This email blast just went out:
Greetings, SCRIW V teams!
We want to thank you for your patience with us as the storms and flooding this past week have slowed us a bit. We are pleased to say that SCRIW V will happen as scheduled on October 24th. We still intend to hold it at Dreher High School, whose campus was not impacted in the storms, and we have identified a backup location in the unlikely event that Dreher becomes unavailable.
That is not to say that everything is perfect in Columbia, though. Many people have been forced from their homes in the area, the city is still under a boil water advisory a week later, and it will be months before the area recovers fully. Most of the main roads in Columbia have reopened, but a few key arteries have not including Devine Street where it meets Fort Jackson Boulevard. Both Apple Maps and Google Maps show the current road closures, and we recommend you scout them out in advance to avoid surprises.
Those of us on the committee have been discussing how we can support the recovery effort, and we’ve decided to try something people have asked about in the past: the first-ever SCRIW mentor match! If you’ve ever wondered if you could hack it as a driver (or wonder if you’ve still got it), this is your chance to give it a shot on the big stage!
We will have collection jars for each team, and the six teams with the highest donations will play in the match immediately following alliance selection with mentor drivers, operators, and human players. Student coaches are encouraged–you’ll probably want the knowledge behind the glass! We would like you to email us a picture of your would-be drive team so we can get your jar looking as nice as it can, and we hope you will give generously so we can help as many families in the area as possible. (We hope everyone will be a good sport on this, but if you’re dead-set against running in the match you can absolutely decline. Just let us know.)
Also, the lunch pre-order is attached. (PM me if you need it --B) It’s going to look very familiar, because it’s the same menu as last year’s (including the prices). We know it’s late, so just send us item counts and bring the money with you to registration.
Speaking of money: if you haven’t paid, expect a nudge. If you can’t get the money in the mail this week, bring it with you to registration as well.
Want a schedule of the day? Here it is, and to the veterans it should be familiar:
0800: Pits open to teams
0801: Sync checks*
0940: Check-in closed (Once we make the schedule, that’s it. Don’t be late!)
0945: Mandatory Driver’s Meeting On Field, Qualification Match Schedule Released
1000: Opening Ceremonies
1010: First Match
1200: Lunch Break
1235: Resume Qualification Matches
1500: End Qualification Matches
1505: Alliance Selection
1530: Elimination Rounds Start
1730: Elimination Rounds End (approximate)
1740: Awards (Finalists and Champions) & Breakdown
*A change from normal FRC events: to speed up this important process, we will not run full practice matches. After programming your radio, you’ll wheel your robot to the field and power it up on your cart under the FTA’s instructions to ensure your robot connects through FMS properly. We strongly encourage you to test your robot’s other systems at home and in the pit.
The workshops are still being finalized, and we would really love to have one or two more. If you’ve got one you think you’d like to share, get in touch with us in the next couple days.
Here’s the current 25-team lineup for SCRIW V; we could handle two more last-minute entries if you know somebody.
281 The GreenVillains Greenville, SC
283 The Generals Greenville, SC
342 Burning Magnetos North Charleston, SC
343 Metal In Motion Seneca, SC
1225 The Gorillas Hendersonville, NC
1226 The Gorillas B-Team Hendersonville, NC
1398 Keenan Robo-Raiders Columbia, SC
1539 Blue Eagle Robotics Clover, SC
1553 KC Robotics Team Lugoff, SC
1554 KC Robotics B-Team Lugoff, SC
1758 Technomancers Florence, SC
2059 The Hitchhikers Apex, NC
2815 Blue Devil Mechanics Columbia, SC
3489 Category 5 North Charleston, SC
3490 Viper Drive Summerville, SC
3976 Electric Hornets Hopkins, SC
4083 Iron Wolverines Dorchester, SC
4451 ROBOTZ Garage Laurens, SC
4533 Wando Advanced Robotics Mt Pleasant, SC
4534 Wando B-Team Mt Pleasant, SC
4847 Tech-No-Logic Trojans Green Sea, SC
4901 Garnet Squadron Columbia, SC
4935 T-Rex Charlotte, NC
4965 FIRE Anderson, SC
8101 342/3489 B-Team North Charleston, SC
Questions? Just ask. We appreciate your patience with us this year, and we look forward to making SCRIW V the best yet.
Sincerely,
Billfred Leverette
SCRIW Planning Committee
