Need to Know: St. Louis Regional 2011

Tomorrow is the start of the St. Louis Regional FIRST Robotics Competition. If you didn't know this is the event that we spent the last 6 weeks going crazy over building the robot and getting everything ready. If you are curious about everything that is going to happen everything you need to know is after the break.

Location

#1 South Compton Ave. St. Louis, MO  63103

The Chaifetz Arena is located on the northwest corner of Compton Ave. and Forest Park Parkway/Market St. More information can be found on via Google.

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Public Agenda

Thursday, March 17, 2011

• 7:45AM 3 Team Reps to uncrate
• 8:30AM Pits and Machine Shop open
• 8:30AM - 12:00PM Registration and inspection
• 10:00AM - 4:30PM Practice rounds
• 12:00PM – 1:00PM Lunch
• 8:00PM Pits and Machine Shop close

Friday, March 18, 2011

• 8:00AM Pits and Machine Shop open
• 9:00AM Opening ceremonies
• 9:30AM - 4:00PM Seeding matches
• 12:00PM - 1:00PM Lunch
• 4:30PM Awards ceremony
• 6:00PM Pits and Machine Shop close

Saturday, March 19, 2011

• 8:00AM Pits and machine shop open
• 9:00AM Opening ceremonies
• 9:30AM - 11:30AM Seeding matches
• 11:45AM - 12:00PM Alliance Selections
• 12:00PM - 1:00PM Lunch
• 1:00PM - 4:15PM Final rounds
• 4:30PM Awards ceremony
• 5:00PM Pits close, crates packed for shipping

**Schedule subject to change.  All times are estimated based on flow of rounds.

See Pit Administration table for updated times.

Friday and Saturday are the most fun days, Thursday is reserved for practice all day so if you can't make it every day and want to actually see the robots compete Friday or Saturday would be a better choice.

WiFi Access.

We will have WiFi capability available throughout the Arena. But please be advised that we do reserve the right to terminate access if any problems arise such as playing field interference. We are not anticipating this to be a problem but you need to be prepared just in case. I have no information about laptop battery charging  I not sure exactly where this can be done but ask or just look around. You're all inventive types and I'm sure you'll figure something out.

Pit access.

This is always a problem due to space. As usual, we really need teams to limit the number of people that they have in the pits to those that are actually working on or driving the robot. This is not to say that teams and their sponsors can't visit the pits but we just don't want them to "live" there. There is plenty of seating in the stands and, if you come into the pits, you will have to have safety glasses on. Not just sitting on your head or held in your hand but on your face protecting your eyes. There will be volunteers monitoring all access points and wandering around to look for violators.

No strollers in the pits! If Mom and Dad come with the team and bring the junior members of the family team that ride a stroller, that's ok. They just can't bring the stroller into the pits and if junior is then carried into the pits, he/she also has to wear safety glasses. And good luck with that. We aren't anti small people but we have to put our emphasis on safety. This too will be monitored and enforced by the gate volunteers. I suggest that parents with young ones send one parent into the pits while the other one waits in the stands with junior and then, swap places. This way both parents can get in and junior remains safe in the stands. Now, after saying all of that, all persons under the age of 16 have to be accompanied by an adult when in the pit area. Team members that are actually involved with the care and feeding of the robot are considered accompanied because they are with their mentor(s), and, after all, that is where they need to be. But anyone else under 16 needs to be in the custody of an adult. And, NO, one adult cannot bring in 10 or 15 youngsters. So don't even try.

Local TV filming

Please be aware that we have also received requests from several local TV stations and cable vendors to film at the StL event. This means that there may be videographers lurking about and trying to get footage to support their story. Please be as cooperative as possible with these folks because they are generating TV coverage and Mom and Dad and your sponsors back home may see you. Smile, wave to the folks back home, and answer their questions politely and we will all benefit.