Sooner State volunteer works hard to provide positive experience to FTC Teams
When the Samantha Module was introduced for the 2009 Get Over It! season, FTC organizers in Oklahoma were looking for someone to do technical support and clear up questions around the new WiFi system. They reached out to Jeremy Weimer.
"I participated in the BEST robotics program [in high school], which was very enjoyable and rewarding," said Jeremy, who now works at an engineering firm specializing in mechanical, electrical and power for new buildings. "When I heard about the FTC competition, I was quite curious and interested in what was involved."
Jeremy's first tournament, the state championship at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) where he's a student, was also the first time the Field Control System was used in Oklahoma. He was tasked with setting it up and running it. However, he had only gotten his hands on it two days prior to the tournament.
"It was chaotic, to say the least," he said.
Despite some delays due to technical issues with the unfamiliar system, Jeremy was encouraged to see how much fun all the teams still managed to have. Four years later, he's proud to say every competition since that first one has gone much smoother.
Now a key volunteer in the state, Jeremy is the technical guru for all of the FTC tournaments in OK. He also conducts trainings at kickoff and workshops. At events, he acts as a software inspector and is also the "state robot problem solver" and frequently has teams approach him with programming and mechanical issues.
For Jeremy, volunteering with FTC is about providing an environment where young adults can have a fun and educational experience. In addition to the work he does to support events, he also provides team support and is even known to travel to other areas of the state to help them with their robot problems.
"Due to the nature of the FTC competition itself, not every team can go home with the winning trophies. But by being very hands on with any support they need, I work to ensure every team has an equal opportunity to go home feeling they did their best," said Jeremy.
He also said he enjoys helping teams diagnose issues and watching them adapt, overcome and fix things between matches. He said the highlight of every event is seeing the pride teams have in their own robot and performance.
"Even for the teams that don't make it to the finals and win, it's clear how pleased they are in seeing their robot in action," he said.
On Feb. 8, 2014, at the OK FTC State Championship, Jeremy received the FTC Directors Award for Outstanding Service, a state award recognizing volunteers going above and beyond the call of duty. Brad Fitzgerald, the FTC Affiliate Partner in the state, said that every team in Oklahoma has utilized Jeremy's robotics expertise at one point or another and when the award was presented, Jeremy received a standing ovation from the audience.
"Jeremy is the glue that makes the Oklahoma FTC process work," Brad added.
"I participated in the BEST robotics program [in high school], which was very enjoyable and rewarding," said Jeremy, who now works at an engineering firm specializing in mechanical, electrical and power for new buildings. "When I heard about the FTC competition, I was quite curious and interested in what was involved."
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| Jeremy Weimer |
"It was chaotic, to say the least," he said.
Despite some delays due to technical issues with the unfamiliar system, Jeremy was encouraged to see how much fun all the teams still managed to have. Four years later, he's proud to say every competition since that first one has gone much smoother.
Now a key volunteer in the state, Jeremy is the technical guru for all of the FTC tournaments in OK. He also conducts trainings at kickoff and workshops. At events, he acts as a software inspector and is also the "state robot problem solver" and frequently has teams approach him with programming and mechanical issues.
For Jeremy, volunteering with FTC is about providing an environment where young adults can have a fun and educational experience. In addition to the work he does to support events, he also provides team support and is even known to travel to other areas of the state to help them with their robot problems.
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| Jeremy Weimer helps a team troubleshoot their robot |
He also said he enjoys helping teams diagnose issues and watching them adapt, overcome and fix things between matches. He said the highlight of every event is seeing the pride teams have in their own robot and performance.
"Even for the teams that don't make it to the finals and win, it's clear how pleased they are in seeing their robot in action," he said.
On Feb. 8, 2014, at the OK FTC State Championship, Jeremy received the FTC Directors Award for Outstanding Service, a state award recognizing volunteers going above and beyond the call of duty. Brad Fitzgerald, the FTC Affiliate Partner in the state, said that every team in Oklahoma has utilized Jeremy's robotics expertise at one point or another and when the award was presented, Jeremy received a standing ovation from the audience.
"Jeremy is the glue that makes the Oklahoma FTC process work," Brad added.
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