Time becomes short with only weeks left until tournament day!  [Since regional tournaments are spread out over several weeks, you'll notice a vagueness in these state-wide hints when yours will be]

It's maybe a little early for this topic but I'm making this up as I go (improvisation) and it doesn't hurt to start thinking about it now. Besides as we get closer to the tournament, I'll be overloading you with tournament tips to make your experience less stressful and more enjoyable.

Side Trips

When it comes to appraising Team Challenges, I really love to do Side Trips because there is so much variety. I've seen teams with mediocre Central Challenges just blow us away with amazing Side Trips and go on to the next level of competition. This is especially important in the more technical challenges where even a good structure design or vehicle can run afoul of "Murphy's Law".