Freight Frenzy Coach Email Volume 11: 11/9/21 Coaches Chat tonight. Please have 1 adult attend

Greetings Coaches & Mentors!

If you are new to this email this is the place where you will find all of the Washington specific FIRST Tech Challenge information. Coaches in the FIRST system for the FREIGHT FRENZY season will be added weekly. 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 are the updates I have for you today.

Coaches Chat tonight
Invoices for FIRST Washington registration fees will go out this week
Current COVID policy for events
Events starting this week!

Next FTC Coaches Chat, tonight, Nov 9 at 7:00 pm!

Please either have someone attend the meeting our check out the slides/video after. Remember, you are all responsible for knowing both the information in the coaches meetings and in these team blasts as well.

Here is the link to the FTC Coaches Chat: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83846694396?pwd=SGNWeVpiZFVreTd4b1Y5WWJhL1g0Zz09

Invoices are running a bit late and will be out this week

We appreciate your patience as we work through some technical issues on our end with uploading the invoices. Teams will not be required to pay their invoice to participate in their first event. The invoice due date will be in between the first and second events. I will send and email to everyone when the invoices have been sent.

Current COVID Policy for events (this is exactly the same as what I sent last week)

We have posted our written policy on the COVID Updates page of firstwa.org. You can find it by clicking here

We talked about these changes during our October Coaches Chat. You should all read the official policy but here are some important things to know:

All event volunteers (which includes mentors) are required to be vaccinated.
Participants need to show either proof of vaccination or negative COVID test at the door (Negative PCR test within 5 days or a negative rapid test)
Spectators (if allowed, that is up to the venue) 12 and over need to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test at the door (Negative PCR test within 5 days or negative rapid test)
Masks are required for All participants

Teams will be required to turn in their roster at the first event and every event (this is our contact tracing method for students and mentors and a FIRST rule)

Spectators will need to give contact tracing info at the door.

What we need from all of you

Pack your patience and Gracious Professionalism. This is new to all of us, your first league event will be the first time we have tried all of this.
Volunteers will be checking Vaccination/Negative COVID Status so please treat them respectfully. If you have a concern, contact me but don’t yell at them, they have a tough job.
Volunteers will be policing masks so again, treat them kindly and with respect (and ask your participants & spectators to do the same)

I know this is all inconvenient but focus on the positive, most of our students are able to attend in person events and connect with students from teams around them!

Events are starting this week!

Hope your robot building is going well. If you are like most teams, you might have something rolling or preparing to roll. Or you might not! Not to worry. I would as a team be focusing on getting a robot base that drives. Once you have that, you should be looking towards adding the fancy stuff. It really doesn’t matter what state you show up in. The important thing is for your team to come to this event.

There are many teams in the past who have felt like they just weren’t ready to compete and wanted to wait for the next event. Honestly, this is a tactical mistake! By showing up, even if you have something that doesn’t quite run, your robot can still pass inspection and be on the field. I have had many teams in my 22 years of FIRST in this situation. Turns out you can still earn scoring points in this situation as your alliance partner will likely generate points! The big thing, however, is for your teams to see what other teams are doing. To see other solutions. To get help from the teams who are there. So please, come to the event and compete with whatever you have, even if it doesn’t work. Your students will make huge progress by just being there and seeing how things work. You will not be the only team there with a non or partially functioning solution. FIRST has a zero embarrassment ethos that is part of Gracious Professionalism. You will find most of the teams will be eager to help your team succeed.

Kevin Ross

FIRSTWA Founding Chairman

Important Dates & Deadlines

Nov 9: Coaches Chat

Have a great week everyone!

Kevin Emery

FTC Program Delivery Partner

FIRST Washington

kemery@firstwa.org

Adrienne Collins

Director of Programs