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FRC Reefscape Blog: Volume 9

by | Nov 14, 2024 | FRC, Newsletter

PLEASE NOTE: We are working with FIRST to get our PO applied but it is being held up by some grants on FIRST Inspires end.  I know many of you are concerned because you can not currently access FIRST Choice.  You should be able to access FIRST Choice next week once FIRST is able to apply our PO to all team accounts.

Invoices Will Go Out Next Week! 

Now that FIRST event & kickoff registration is closed, we are in the process of finalizing FIRST, FIRST Washinton and ORTOP grants.  Invoices should go out next week to the contact listed on the PNW Registration form. 

***New this year, MySite fees will be included on the invoice this year o if your team chose MySite for kickoff, expect to see that added to your invoice. 

Invoices should be secured by December 8.  Because of how winter break falls this year, it is critical that you secure your registration before you go on break or you may not receive your kickoff kit. 

 

OSPI Checks will be Mailed the end of this Week 

For all Washington State Public Schools, your OSPI checks should get mailed out the end of this week to the contact listed on your application. 

Next FRC Coaches Chat, Thursday November 21 at 7:00 pm

Our next coaches chat is scheduled for Thursday, November 21 at 7:00 pm.

Coaches chats are an opportunity for use to share important information with all of you as well as help you connect with other coaches.  We recommend each team have one coach attend.

 

Volunteer with FTC or FLL!

We have 27 FTC and FLL Challenge events in December alone, and we need over 1,400 volunteers to run them! Please organize your team to register today! Volunteering at FLL and FTC events is NUMBER ONE way your team can support FIRST growth in your community, and you’ll have a blast doing it! 

For coaches and mentors, Judging or Refereeing is a great local team netoworking opportunity. And for FRC Students, volunteering in any role is a great way to work towards any service hour requirements for graduation.

If there is an FLL or FTC event in your school district and your team isn’t already supporting it, please consider mobilizing your team to help out! We understand this time of year is busy, but many of our FLL and FTC hosts depend on FRC teams to help fulfill volunteer roles. 

You can always reach out to us if you want more guidence about how to help out. Email Mara Kealey at marak@firstwa.org.

Volunteer Roles Needed: (both programs)

  • Referees
  • Judges
  • Queuers
  • Field Resetters
  • Scorekeepers
How to Register
There are no upcoming events at this time.

Important Dates

  • November 21:  FRC Coaches Chat 
  • November 22:  FRC Invoices sent to designated contact 
  • December 6:  FRC Invoices secured 
  • December 14:  Bunnybots Oregon & Washington 
  • December 19:  FRC Coaches Chat 
  • January 4:  FRC Kickoff!! (Remember, FIRST Washington registration must be secured to pick up your kit!) 

FLL Submerged Blog: Volume 12

by | Nov 12, 2024 | FLL, FLL Challenge, FLL Explore

In this weeks Blog-

Challenge-

Waitlist update

Payment deadline

Are you event ready?

 

Explore- 

Invoices going out weekly 

Event registration live

Event assignments coming soon!  

Coaches Chat this Thursday 7pm!

 

Make sure you read the entire blog!

Season Info

Waitlist Update!

I appreciate all of you patience!

I will be moving all the teams I am able to off of the waitlist this week. I have quite a few- so I will not be emailing everyone. YOu will receive an email from me if-

  • I was unable to accommodate you at all
  • I was able to accommodate you, but not at the location you chose

I will be doing the same thing with teams that asked to switch days- I have already moved most that have asked, there are a few more left to do.

All moves should be done by Friday!

 

Payment Deadline!

All teams planning to participate in the FLL Challange SUBMERGED season Qualifier events must be paid by this Friday, 11/15!

 

Are you Event Ready?

If you want to check the status of your team-

Green– All set, Event Ready!

Yellow- Unpaid Invoice, not event ready.

Red– No FIRST Washington registration, no paid invoice, not event ready.

Challenge Event Ready Status
Challenge Assignments
Waitlist
Day Switch

I am not finished moving teams or making assignments- if you asked for a change and your assignment is the same- I am still working on it. If I am unable to accommodate your request, I will email you to let you know! 🙂

-We are a very small staff, and most, if not all, things are done manually. It takes some time for you to pay, accounting to process it, and them to tell me. I get updates once a day, so if you have paid and don’t see your team listed PLEASE DON’T EMAIL ACCOUNTING. You just slow the process down 🙂

480+ invoices have gone out- if you have filled out the FIRST Washington registration one was most likely send to you! Check your spam/junk folder and look for an email from “Aplos”

FLL Challenge Coaches Chat

Join us for this Thursday’s Coaches Chat!

We will be talking about-

  • Events!

Additional Coaches Chat dates- December 3rd, January 14th

 

 

Meeting link- https://firstwa.org/event/fll-coaches-chat-4/2024-11-14/ 

For robot game questions- join us for next months Kevin’s Robot Corner on December 5th! You can also email Kevin at fllheadreferee@firstwa.org

Explore

Event Registration!

 

If you are interested in attending an FLL Explore event-

You have to have-

  • Registered and paid FIRST Inspires
  • Registered with FIRST Washington
  • Paid your teams $50 FIRST Washington invoice.
  • Filled out the event registration form

After all of those things have been completed, you will be confirmed in one of your 2 event choices.

 

I will be posting a list of confirmed teams next week. Right now there are very few teams that have filled out the FIRST Washington registration

Explore Event Registration

FLL Explore Events!

 

December:

  • Bellevue- December 14th
  • Snohomish- December 7th
  • Spokane- December 7th

    March:

    • Snohomish- March 1st
    • Yakima- March 15th
    • Sammamish- March 8th
    • Bonney Lake- March 15th

    Useful Contacts-

    Program Manager- Jacqueline Grimm jacqueg@firstwa.org

    Coach Advisor- Heather Bioren- heatherb@firstwa.org

    FLL Head Referee- Kevin Torrico- fllheadreferee@firstwa.org 

    Accounting- accounting@firstwa.org

     

     

    More From FLL

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    Nov 28, 2023

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    FLL Blog Volume 13

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    Nov 21, 2023

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    FLL Submerged Blog: Volume 11

    by | Nov 5, 2024 | FLL, FLL Challenge, FLL Explore

    In this weeks Blog-

    Challenge-

    Event Assignments!-

    List updated!

     FIRST Washington registration closed!

     

    Explore- 

    First round of invoices have gone out! 

    Event registration! 

    Kevin’s Robot Corner this Thursday!!

     

    Make sure you read the entire blog!

    Season Info

    FIRST Washington Registration-

     

    Challenge-

     

    • We currently have 480 FLL Challenge teams registered with FIRST Washington
    • We currently only have 303 teams that have paid their FIRST Washington invoice!
    • Every team that wants to participate has to secure their invoice to be eligible!- 480 invoices have gone out- if you have filled out the FIRST Washington registration one was most likely send to you! Check your spam/junk folder and look for an email from “Aplos”
    • Only those 303 have event assignments!

    Explore-

    • FIRST Washington registration is still open. 
    • Teams that have filled out this registration are being invoiced in batches about once a week. 
    • Teams will be confirmed in their event when all registrations are completed and the $50 FIRSTWA fee is paid. 
    Explore Registration

    Event Assignments!

    I appreciate all of you patience! This was a much bigger undertaking than we expected!

    The teams listed have been assigned events. If you do not see your team number on this list, that means you either –

    • Have not registered with FIRST Washington
    • Have not paid your FIRST Washington invoice
    • I have not been told you have paid your FIRST Washington invoice

    We are a very small staff, and most, if not all, things are done manually. It takes some time for you to pay, accounting to process it, and them to tell me. I get updates once a day, so if you have paid and don’t see your team listed PLEASE DON’T EMAIL ACCOUNTING. You just slow the process down 🙂

    480 invoices have gone out- if you have filled out the FIRST Washington registration one was most likely send to you! Check your spam/junk folder and look for an email from “Aplos”

    Assignment List Updated 11/4

    Switching to a different type of list. It is now posted on the website. 

    Challenge Assignments

    Event Waitlist form

    Below is a link to the event waitlist form. This is only to be used if you are wanting to switch locations of your event, not just the day you are assigned.

    The process of moving teams will not start until after 11/4- I have started moving teams where I can. Check on the list to see if your assignment has changed. 

    Waitlist

    Form to switch days only

    Below is a link to the form to switch the day you are assigned only (ie. Bellevue Saturday to Bellevue Sunday) at the same venue. This is not to be used if you are wanting to switch locations of your event.- I have started switching teams. Please check your assignment to confirm if you have been moved or not. 

    Day

    I am not finished moving teams or making assignments- if you asked for a change and your assignment is the same- I am still working on it. If I am unable to accomidate your request, I will email you to let you know! 🙂

    Kevin’s Robot Corner!

    This season our WA State Head Referee Kevin T will be hosting his own coaches meetings just for robot game questions!

    His next meeting is this Thursday November 7th at 7pm!

    This meeting is only for robot game questions. If you have other questions, please join us for the Coaches Chat next week!

    Explore

    Event Registration!

     

    If you are interested in attending an FLL Explore event-

    You have to have-

    • Registered and paid FIRST Inspires
    • Registered with FIRST Washington
    • Paid your teams $50 FIRST Washington invoice.
    • Filled out the event registration form

    After all of those things have been completed, you will be confirmed in one of your 2 event choices.

     

    I will be posting a list of confirmed teams next week. Right now there are very few teams that have filled out the FIRST Washington registration

    Explore Event Registration

    FLL Explore Events!

     

    December:

    • Bellevue- December 14th
    • Snohomish- December 7th
    • Spokane- December 7th

      March:

      • Snohomish- March 1st
      • Yakima- March 15th
      • Sammamish- March 8th
      • Bonney Lake- March 15th

      More From FLL

      FLL Blog Volume 15

      FLL Blog Volume 15

      Dec 6, 2023

      Our First weekend of events is over! I hope all the teams attending had a fun time and learned a...

      read more
      FLL Blog Volume 14

      FLL Blog Volume 14

      Nov 28, 2023

      Ready of not, here we go! The first weekend of events is here!!  Coaches Chats November 30th! Tune...

      read more
      FLL Blog Volume 13

      FLL Blog Volume 13

      Nov 21, 2023

      Hello!  Please read the entire blog, there is a lot of info this week!  I hope everyone is ready...

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      FLL Submerged Blog: Volume 10

      by | Oct 29, 2024 | FLL, FLL Challenge, FLL Explore

      In this weeks Blog-

      Event Assignments!

      Event registration information! Please read!

       

      Register with FIRST Washington! 

      Registration closing the end of this week!

       

      Explore invoices going out by the end of next week!

       

       

      Make sure you read the entire blog!

      Season Info

      Note from the FIRST Washington staff-

      When sending email asking questions about your team, please include your-

      • Team number
      • contact info

      This way we can help you more efficiently 🙂

      Also, please do not email Accounting for event and team related questions that do not pertain to finance, grants, booster accounts, etc. They are working hard to support over 1100 teams and do not have that information.

      Thank you!

       

       

       

      Get your team registered with FIRST and FIRST Washington ASAP! Challenge registration closing the end of this week!

       

      • We currently have 561 FLL Challenge teams registered with FIRST Inspires
      • We currently only have 479 teams registered with FIRST Washington- every team that wants to participate has to register with FIRST Washington! 
      • Only 220 teams have paid their FIRST Washington invoice and are eligible to attend events!
      • Only those 220 have event assignments!
      Challenge Registration
      Explore Registration

      Event Assignments!

      I appreciate all of you patience! This was a much bigger undertaking than we expected!

      The teams listed have been assigned events. If you do not see your team number on this list, that means you either –

      • Have not registered with FIRST Washington
      • Have not paid your FIRST Washington invoice
      • I have not been told you have paid your FIRST Washington invoice

      We are a very small staff, and most, if not all, things are done manually. It takes some time for you to pay, accounting to process it, and them to tell me. I get updates once a day, so if you have paid and don’t see your team listed PLEASE DON’T EMAIL ACCOUNTING. You just slow the process down 🙂

      Assignment List Updated 10/29

      If you are an Everett or Federal Way Public School team and are on this list but do not have a date assigned, do not panic! I am waiting for an email from your Admin 🙂

      Challenge Assignments

      Event Waitlist form

      Below is a link to the event waitlist form. This is only to be used if you are wanting to switch locations of your event, not just the day you are assigned.

      The process of moving teams will not start until after 11/4

      Waitlist

      Form to switch days only

      Below is a link to the form to switch the day you are assigned only (ie. Bellevue Saturday to Bellevue Sunday) at the same venue. This is not to be used if you are wanting to switch locations of your event.

      Day

      FLL Challenge Event Registration

      Overview-

      • Teams are assigned events based on location.
      • Once a team has paid their FIRST Washington fee and they have been assigned an event, if they would like to change events there will be an opt out form to fill out to request another event.
      • Teams will then be placed on a waitlist and moved into that event after all teams have been placed or after a certain date, whichever comes first, if there is still space.
      • If there is not space in the event they chose, they may move back into their original event, space permitting, or be assigned to an event with available space.

      Challenge Registration- Details- Make sure you read!

      • Teams will no longer be filling out a registration survey- YAY
      • Teams will still need to be paid to see their placement- invoices just started going out this week to those that filled out the FIRST Washington registration. If you did not fill it out, you will not receive an invoice and will not be placed or able to participate until you do.
      • Teams will be assigned a home venue/event that is within 50 miles
      • The 50 miles is point to point distance, not driving distance
      • This is based on Venue Zipcode and Team Zipcode
      • Teams have the ability to opt out of their home event using the opt out form and go on a waitlist. Teams may only ask to opt out by filling out the form- no email communication will be accepted.
      • Waitlist teams are not guaranteed a spot in the event they choose, or a spot in the event they opted out of.
      • Waitlist teams are placed on a first come first served basis in the event they choose if there is available space, and will be notified after the placement window closes if there is space in the event they chose.
      • If there is not space- they can move back to their home event, space permitting, or move into an event with available space, but there is no guarantee an event with available space will be within 50 miles
      • Teams requesting to change the day of the week only and not the venue they are competing at will be handled differently. I do not have that process ironed out yet 🙂

      FLL Explore Event Registration!

       

      FLL Explore events are almost all finalized!

      I will be sending out the registration next week to the teams that have filled out the FIRST Washington registration form. If you have not filled it out yet, it is required to participate in Washington. There is also a $50 fee. You will receive this invoice after November 1st. Teams are able to attend one event.

      FLL Explore Events!

       

      December:

      • Bellevue- December 14th or 15th
      • Snohomish- December 7th

        March:

        • Snohomish- March 1st
        • Yakima- March 15th
        • Sammamish- (tentative) March 8th
        • Bonney Lake- March 15th

        More From FLL

        FLL Blog Volume 15

        FLL Blog Volume 15

        Dec 6, 2023

        Our First weekend of events is over! I hope all the teams attending had a fun time and learned a...

        read more
        FLL Blog Volume 14

        FLL Blog Volume 14

        Nov 28, 2023

        Ready of not, here we go! The first weekend of events is here!!  Coaches Chats November 30th! Tune...

        read more
        FLL Blog Volume 13

        FLL Blog Volume 13

        Nov 21, 2023

        Hello!  Please read the entire blog, there is a lot of info this week!  I hope everyone is ready...

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        FTC Into the Deep Blog: Volume 11

        by | Oct 23, 2024 | FTC

        Coaches Chat Recording

        The slides and recording from last weeks coaches chat have been posted here on firstwa.org.  If you missed the chat, make sure to watch the video, there is a lot of important information in there about inspection changes and more.   

        Click Here

        FTC Invoices Need to be Secured by FRIDAY

        Invoices have been sent to all FTC teams registered with FIRST Washington by 10-18.  As of yesterday, less than half of our teams have paid their invoice.  Make sure you get your invoice paid ASAP so it doesn’t affect your game play. 

        ***Important note***  If you are using booster account funds to pay your invoice – Send an email to accounting@firstwa.org Please include your team number along with your invoice.  We have 1000 teams that we support, your life will be much easier if you and your invoice will get taken care of faster if you list your team number. 

        League Meets Begin this Weekend

        By now, all lead and alternate contacts on your team should have received an email from your League coordinator.  If you have not yet received any communication, feel free to reach out to me and I will get you connected with your league coordinator.

        Many of you are probably not feeling ready for your first event.  This is completely normal!!  No team feels fully prepared for their first event.  Even if you don’t feel you are ready for your first event attend it anyway!!!  

        You will receive TONS of support from the veteran teams in your league and your students will leave the event with some great ideas and be inspired to work on the robot to prepare it for the next league meet.   

         If for some reason you are unable to attend your event, please email me (acollins@firstwa.org) and Kevin Emery (kemery@firstwa.org) so we can work with you to see uf we can help you overcome your challenge or let the league coordinator know.  

        There is nothing worse than hosting an event where you are missing a team and wondering if you should run the match schedule without that team or hold the event to wait for them so please communicate with us if you have any issue attending your first meet. 

        Use your Team Number and Program for any Communication

        For some reason, much the communication that we are receiving (by we, I mean programs, finance etc…) does not include your team number.  With 1000 teams in our eco-system, it is critical that you put your Program and team number on everything.  What does this include? 

        • Any communication to your program staff 
        • Any communication to your league coordinator 
        • Any communication to the finance staff (boosters@firstwa.org, accounting@firstwa.org  
        • Any funds entering your booster account whether by check, through benevity or other methods. 

        We want to give you the fastest, most timely service we can but when we have to spend time tracking down a team number from a name (either mentor, parent, coach or team name) it takes us extra time and may cause funds to be delayed getting into your account or even accidentally be put in the wrong account.  Help us help you by giving us the critical information we need to support you.   

        There are no upcoming events at this time.
        League Info

        Please Keep Gracious Professionalism at Heart

        As your team prepares for their first competition of the season, take a moment to remind your students to keep the spirit of Gracious Professionalism and the FIRST Core Values at the core of everything they do.

        This means competing with integrity, showing respect for others, and offering help when it’s needed, even to your opponents. Strive for excellence not just in your technical performance but also in how you collaborate, problem-solve, and treat every person participating in this competition. So, a few reminders –

        1. All match results are final. ***no amount of arguing or pestering will change them 😉
        2. There are no video replays of matches.
        3. Only students should visit the question box. If a coach/mentor wants to accompany a student as emotional support, that is totally fine! But the student should be asking the questions, NOT the adult. This is a learning opportunity for them, not an opportunity for adults to question match results.

        Remind your students and fellow adults that every single person running league competitions is a VOLUNTEER. Maybe you’re running late and you get frustrated with the person running team check in. Or the Head Referee makes a call you don’t personally agree with.

        Everyone running your competition is donating their time and talents to ensure your students have the best possible experience.

        As Gracious Professionalism teaches us – that doesn’t always mean things will be easy or you will agree with the outcome. But every experience is an opportunity to learn, and it is the responsibility of coaches and mentors to set a strong example for their students.

        Your team will have a better experience competing if the event your attending is well staffed, by well-trained, enthusiastic volunteers. But it becomes difficult to retain volunteeers if they are not treated with respect and kidness by students, or fellow adults.

        So, please be intentional with your team and take a moment to remind them of these tenants. Lets let this season be about more than just winning—make it about inspiring each other and having fun!

        Important Dates & Deadlines

        • 11-1:  League Events Start 
        • 11-23:  League Events End 
        • 11-20:  FTC Coaches Chat 
        • 12-6 & 12-7:  Feynman & Pasteur League Tournaments 
        • 12-13 & 12-14:  Curie, Wu, Hawking & Tesla League Tournaments 
        • 12-20:  Watt League Tournament