Team Beta's Posterous

All day today, the excitement was mounting all around us, as teams plunged headfirst into the spirit of competition and teamwork. As alliances took to the "battlefield," teams stood, danced and screamed in the stands. More than once, mascots grouped together to form conga lines and dance circles, as well as spirited support and offering hugs to anyone who passed. It was chaotic, certainly; people were everywhere and keeping track of all that was going on was about nearly impossible. This, however, made it all the more exciting; having so much going on around you is like being in the center of a cyclone and wishing to be nowhere else. It's an incredible feeling, knowing that you're a part of something so big and so incredibly special.
Several alumni returned today and helped cheer on Team Beta. This team has the unique set of circumstances where the members of previous years have had such a great experience that they return again and again to check up on the team, help out whenever they can and go to events like this to show their continuing support. It speaks to the integrity of the program, and to the kids of kids that are a part of it. There's no "getting out of FIRST;" and in all honesty, who would want to?
After the competitions ended for the day, teams were invited to a "Team Social" at the Science Center across the street. There, teams had the opportunity to explore the center and make further bonds with other teams on a more personal, laid-back level. Teams certainly took advantage of this opportunity; several Team Beta members even had the chance to get much closer--both literally and figuratively--to several members of another team when they all squeezed into a tiny wind tunnel together. Smiles were on every face. To know that all these kids were in competition was each other seemed like a distant, far-off fact. All the team members here are blind to teams, alliances or any mean-spirited competition. The drive to meet, greet and bond far exceeds the competitive edge that seems to dominate other events.
This evening, as most of you probably already know, our team's founder and current leader, Mr. Murphy was awarded the Woodie Flowers Award for the Hartford Regional. This is a very special honor, awarded to the mentors who contribute their time, talents and expertise to their team and also embody the essence of what FIRST is all about. We also had the special opportunity to watch Mr. Murphy be given this award by Woodie Flowers himself, a unique event that I'm sure none of us will forget.
Congratulations to all those teams who won awards this evening and good luck to everyone in tomorrow's competitions!

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