10.01.19 Team Eblast

Home Event Preassignments and 1st Round FTC Event Registration l  Season Registration l  Program Info

Home Event Pre-assignment and 1st Round FTC Event Registration

1st Round FTC Event Registration form will open on Wednesday, October 2 at 7:00am. See form link below. This form might not present well on a small screen i.e. phone.

Link: 1st Round FTC Event Registration Form (click to open link)
To find your team’s pre-assigned home event:

The home event pre-assignment means a spot has been reserved for your team at your geographically closest event factoring in event capacity.

If your home event pre-assignment is hundreds of miles from your team location, email michiganftc@gmail.com as sometimes zip codes are improperly captured by the Team Registration System.

A 1st Round FTC Event Registration Form is needed from every team whether keeping or changing their 1st round event. Requests to “change” your 1st round event placement are processed on a first come-first served basis with assignment made as event space allows. Events have been known to fill within the first few minutes of the form opening.

Details of the event registration process along with the link to event registration forms can be found on the EVENT REGISTRATION PROCESS page of the FIRST in Michigan FTC website. A list of events for the season can be found on the EVENTS site page.

Reminders:

  • The 1st round event pre-assignment carries the only guarantee that multiple teams out of the same school/org. can be placed at the same event due to capacity constraints at events.
  • FTC does not use the Team Dashboard for event registration nor will a team’s confirmed events be listed on the Team Dashboard. Confirmed event assignments will be posted on the MI FTC Team List (linked above).
  • Participation in a FIRST in Michigan FTC sanctioned event is a requirement for all teams receiving grant funds.

REGISTER YOUR TEAM
The registration guides linked below contain info on establishing a FIRST Account, setting up a team profile, inviting contacts, applying for screening, accessing the Storefront, etc. with screenshots. A quick reference guide for Team Dashboard tasks like inviting contacts, navigating the FTC Storefront is linked: Team Dashboard Guide.

  • Returning Teams (veterans) – remember to register using your existing team number. MI FTC Archived Team Lists
  • New Teams (rookies) – start the team registration process but DO NOT PAY for anything until applying for the FIRST FTC HQ Rookie Team Grant. Apply for this grant using your temporary team number which starts with “2019”.
    • Rookie Team Registration Guide
    • See rookie team grant requirements outlined below before paying for anything.
    • Team Name is a mandatory field when setting up the Team Profile. If your team does not have a name yet, just fill in TBD. You can update this field at a later time once a team name is chosen.

EXPLORE GRANTS
Visit the FIRST in Michigan GRANTS website page for the latest available grant opportunities. Key elements for most grants:

  • Teams must be comprised solely of middle school grade team members.
  • Affiliated with a school or established youth enrichment 501(c)(3) organization. A school affiliation maximizes the use of available grants.
  • Must compete in a FIRST in Michigan sanctioned event in the given season.
  • Rookie team grants:
    • New teams are eligible for rookie grants when all existing team(s) out of the same school/organization are registered for the current season.
    • Team must apply for the FIRST (HQ) FTC Rookie Team Grant to be eligible for the FIRST in Michigan FTC Rookie Team Grant.
    • The intent of the rookie team grant funding is to assist a new team with their initial start up costs (FTC registration fee and reusable kit of parts).
    • Team members and mentors may move through the program but the team number and kit of parts stay with the school/organization for reuse year to year.

PARTS & EQUIPMENT

  • SKYSTONE game elements are available for pre-order from AndyMark.
  • Veteran teams are able but not required to purchase FTC Kit of Parts components through the FTC Storefront. Storefront purchases are limited to once per season per component category.
  • Discount codes for REV and Pitsco are available through the FTC Storefront. From the FTC Storefront, click on the “SUPPORT” link on the top right corner. Once redirected, scroll down the site page and click on “How to Order Extra Parts” link in the leftmost sidebar. REV offers a 15% discount and Pitsco offers 25%.

PROGRAM INFORMATION
Links to program information on the FIRST in Michigan (FiM) and FIRST HQ websites:

  • Run a Team – Addresses many FAQs
  • Resources – Links to FIRST HQ resources, parts, and vendors, logos, etc.
  • Grants – information will be updated as grants become available; check back periodically
  • Team Eblast Archive
  • FIRST FTC HQ Blog – latest program announcements
  • FTC Curriculum – Free curriculum; can be used as a stand-alone course or as a supplement to areas where the team needs extra support.
PROGRAM PARTICULARS
  • Alignment: In Michigan, we run a slightly different progression of programs from FIRST national. In Michigan, FTC is a middle school only program with teams comprised solely of MI middle school aged/grade team members. Teams must be properly aligned in order to be eligible for FiM FTC grants and to participate in FIRST in Michigan FTC events.
  • Team Size: FTC team size is capped at 15. Multiple teams out of a given school/organization are welcome and can be eligible for all grants. Please review grant requirements in the above linked doc.
  • Team Eblasts. FIRST in Michigan FTC team eblasts (sent from michiganftc@gmail.com) are sent to the Team Administrator and Lead Coach 1 and 2 for each team. The eblast distribution list is pulled from the FIRST Team Registration System, per FIRST HQ protocol, so additional email addresses cannot be added to the FIRST in Michigan FTC eblast list.