Don't Be Large

As much as we want our teams to have oversized ambitions and enthusiasm, we don’t want them to have oversized robots. This year, as indicated in the rules from the beginning and emphasized in the very first Team Update, bumpers are included in the overall robot size maximums . See rule R03 in the manual. Please read this rule a few times, memorize it, then make triple sure your robot, including bumpers and all extensions, fits in the sizes indicated.

Among all the many things a team would never want to hear at an event, near the top of the list would surely be something like “Uh, yeah, your robot is 6 inches too wide and 6 inches too long. You’ll need to trim it down before you can compete.” Seriously, it will ruin your day and more. Because that’s one thing you won’t be able to fix with duct tape and a positive attitude.

One challenge on this is getting the word out, as it is a change in approach from prior years. While it is in the manual, and we’ve included a reminder in a Team Update, and we’re doing this blog to which we’ll be linking in a blast that goes out to all teams, it still may not be enough. We would love zero robots to show up to events oversized. And you can help! Please spread the word – contact teams you know or have heard of nearby, put it up on your Facebook/Twitter/MyFace/YourFace/InstantFace* accounts or whatever, and help make sure everyone knows. You can be the one to save a team from some serious pain.**

Award Reminder

As we said in a blog last week award deadlines are coming up. Here’s a quick table:

Award Submission Process Submitted By Date Chairman's Award Team Registration System Student Award Submitter Thursday, February 9, 2017, 3PM Eastern Time Woodie Flowers Award Team Registration System Student Award Submitter Thursday, February 9, 2017, 3PM Eastern Time Dean's List Award Team Registration System Adult Award Submitter Thursday, February 16, 2017, 3PM Eastern Time Entrepreneurship Award Team Registration System Student Award Submitter Thursday, February 16, 2017, 3PM Eastern Time

Those first deadlines are only about a week away! And those deadlines are firm. Missing them means your submission will not be accepted.

Also, while working on your Chairman’s Award submission, remember the common set of definitions you are required to use, about what it means to have ‘started’ a team or ‘ran’ an event, etc. This helps us make sure we are speaking a common language, and allows our judges to be able to fairly evaluate teams.

Hope you build season is going well!

Frank

** BTW, this blog constitutes my entry in the “G04/R03 Awareness Contest” being sponsored by our friends at AndyMark. And I better win. Because I was, like, up all night.