Week 7 in New England FRC: #NE_DCMP

We made it! The New England District Championship returned for the first time since 2019, bigger and better than before. Two RAPID REACT FRC fields and 78 teams from all six NE states filled the Coliseum and Stroh buildings at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts, from April 13–16, 2022.

Competing teams experienced it all: crazy thunderstorms threatening to flood the path from the pits to the arena, blue skies for a perfect outdoor lunch hour, and everything that all of the expanded space at The Big E could provide. Special thanks to our field volunteers who worked incredibly hard for for every single match so that gameplay could happen on less-than-perfect floors.

To celebrate the first year we were able to make a dual-field district championship event, the fields were named after the 20th and 22nd elements on the period table: Calcium and Titanium. Teams quickly adopted chants of GOT MILK and NOT MILK for a friendly rivalry between the two divisions, and our Masters of Ceremonies for each field joined right in with branded black and white t-shirts.

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Each division of 39 teams ran 78 qualification matches, had their own alliance selection and playoffs tournament, and crowned champions and other award winners. After lunch on Saturday, the Calcium Division Champion Alliance went up against the Titanium Division Champion Alliance to crown the true winners of the New England District Championship. Congratulations to the Titanium Division Champions who came out victorious!

Since the FIRST World Championship started only days after DCMP, NE FIRST pre-qualified 22 out of 25 teams to represent New England in Houston. After officially announcing the Cultural Award Winners late Tuesday night, 22 teams were offered a worlds spot before Saturday morning, followed by our three final teams receiving their invitations after the competition ended. Teams traveling to Houston were able to pack their robots in donated crates and ship them to Texas via a FIRST-organized FedEx truck and another NE FIRST-organized truck.

The Cultural Award Winners were recognized during the District Championship Finale award ceremony, along with the New England District Championship winners and our individual recognition of the 2022 Dean's List Finalists, Woodie Flowers Finalist, and Volunteer of the Year!

We are excited to find ways for The Big E to be a District Championship venue for multiple years. Stay tuned for announcements regarding 2023 dates and themes over the summer, and coverage of New England teams at the FIRST World Championship soon!

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Congratulations to our New England District Championship Finale and Cultural Award Winners:

Volunteer of the Year: Sam Spain, NE FIRST Co-Senior Volunteer Coordinator, from FRC 3182, Athena's Warriors from Hartford, CT

Woodie Flowers Finalist Award: Michele Hall from FRC 178, The 2nd Law Enforcers from Farmington, CT

Dean's List Finalists:

Veronica C. from FRC 5422, Stormgears from Westford, MA

Olivia D. from FRC 166, Chop Shop from Merrimack, NH

Valerie G. from FRC 7407, the Wired Boars from Wallingford, CT

David M. from FRC 178, the 2nd Law Enforcers from Farmington, CT

Chairman's Awards:

FRC 6328, Mechanical Advantage from Littleton, MA

FRC 5422, Stormgears from Westford, MA

FRC 3654, TechTigers from Middletown, CT

Engineering Inspiration Awards:

FRC 78, AIR STRIKE from Newport, RI

FRC 2370, IBOTS from Rutland, VT

Rookie All-Star Award: FRC 8709, Pathfinder Tech from Palmer, MA

New England District Championship Winners:

FRC 238, Crusaders from Manchester, NH

FRC 176, Aces High from Windsor Locks, CT

FRC 5846, South Coast Corsairs from North Dartmouth, MA

New England District Championship Finalists:

FRC 230, Gaelhawks from Shelton, CT

FRC 177, Bobcats from South Windsor, CT

FRC 4048, Redshift from Westborough, MA

Congratulations to all Calcium Division award winners:

NE FIRST DCMP Calcium Division Champions:

FRC 230, Gaelhawks from Shelton, CT

FRC 177, Bobcats from South Windsor, CT

FRC 4048, Redshift from Westborough, MA

NE FIRST DCMP Calcium Division Finalists:

FRC 131, CHAOS from Manchester, NH

FRC 133, B.E.R.T. from Standish, ME

FRC 5735, Control Freaks from Wayland, MA

Highest Rookie Seed: FRC 8544, Reinforcement from Sutton, MA

Imagery Award in honor of Jack Kamen: FRC 2342, Team Phoenix from Nashua, NH

Gracious Professionalism Award: FRC 1071, Team MAX from Wolcott, CT

Team Spirit Award: FRC 319, Big Bad Bob from Alton, NH

Autonomous Award sponsored by Ford: FRC 133, B.E.R.T. from Standish, ME

Creativity Award sponsored by Rockwell Automation: FRC 1922, Oz-Ram from Contoocook, NH

Quality Award: FRC 1757, Wolverines from Westwood, MA

Industrial Design Award sponsored by General Motors: FRC 1153, Timberwolves from Walpole, MA

Innovation in Control Award: FRC 230, Gaelhawks from Shelton, CT

Excellence in Engineering Award: FRC 1100, Inverse Polarity from Northborough/Southborough, MA

Entrepreneurship Award: FRC 4905, Andromeda One from Ayer, MA

Judges' Award: FRC 8085, MOJO from Milford, CT

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Congratulations to all Titanium Division award winners:

NE FIRST DCMP Titanium Division Champions:

FRC 238, Crusaders from Manchester, NH

FRC 176, Aces High from Windsor Locks, CT

FRC 5846, South Coast Corsairs from North Dartmouth, MA

NE FIRST DCMP Titanium Division Finalists:

FRC 95, Grasshoppers from White River Junction, VT

FRC 6329, The Bucks' Wrath from Bucksport, ME

FRC 1027, Mechatronic Maniacs from West Springfield, MA

FRC 8046, LakerBots from Meredith, NH

Highest Rookie Seed: FRC 8889, Project W from Waterbury, CT

Imagery Award in honor of Jack Kamen: FRC 3182, Athena's Warriors from Hartford, CT

Gracious Professionalism Award: FRC 6153, Blue Crew from Farmington, ME

Team Spirit Award: FRC 237, Black Magic from Watertown, CT

Rookie Inspiration Award: FRC 8567, Team Ultraviolet from Wellesley, MA

Autonomous Award sponsored by Ford: FRC 2067, Apple Pi from Guilford, CT

Creativity Award sponsored by Rockwell Automation: FRC 1768, Nashoba Robotics from Bolton, MA

Quality Award: FRC 6329, The Bucks' Wrath from Bucksport, ME

Industrial Design Award sponsored by General Motors: FRC 126, Gael Force from Clinton, MA

Innovation in Control Award: FRC 5687, The Outliers from Portland, ME

Excellence in Engineering Award: 238, Crusaders from Manchester, NH

Entrepreneurship Award: FRC 166, Chop Shop from Merrimack, NH

Judges' Award: FRC 2713, iRaiders from Melrose, MA