April 2, 2006

Exceptional is the best word to describe the Lone Star Regional experience.  What an exceptional weekend we had in Houston, it proves as a team we play hard and we work even harder.

I am certain no other robot was as exciting to watch as Lone Star.  The best memory was hearing the announcer shout, "Watch out, Lone Star takes a hit and keeps on shooting, it's a shoot and a make."  Those points just flew into the goal, our autonomous was fail-proof, our drivers cool, calm and concentrated, our team working as one unit and our alliances always depending on us to be the leader we have grown to be at competition.  How about our cheering squad?  I am certain no other team had as many moms, dads, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandmas, grandpas and friends as Team 148!  Wow, there were red shirts everywhere.  It's always a little humbling as a coach to see how much support we have as a team from those who love and care for us.

Our mentors, our engineers, they are truly the most dedicated group of men involved in the FIRST robotics program.  We hear about volunteers and time from every speech at competition.  How many teams can say the engineers helped mentor the robot, taught students about the process and then drove the team to competition!  Such dedication in life is not common and I know the students of Team 148 recognize the outstanding contribution of our mentors.

Our rewards for hard work were many at the Lone Star Regional.  I can't help but feel an amazing sense of pride in the team earning the Delphi "Driving Tomorrow's Technology" Award.  This award is the pinnacle of our efforts.  The award can only be given to a team that not only has the technology on the robot but the students must be able to fully explain and comprehend the functions.  Basically it means in the purest sense, the mentors taught, students learned and it was all exhibited in the machine.  Apparently our students in the machine pits really wowed the judges with their knowledge of the machine.  The award also lets our mentors know that you listened, really listened and learned when you were working side by side to build Lone Star.

How about the Website Award!  Yee Haw!  Three years in a row, I think we definitely have it done.  I appreciate everyone making sure the website stays up to date, taking pictures, submitting information.  We definitely keep our webmaster busy.  It only goes to show that the learning never ends when you become a Robowrangler.

Are you ready for international competition in Atlanta, Georgia!  I know I am.  It is going to be so exciting.  We are taking the Southwest Regional Champion Vex Team and the Lone Star Regional Semi-Finalist team to the Georgia Dome.  Our website will be judged against all the other regional website winners  I'm not for sure you can get more competitive than three different entries in an international competition.  We are going to be busy!

February 22, 2006

It never seems quite right, just putting our robot in a crate and sending it off to be stored until we get to regional competition.  Our entry, Lone Star, has been the focus of our lives for the past six weeks and now we have to put it away until March 30th in Houston.  Of course, it's just pieces of aluminum, motors and wheels to some people, but it is so much more to the students, engineers and coaches of Team 148.  Each year, we create what is best about education and mentorship, camaraderie, collaboration and friendships – we create what was just an idea into something solid.  While some people think this process is about winning and losing, its about so much more, it is about learning.  The education students get from our mentors isn't necessarily all about math and science either.  There are lessons to be learned about being dedicated to a cause, about being on time and meeting deadlines, about being so tired you want to quit but you keep on pushing and about being involved in something bigger than yourself and your own small part of the world.

Thank you to the L-3 engineers and GHS students for once again finishing a robot that will be a competitor.  This is going to be the year of the straight shooter, the Best of the West is how we find ourselves describing Lone Star this year.  The robot has been fine tuned and we are going to be the pride of Greenville as we compete at the Lone Star Regional and the national FIRST competition.  Both of these competitions have taken on an international flair as teams from Mexico and Brazil will come to the Lone Star Regional and teams from all across the world will be at the national competition. We have already had success in our Vex competition and the momentum started there will now carry us into March and April.  How exciting it is going to be to have two robots in the national arena, we just hope the Georgia Dome is ready for us!  We want to encourage everyone visiting our website to stop by the biography pages and see the pictures and profiles of our heroes, our engineers.  These very dedicated people volunteer for this program and even use their personal time for travel and for competition expenses.  If there ever was a Hall of Fame for volunteers, our biography page would be the beginning for a great group.  We have filled out all the forms, we have all our award entries completed and now all we can do is prepare for contest.  In the words of a wise teacher, "it's a great day to be alive, it's a great day to be an L-3 Robowrangler..." YeeHaw!!!!! – the Coaches of Team 148

January 7, 2006

The problem has been revealed, the work schedule established, the meals ordered and the wheels are turning.  It's robot building season and this year's challenge is exciting and very unique.  We came close in our guessing from the hints, we got a ramp and some sort of shooting!  It was fun thinking of all the different challenges that FIRST could send our way.  It was fun to see Greenville's own Tony Norman as part of the design team.  Fifteen years of dedication from Tony and Bob Mimlitch have really benefited the FIRST organization.  We are so proud that Innovation First calls Greenville home.

We are embarking on an area of competition this year that we have missed the past few years as we enter all the Autodesk portions.  We have Matt Sikes, a former team member, to thank for getting us started in this direction.  He set such a high standard that we can only hope we can continue in those large footprints he left behind.  Wow, fourteen years of building robots and we are still excited as though it was our first year.  We can't wait to see all the new ideas during brainstorming.

We have to thank our engineer, Adam Reppond, for making the drive to Houston to pick up not only our kit of parts, but the kits for Rockwall and South Grand Prairie.  His gracious professionalism in picking up that large load of "nerd toys" will benefit everyone.  Woody said it best at kick-off when he suggested that we all find our niche during this building period, "don't worry about how any other team works or builds or completes the challenge."  He told us all to come together as a team the best way for our group.  Didn't you love the phrase – "nerd pride?"  I often think those that never understand the exhilaration that comes from building the robot are the unfortunate people who have to always sit on the sidelines and watch as life passes by.

We are being led by a wonderful group of engineers, dedicated to take us all the way to national competition.  We have a great team of students and of course, some very dedicated teachers (modestly pointed out of course) and an awesome group of parents.  If nothing else, we have a team and that is really all anyone can ask for.  Here's to late nights at L-3, brainstorming with crayons and chalk, filling our camera with loads of pictures and to the memories, the amazing memories of being a FIRST team.  Go Robowranglers, Yee-Haw!!!

October 26, 2005

Doesn't it seem like we just unpacked Lone Star 2005 edition and put him in place in the FIRST room?  Well, it's November and we are deep into activities in preparing for the 2006 season.  If anyone is bored in life, then give the Robowranglers a call – we can put you to work.  For the first column of the year, the best place to start is at the beginning and chronicle all our activity until now and fill in our plans until kick-off.

New members arrived with some fantastic ideas and enthusiasm for the program.  Austin Lambert, Kory Porter, Ethan Isham, Melanie Wisdom, Ben Newell, Stacey Walker, and Dustin Beasley are joining the ranks of the Robowranglers.  Austin has everyone enthusiastic about the Vex robotics program and this year we have purchased a kit and we are getting to use the Vex style.  It is our goal for the new members of 2005-2006 to be entered in the Vex contest in 2006-2007.  Austin, Kory, Ethan, and Ben are working steadily on a very unique robot to take to elementary classrooms.  Their robot will be able to sweep up messes and put the trash away into a tidy little bin.  Stacey and Melanie are working very hard on community shirt sales and helping with the costuming of another robot.

Returning members are concentrating on a robot that illustrates one of the characters in the children's book, "Where the Wild Things Are."  This robot will be mechanical and in costume.  The team is hoping to have the chassis finished very soon with the omni-direction wheels, some unique programming and of course a complete costume for the character.

Alumnus Ryan Marcum included the team in his latest mechanical project.  He modified a student's wheelchair for one arm driving.  If you want to read about that project, visit www.lionledger.com and read the complete story.  The class took the project one step further and created not only a parts list for Ryan, but a price study and even the investigation of the patent.  It seems as though this former Robowrangler may have a unique design not being utilized by any other company.  It was fun getting to be a small part of Ryan's project.  The best part of it was old kit parts were used in the modification.  It gave new life to robot leftovers.

Fundraising is at a feverous pitch right now.  The recycling program is still in place and we have been keeping the Funding Factory busy.  We are selling space on our community t-shirt and next week is our first bake sale.  We are opening Boo Bakery on Halloween for a few tricks and lots of treats.  The halls of GHS will be invaded by robots on that day!

Preparing for visits to the elementary classrooms in the school district, team members are brushing up on communication and people skills.

Three team members, Austin Lambert, Kevin Morris, and Michael Risley, have begun 3-D Max work on an Autodesk contest entry.  Each year we broaden out level of participation and this year, we should be involved in all aspects of FIRST competition.

Mrs. Pope, Miss Galloway, and Mr. Tharp will be taking vitamins to stay up with this enthusiastic group.  It's going to be a wild ride this year and we are planning to see everyone on center stage at national competition!!!