Jeremiah said:When did the grammar become "at Nationals" rather than, "at the Nationals?"
In this case, always: see http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/540/01/ for rules re. the use of the definite article "the", and when it may or may not be omitted.
Jeremiah said:Do you have an eastern European background?
Nope - my ancestors were from Wales.