team won it’s first regional. But I have to say that Philly is quickly becoming my favorite to go to. Yes it’s hot, yes it’s crowded, but the level of competition and excitement you feel there, It can’t be beat.
