Charged Up Coach Email Volume 11: 11-1-22 – We are still looking for teams to go to SunDome

Greetings Coaches!

If you are new to this email this is the place where you will find all of the Pacific NW District specific FIRST Robotics Competition information. Coaches in the FIRST system for the current season will be added once teams are able to register for events. Every email from me will be numbered and that number lets you know which update it is, if you miss an update you can find it on our website.

Here is what I have for you today:

• 3rd play registration is open
• Invoices will go out the week of November 14th
• iGrant awards have been announced – WA public school teams
• Coaches Chat Thursday, November 17
• Reminders
• Kickoff selection is open
• We are looking for S. end hosts for our FTC Interleague Championships Dec 17 & 18
• Fall FRC Workshops
• Nov 19 hosted by SOTA 2557
• Onshape training with Kevin every Tuesday & Wednesday

 

 

3rd play registration is open

We will have some place for 3rd plays this season. You can log into your dashboard and register for a 3rd play. Cost for a 3rd play is $1000 and you will be billed separately from your regular PNW Registration fee.

Currently we need 6 more teams in the SunDome event so that is the only event that will be opened for teams to get into. If you are interested in a 3rd play at a different venue, you are welcome to get added to the waitlist and when SunDome gets 28 teams registered, I will look at moving 3rd play teams into other events.

If we don’t get 28 teams registered for SunDome, we will not open up 3rd plays at any other events.

 

 

Invoices will go out the week of November 14th

I have been getting a lot of questions about invoices so I thought I would include a reminder in this email blast.  We will be sending invoices out the week of November 14.  I will send an email to coaches when invoices go out so you know to watch for them.

 

 

iGrant awards have been announced

If you are a Washington State public school and applied for the OSPI grant, you should have been notified about your grant status. If you don’t have any information, reach out to the admin at your school that approved the grant.

Remember, FIRST Washington, doesn’t facilitate this grant, so the only information I have is what can be found publically online

 

 

FRC Coaches chat 7:00 pm Thursday, November 17

For those of you who missed the last coaches chat, you can find the recording an dslides here:  https://firstwa.org/first-robotics-competition/resources/workshops-webinars/

We will be having our next FRC coaches chat at 7:00 pm on Thursday, Oct 20th. On this chat we will:

1. Let you know how FRC registration is going
2. Talk about the invoicing process
3. Let you know about anything happening in the PNW District this fall.

This is a great way to keep up on important information and connect with other PNW Coaches. We do ask that each team try to have on adult attend.

Here is the meeting link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88652899479?pwd=ZjNDVnMwNTY4aE9uRkcyNzhvSWYvdz09

I look forward to “seeing” you all there!

 

 

Reminders:

Kickoff selection is open!

Make sure you go in and select your kickoff, we have several in both Washington and Oregon. Additionally, we have a new kickoff venue coming in Everett so if you are a north end team, watch for that event to show up in your dashboard.

If you don’t sign up for a kickoff, your kit will be shipped to you after kickoff and you will be responsible for the shipping costs.

If you don’t want to attend an event but don’t want your kit shipped to you, you can sign up for a kickoff event and then send a mentor to pick up the kit during the kit distribution window (make sure you understand that process and what needs to be done if it is not your main or alternate contactact who picks up the kit)

Kickoff Locations:

• Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
• Auburn High School, Auburn, WA
• Everett High School, Everett, WA
• Skyview High School, Vancouver, WA
• Wapato High School, Wapato, WA
• West Velley High School, Spokane, WA

Drive base opt closes this Thursday October 20

If you do not  want the AndyMark drive base, you have until October 20 to opt out of the drive base and get the AndyMark voucher.

Black Tote opt out closes this Thursday October 20

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you need to read the blog from last week:  https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/frc/blog/2022-second-event-registration-black-tote-opt-out-kit-and-kickoff-selection

 

 

We are looking for an event host for our S. end Interleague Championships Dec 17 & 18

 

If you team is South of King County, we would love to have you host our FTC Interleague Championships on Dec 17 & 18! These are 2 one day events. It is a great way to expand your outreach and get involved with our other programs.

If your team is interested, reach out to acollins@firstwa.org

 

 

Fall FRC Workshops

Nov 19 hosted by SOTA 2557

Greetings from FRC Team 2557, the SOTAbots!

 

My name is Seth, and I am the General Manager of the SOTAbots this season. As we emerge from pandemic restrictions, our team is excited to announce that FRC 2557 is once again hosting a FRC Workshop on November 19th from 9:00am-4:00pm. Our venue is the same as in years past, our newest Science and Math Institute (SAMi) learning facility located in the heart of Point Defiance Park, The Environmental Learning Center, 5715 Animal Loop Rd, Tacoma, WA 98407.

 

Please reply with information that would greatly help us in planning this event:

 

1.   If your team would be able to join us by attending

2.   How many team members do you estimate would be attending

3.   What type of workshop sessions your team would like to see

 

We’d love to encourage any of your team members or mentors who might be interested in running a session at this workshop to participate. Please let us know of your interest! Our goal is for the day to encompass all aspects of FIRST. As we’re creating a schedule, this information would be appreciated ASAP.

 

Please encourage your team members or mentors to take advantage of this exciting session possibility! Register here: https://forms.gle/6TfPV7V5HNH4QQMA7

 

Thank you so much, we are hoping to hear from you soon. If you have questions, email sotabots@gmail.com

Oct 22 hosted by ORTOP and Gladstone HS

FIRSTfare Schedule and Registration

Here is the 2022 FIRSTfare Workshop Catalog, with many offerings by student and volunteer instructors. And here is the 2022 FIRSTfare Signup Form. We would appreciate signups from both students and mentors, but you do not need to sign up for a workshop for which you are listed as an instructor.

Gladstone HS, 18800 Portland Ave, Gladstone, OR 97027

Sat, Oct 22

·       8:30am: Team Check-in

·       9:00am: Opening Ceremony

·       9:30am: Workshops

·       11:15am-12pm: Lunch Break

·       12pm: Workshops until 3pm

 

Lunch available to purchase

Satisfy your hunger and support Gladstone programs! BBQ will be available to purchase with some options:

·       $6 – Smoked Sausage, Cheeseburger, or Vegetarian option

·       $2 – Drinks and chips

 

Volunteers Needed

We still need adult volunteers for Firstfare, primarily to support remote participation, using Zoom. Please send this link to register to volunteer to your parents and community volunteers.

 

 

 

Onshape with Kevin every Tuesday & Wednesday

Onshape CAD Tuesday with Kevin (Tuesdays 7pm to 8:30pm)

Onshape CAD Monday starting November 7 with Kevin (7:00 pm to 8:00pm)  This will focus mostly on FRC

Online help learning about CAD using Onshape. This 90 minute session will help get you started and help solve your CAD issues using Onshape. Many of the techniques will apply to other CAD programs as well, but this one will specifically use Onshape. Learn about assemblies, importing parts from vendors like Rev Robotics and AndyMark, modifying parts, creating your own parts for 3D printing, and working with a team on a project. Onshape is free for every FIRST participant and runs on a wide array of hardware because it is web based. You will, however, want a three button mouse. Specifically, a mouse with a left and right button plus a center scrolling mouse button. You can get one for about $6 from Amazon prime. CAD programs work very poorly on laptops with finger pads (trackpads).

Onshape CAD will be applicable to both FTC and FRC. All are welcome.

 

All of these meetings be each week until December 14th. They all use the following Zoom link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82913817510?pwd=SEZPeC9UQmk2dkpWRFFsaXdkaWxvdz09

Meeting ID: 829 1381 7510

Passcode: NerdyTalk

We will make every attempt to record and upload these sessions to Youtube each week. Check our FIRST Washington Youtube channel and the ‘with Kevin’ playlist.