Teams 217, 1538, and 1986:

I feel the need to express my appreciation for FIRST team 217 and their alliance captain team 1538. They truly earned our respect in the elimination matches at Newton today, inspiring our whole team.

As one of the alliance captains, two members of our drive team were approached by 217 about 20 minutes before the alliance selection with some grave news. We learned that they had fallen from level 3 and broke, and I quote, “just about everything.” Oh, the horrors! They couldn’t shoot, and reported with long faces that they hadn’t even moved in their last match. We really appreciated their honesty – it must have been hard for them to forfeit all hope of a spot in the elimination matches. “Cross us off your list,” they advised, and we grudgingly obliged.

Unfortunately, they must have failed to get this message across to 1538, who selected 217 as the final pick. We feared the worst for the number one alliance after this tragic miscommunication. But as the first match began, we were shocked to see 217 effortlessly sink their 3 autonomous discs and proceed to carry out the rest of the match flawlessly. In fact, their alliance proceeded to smash the first two alliances they came up against without any trouble it all. They were working so well together that it was almost as if this miscommunication was a blessing – a stroke of pure luck – that was meant to be.

Of course, there is only one explanation for these events: 217 has the most amazing pit crew ever. To fix their drive train and shooter in half an hour after falling 10 feet and smashing their robot… Truly impressive. Today, you have taught us that anything is possible.

I cannot leave out 1538’s role in all of this, either. To stick it out with a mangled, crushed robot instead of calling in a backup is a very loyal decision. This is exactly the kind of gracious professionalism I would expect from 2013’s Chairman’s Award winners.

So congratulations, 217 and 1538, because you are what FRC is all about: honesty and gracious professionalism.

Sincerely,

An Anonymous Newton Alliance Captain