I asked this very same question my second year :) Here's the short answer- James Madison University hosts the VA state competitions, runs the event as part of a class project for their business majors, and generally sponsors the event due the amount of time, effort and space given to FIRST *so* the state match takes place at the end of fall semester each year- early December. Of course, FIRST volunteers like Karen and Steve do a great deal and are to be commended for all their time and effort as well, but JMU allows it to happen, there so it's on their time frame :) But VA state winners get an extra long time to work out the kinks before going to World :) (Unofficial answer) Brandy On Wed, Oct 23, 2013 at 7:59 PM, Jayakumar Dwarakadas < [log in to unmask]> wrote: > I second that. > On Oct 23, 2013 7:51 PM, "Fredrik Nyman" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> It seems that VA-DC schedules the regional qualifiers awfully early. >> Maryland does theirs in Dec/Jan. >> >> The later start seems like a better idea considering that >> school-based rookie teams usually start in mid-September, a few weeks after >> school starts. >> >> I am curious why Virginia's qualifiers run so early and wondering if it >> would be possible/desirable to run future qualifiers later in the years so >> teams get more time to practice? >> ------------------------------ >> To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit >> https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or >> leave the list". >> VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via >> VADCFLL-ANNOUNCEMENTS-L. Visit >> https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-announcements-l.html to >> subscribe. > > ------------------------------ > To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit > https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or > leave the list". > VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via VADCFLL-ANNOUNCEMENTS-L. > Visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-announcements-l.html to > subscribe. > -- To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or leave the list". -- VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via VADCFLL-ANNOUNCEMENTS-L. Visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-ANNOUNCEMENTS-l.html to subscribe.