In this update you will find:
- Thank you to the diligent readers
- LOTS of new information on the website
- Volunteers Needed - Ideal for parents and older siblings!
- I see the schedule, I read the coach letter, but I have ???s
- WE HAVE FUN!
1) Thank you to the diligent readers
Thank you, to all the coaches who found the bad links and typos in the coach letter. You are right! I had some of the links incorrect. It has also been pointed out that the Team Introduction pages say Qualifying Tournament, please use them anyway! I will take that off for next year. To make things easier for coaches and to keep maintained I am trying to minimize the files to download and the places to find them. It's not perfect, but every error report helps to move us in that direction. (PS I know I can't spell, unless it's on the website we'll just let that go ok? Thanks!)
2) LOTS of new information on the website
The Championship website received a big update over the last two days. In addition to lots of helpful documents and schedules (including a detailed schedule) you will find links to the live streams and resources for the robot game and judging. You'll even find the walkthroughs for your roster if you forgot how you managed to get that thing to print!
Make sure you read the documentation! You and your team need to know to be ready to go. Your team will do the same basic things they did at the qualifying tournament; check-in, set up a pit in a secured area, go to three judging sessions, compete with their robot three times in the arena, use the practice tables, and meet lots of other cool and interesting teams. However, at the championship it is much bigger, much louder, and there are a LOT more people.
Make sure you read the documentation! You and your team need to know to be ready to go. Your team will do the same basic things they did at the qualifying tournament; check-in, set up a pit in a secured area, go to three judging sessions, compete with their robot three times in the arena, use the practice tables, and meet lots of other cool and interesting teams. However, at the championship it is much bigger, much louder, and there are a LOT more people.
Your team, coaches, mentors, and parents will also be expected to know and use the FIRST Core Values.
3) Volunteers Needed - Ideal for parents and older siblings!
In no particular order we are still looking for:
- Judge Assistant - queue teams and time judging sessions in a quiet hallway
- Pit Runners - bring teams from the upstairs pit to the main floor competition arena
- Play by Play - announce the games live!
- Registration - help check in teams in the morning
- Score Display - enter the scores into the display software
- Traffic / Security - help people find their way around, check that only badged people are upstairs, monitor the elevator.
- Photographer - our photographer has informed us he won't be able to return next year and we'd like to open the floor to a new photographer to join us. Must have your own equipment!
- Practice Table Assistant
- Judges (especially robot design) - must be an adult unaffiliated with a participating team.
- Score Runner - take the score sheets to the scorekeeper and help read them in.
To sign up as a volunteer please go to www.firstinspires.org and create an account. Once you have an account you should be able to use these links to sign up for the event you are interested in.
Don't forget to submit your screening if you are over 18! The screening is good for 4 years! If you need any help with the process or have questions please contact our volunteer coordinator at fll-vol-coordinators@ortop.org
4) I see the schedule, I read the coach letter, but I have ???s
That's ok. It's a short time, but a lot has happened. Take a deep breath. In. Hold it. Keep holding it. Ok, now, exhale. You can do this. It's going to be great. If you don't see your question answered here, in the coach letter or on the website, go ahead and email Loridee.
The team has been working very hard. The volunteers are working very hard. The Championship is a LONG day. The kids get stressed, they really put their heart into this. The schedule is packed! You barely feel like you have time to breathe. Take a step back. Your team is already a champion just by being at this event. Look how far they have come from that group that first started meeting in May, June, July, August, or September. How much have they improved since last year or the year before? How hard have they worked just this week since school got back from winter break? Remind them when they are frustrated of my personal favorite core value, We Have Fun! If it's not fun now, it's time to take a step back and realize that for today, it is good enough and that we are all going to celebrate what the team has accomplished. We are going to celebrate even if the robot spins in circles and takes out half the models. We are going to celebrate even if we forget two whole minutes of the project presentation. We are going to celebrate if the only physical award our team gets is the medal that says we are a championship team. Because your team IS a Chamionship Team!
Bring your dancing shoes! The DJ is ready to crank it up, and this weekend - no matter what - we are going to have fun!
Best Wishes,
Loridee
- I can't come, but I'm sending this adult you don't know about how do I change the people I told you were coming?
Ok, this isn't as big of a deal as it sounds. Stuff happens. People have work trips. It's flu season. As long as the team has 2-3 ADULT chaperones who show are over 18 and are on your team roster with a signed consent form life is good. We like to capture the information of who is there, but if we have a situation we will refer to the roster. If the lead coach is not coming someone who is attending should be prepared to fill that role for the day by wearing the nametag with the star.
- I turned in consent forms at the Qualifying Tournament do I need to bring them again?
YES, every team member and each adult must have either a digital consent form (as seen by the roster printout) or a paper consent form to be admitted to the secure areas of the event. This includes the pit, practice area, and all the judging rooms. You also must bring the printout of the roster even if it only has your coaches on it. This is proof you are the team you say you are. This is turned in at team check-in.
- My team wants to know if this game strategy is legal or if they can use these specific parts on their robot?
Your team rocks! Read the challenge guide, then if the team still can't find the answer send their questions directly to Head Referee Tom Mosher at fll.rules.or@gmail.com Please keep in mind that Tom will be reporting for FIRST LEGO League duty on Friday and may not have internet access at that point, so your team may need to talk to him at the event! Good luck team!
- You said the concession stand would be open, what will they have?
I don't have a price list, but I've been told there will be hot dogs, pizza, and all kinds of standard event junk food. Remember to eat it in the hallways or the cafeteria, not in the gyms! All proceeds will benefit a Liberty High School Club!
- Most or all of my team is sick/has been sick - what do we do!?
Bring the healthy ones if you can. If you can't, please let us know you won't be coming. Especially if your team is driving a distance we will try to change the schedules so that your team can still participate and that's nerve racking for us. It's really hard to be missing team members, but it can still be a very meaningful experience for the whole team to know their work was represented despite illness. Please if you are too sick to be in public, don't come!
- What is the Robot Elimination Ladder?
This is a fun exhibition where all the teams can get the chance to see the top performing robots of the day and it's a bit of extra fun while we wait for the judges to finish making their decisions for the awards. THIS IS NOT A COMPETITION AND IT WILL NOT IMPACT AWARDS OR ADVANCEMENT.
- Advancement? You mean there is another level?
Yes, The 1st Place Champions team will advance to the World Festival in Houston Texas in April. One team will be selected each day. This team does not have to be in the top 8 robot performance teams.5) WE HAVE FUN!
The team has been working very hard. The volunteers are working very hard. The Championship is a LONG day. The kids get stressed, they really put their heart into this. The schedule is packed! You barely feel like you have time to breathe. Take a step back. Your team is already a champion just by being at this event. Look how far they have come from that group that first started meeting in May, June, July, August, or September. How much have they improved since last year or the year before? How hard have they worked just this week since school got back from winter break? Remind them when they are frustrated of my personal favorite core value, We Have Fun! If it's not fun now, it's time to take a step back and realize that for today, it is good enough and that we are all going to celebrate what the team has accomplished. We are going to celebrate even if the robot spins in circles and takes out half the models. We are going to celebrate even if we forget two whole minutes of the project presentation. We are going to celebrate if the only physical award our team gets is the medal that says we are a championship team. Because your team IS a Chamionship Team!
Bring your dancing shoes! The DJ is ready to crank it up, and this weekend - no matter what - we are going to have fun!
Best Wishes,
Loridee
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