Friday, October 19, 2012

Love your Team # | Resources | Qualifier Assignments | Socialize with us!


2012 FTC-Iowa Coaches:
Welcome to the 2012-2013 FTC Season! For many of you, this is a new experience and you may be lost. That is ok. Just remember one thing: breathe!

1. Love Your Team #
2. Resources. Resources. Resources.
3. Qualifier Assignments
4. Socialize with us!

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1. Love Your Team #
The 4-digit permanent team number will become an element of pride. These numbers stick with the team. If you can integrate it in what your team does, please do. Example: if your number was 5280 your slogan could be "We go the extra mile". If your team # was 360, your logo could be "2Pi". Get it? Be creative.

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2. Resources. Resources. Resources.
Looking for resources as to where to start? Great question.
Online Resources

Human Resources
If you are needing a human resource we have those for you too!

  • Attend a non-tournament event - these are FREE! You can find a listing of them on our Events Calendar page (http://www.engineering.uiowa.edu/ess/future-students/k-12/first-tech-challenge/event-calendar)  We do ask for teams to register...and you can up through two days prior to each event.
    • Scrimmage in both Van Horne & Waterloo: Nov. 17
    • Looking to use LabView for your programming language? We have a LabView training scheduled for 10/27 in Maxwell.
    • In Western Iowa and want to attend a non-tournament event? Scrimmage on Nov. 10th - West High School, Sioux City, Iowa, 12pm-4pm.
    • Scrimmage in Winthrop: Nov. 17
    • Scrimmage on the far SE tip of Iowa: Nov. 17th Central Lee High School 10am-2pm
    • Workshops in Davenport: Nov. 17 & Dec. 15
  • Learn from other teams: Next week we will distribute a listing of folks who indicated they are willing to have their contact information be shared. Please do not hesitate to contact these folks. Hint: the smaller the team number, the more years of experience they have. If you see a team with a number lower than 5600, they experienced FTC last season and are now considered "returning teams".
3. Qualifier Assignments
By the end of next week, we should have the qualifier assignments completed. If your team received funding from Rockwell Collins or the STEM Scale-Up program, you are required to compete at a tournament - or your grants will be void. More information about qualifier tournaments, and how to prepare for them, can be found at: https://www.engineering.uiowa.edu/ess/future-students/k-12/first-tech-challenge/qualifier-tournaments

4. Socialize with us!
We want to be social with our teams! Create a Facebook account and lets be friends! Lets tweet. If your team uses social media (Facebook & Twitter are easy to set up) please complete this form. (This is also a great way for potential sponsors - local businesses & industries - to follow your teams' progression throughout the season.

Thank you! Good luck and welcome to FTC!
Rebecca & the FTC-Iowa Team
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Friday, October 5, 2012

Upcoming Events | Iowa Qualifer Information | Field Drawings & Bill of Materials | Missouri Workshop

2012 Teams:
Just a quick note -- welcome to those who have just joined the FTC program!

1. Upcoming Iowa Non-Tournament Events
2. Iowa FTC Qualifier Information
3. Field Drawings and Bill of Materials
4. Missouri Workshop

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1 Upcoming Iowa Non-Tournament Events:
We have some fantastic events scheduled throughout all areas of Iowa. The next one is Saturday, Oct. 13 and many after that.

Dates of the events, including registration information can be found at:
http://www.engineering.uiowa.edu/ess/future-students/k-12/first-tech-challenge/event-calendar

Even if you don't have your kit, or won't have anything "built" prepared for an event, I would certainly encourage that you attend. Many of these are "workshops", in which a robot is not required.

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2. Iowa FTC Qualifier Information
We will be hosting 11 qualifiers this season. The registration process will be the following:
a) a link to an online form will be sent out to all registered FTC-Iowa teams.
b) teams will have one week to complete the online form.
c) on that form, teams will indicate # of qualifiers (1 or 2) they want to compete in.
d) for each qualifier, they will indicate a preference of three events they would want to participate.
e) the form will ask for payment, either credit card or invoice.

After the registration window has closed, teams will be "assigned" to tournaments according to their preferences.

If invoice method of payment is selected, payment MUST be received within 30 days of invoice being sent.


NOTE: This registration window has not opened. Teams will receive an email when it does open.

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3. Field Drawings and Bill of Materials
For those teams and coaches who are new to FTC, information about the game, and the field and equipment can be found at: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/ftc/game

If you received STEM Scale-Up funding, you have a $300 allowance to build the field components. Please review the Field Bill of Materials.

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4. Missouri Workshop
Received this note from our partners in MO.
If any of you are interested in attending the PD in Missouri, please visit the website and register.
It looks like we have extra capacity at a workshop we're hosting on Oct. 20th to cover PTC, LabView, & ROBOTC for FTC teams.  I was wondering if you'd like to invite teams from Iowa who might be willing to give up a Saturday & drive down to St. Louis.  The conference starts fairly early in the morning, but it may still be worth it.



As always, please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions!!
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