10.25.18 Team Eblast

2nd QUALIFIER PLACEMENT
2nd round qualifier confirmations are posted on the MI FTC Team List. We have 536 teams registered to date with over 300 teams expressing interest in a 2nd qualifier. There are 718 available event spots overall. Reserve your school’s gym for next year – we need more event hosts!
Reminder that, for FTC, a team’s confirmed events do not appear on the Team Dashboard.
A few notes about 2nd qualifier placement:
  • Participation in a 2nd qualifier is optional.
  • Advancement spots per event are posted on the MI FTC Event Process doc.
  • All events except 12/01-Kingsford (4 spots left) are at capacity and have waitlists.
  • The home event pre-assignment carries the only guarantee that multiple teams out of the same school/org. or that share a coach will be placed at the same event due to the space constraints inherent to 2nd qualifier placement.
  • If your team chooses not to accept their 2nd round qualifier placement, please send a polite note to michiganftc@gmail.com stating that the team would like to withdraw from said event. The team will the be waitlisted, per their original form date/timestamp, in their previously ranked 2nd qualifier preferences. Please put your team number in the subject line of the email.
  • As teams earn advancement spots at earlier qualifiers, they are given the option to relinquish their next qualifier spot in order to give a waitlisted team a 2nd play opportunity. There is no expectation that an advancing team must relinquish their 2nd qualifier spot – but it is much appreciated when they do.
  • If a spot opens at an event with a waitlist – the next team in line on that event’s wait list, per the date/timestamp of their 2nd qualifier form, is offered the spot. The team has 24 hours, from when the team is notified, to graciously accept/decline the offered spot.
  • Be aware that notice of an open spot can be very short. So, keep the motors running!
  • Event placements are managed by FIRST in Michigan FTC and not by the event hosts. Please direct inquiries in this regard to michiganftc@gmail.com.
  • Reminder that we will, once again, have spring FTC events. They will be held in mid-May. Interested in hosting? Let me know!
  • Gracious Professionalism is much appreciated in all communications.
FiM CLEARANCE ITEMS
The following “clearance” items are available for pick up on Saturday, 10/27, in Farmington Hills. Please email Bob at mentorvanham@comcast.net, with your item(s) of interest and he will provide directions for pick up.

Available items:

  • 2 sets of Relic Recover game pieces: Cryptoboxes, glyphs, relic mats, and balancing stones.
  • 2 totes full of game jewels (red/blue whffle balls), but the totes stay with use!
  • 2 complete sets of used SoftTile mats. We deemed them too worn for competition use.
HOW TO BE COMPETITION READY
  • Event details are posted on the FIRST in Michigan FTC website: http://firstinmichigan.us/FTC/events/
  • In the “NAME” column, click on the event’s name to be directed to the site page for that event.
  • Click on the “EVENT DETAILS” link in the right sidebar (or scroll down past the event list, if using a phone/tablet) for further event details including site maps, event fee remittance, lunch options, etc.
  • Visit the RESOURCES site page, under EVENT PAPERWORK, for links to the FIRST and FIRST in Michigan Consent/Release forms and for accepted roster formats. These items are required at all events where a team competes.
  • The event fee for qualifiers is $100 and is usually paid at the door of the event. Your event host will provide information on how to remit your event fee payment.
  • Teams are expected to provide one full day volunteer at each event where they participate. Minimum age for a volunteer is 13 years old. Most roles are best suited to those over 18 years of age or high school upperclassmen with the proper skillset. Team affiliated volunteers cannot serve as judge or referee at the event where their team participates.   Many FTC event roles do not require any specialized skills or training. Share this guide with your team’s event volunteer: Volunteer Registration Step by Step Guide.

SHARE EVENT INFO

FIRST in Michigan eblasts only go to the Lead Coach/Mentor 1 and 2 for your team. Please share event specific information with the families of your team members. This is especially important in regard to observing safety rules and behavioral expectations while at the event.

Please share the following points with your teams, their families, your event visitors:

  • Safety rules apply to everyone at the event.
  • If the event where your team is competing provides teams with a dedicated lunch table, please inform families/team members that it’s usually ONE table and that the other tables surrounding the team’s table are likely assigned to other teams.
  • Per section 5.13 of Game Manual 1, saving group seats in the stands is not allowed.
  • Teams (and their visitors) are expected to clean up after themselves which includes in the pit area, in the stands, in the lunch area.

SAFETY GLASSES

PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR TEAM MEMBERS AND FAMILIES!
Teams are expected to have and bring their own safety glasses – enough for each of their team members and mentors in attendance at the event. Team members and mentors are expected to wear their safety glasses (over their eyes) at all times while in the pit area and on the competition field. Please share this safety expectation with family members, friends that are visiting your team at the event.
The safety glass tables found at the entrance to the pit areas at events are for guest and visitor use only. Not for teams. 
Per Game Manual 1 > Tournament Rules > T15 – All Team members, coaches, and their guests must wear ANSI Z87.1 certified safety glasses while in the Pit or Competition Area. Prescription glasses with ANSI Z87.1 approved commercial off the shelf side shields are also allowed.
Teams/team members that don’t bring safety glasses to events or don’t wear their safety glasses in the prescribed areas at events are indicating that they choose not to be in compliance with this FIRST and FIRST in Michigan safety rule. Please don’t be one of these teams – bring and wear your safety glasses.
EVENT TIMES

Teams need to be on site at events early on Saturday morning. Judging can begin as early as 7:30am. Check your event’s agenda found on the FIRST in Michigan FTC website page for the event. Even if your team checked-in/completed Inspections on Friday (where applicable), the team still needs to be on site at the event by the stipulated time. If your team is running late, please call/email your Event Coordinator. The Event Information page for the event (also linked on the FiM FTC website page for your event) contains their contact information. 

COMPETITION TIPS

  • Review the What to Expect at an Event guide for an overview of a typical FIRST in Michigan FTC event roll out. The guide contains many valuable resources (Inspection checklists, info on the judging process, etc.) that will help teams have a good event experience.
  • Event Participation – A team’s presence is expected at the events where they’ve been confirmed. A late withdrawal from a confirmed event causes issues (planning and financial) for the host and reflects negatively on the team. As competition is a requirement of teams accepting FIRST, FIRST in Michigan, MDE, and/or sponsor specific grants; withdrawing from an event could impact grant awards.
    • Remember, feeling “not ready” is usual – group support is available at the event!
  • Some events offer Friday load-in/early inspections. This is a great way to ease the Saturday morning “crunch”. Note that event set up occurs on Friday late afternoon through evening so it’s possible that the event will look “not ready” when teams arrive on site on Friday. Help is always appreciated!
  • Team & Robot Prep – A few tips on ensuring a good event experience and a well behaved robot:
    • Know the rules. Read Game Manual 1 and 2 – knowledge is power! http://www.firstinspires.org/resource-library/ftc/game-and-season-info
    • Robots must pass both a hardware and field inspection before playing in matches. Inspections are generally between 8-10am the morning of the event. Below are the checklists that will be used; use them as a guide to prepare your robot to pass the first time!
    • Keep all batteries charged! Majority of robot issues at events have been traced back to a low TETRIX batttery or low phone batteries. Bring extra batteries and chargers to your events.
    • Good wire management: Robots encounter many bumps and jiggles at events (rolling over balls, climbing ramps, other robots, etc.) which can loosen wire connections and cause communication issues. Secure all connections between phones/modules/batteries, strain relieve wires where needed, and no loose dangling wires (zip ties!) . Check out the Robot Wiring Guide for best practices.
    • Preparing for Competition – guide to being ready for competition.
  • FTAs, CSAs and Inspectors – Your event’s Field Technical Advisor (FTA), Control System Advisor (CSA), and Inspectors are amazing resources available to teams BEFORE match play begins. If your team has field communication issues – please do not struggle in silence! Visit the FTA at the competition field either at early check-in on Friday or early Saturday morning for assistance. They’ve pretty much seen it all and can diagnose problems quickly and efficiently. They can also connect your team to the CSA on site for more in depth robot triage.
    • Teams should go through Robot Inspections as early as possible, even if your team is having field communications issues. It is helpful to get this aspect “under your belt” so that the team can focus on other areas i.e. judging, field inspections, tweaking the robot, etc.
    • Don’t forget about the 42 lb. robot weight limit, new this season.
    • Make sure to bring your Team Marker to Inspections.
  • Practice Field Usage – Our events provide a practice field space as a courtesy to our teams. This is a shared resource which is usually self managed at an event. Some practice field rules:
    • Share the space. There are usually 36 teams at and event and one practice field. Teams must be cognizant of other teams waiting to use the space. A good rule of thumb is 20 minutes on the practice field.
    • Practice field area is a mandatory safety glass area.
    • Human bodies may not be on the soft tile mats while robots are in motion. If you need to triage your robot while using the practice field, move the robot off the field and into your pit area.
    • Respect the practice field attendant and their directives.
    • Leave all practice field game elements on the practice field.
  • Judging – At qualifying events, teams each participate in a mandatory 15 minute judging rotation. Judging occurs in the first two hours of the event and can begin as early as 7:30am. Teams should plan to be on site at the event right when doors open. Teams bring their robot (not powered), engineering book, Control Award submission sheet (if applicable), and display boards (if desired) to judging. Teams will be given the opportunity to do a short (less than 10 minutes) presentation to the judges which will be followed by a 5 minute Q&A period. If the team does not have a presentation planned, have them let the judges know to proceed directly to the Q&A.
    • The Judging Self Reflection sheet is a good preparation tool. Review the Engineering Notebook Guidelines as well. The Engineering Book is a key deliverable for a team and is a required component for consideration of many awards. Please make sure your Engineering Book is clearly marked with your team number on the front/back/spine/etc.
  • Awards – Descriptions of all FTC Awards. Check your event’s roll out to see what awards will be offered. The award ceremony takes place after the finals of the elimination rounds. Teams are asked to stay to the end of the event to celebrate the accomplishments of the day. Teams will not be informed if they are an award recipient in advance of the awards ceremony. Engineering Notebooks will be returned either to Pit Admin or directly to the team’s pit table just before the awards ceremony. It is a team’s responsibility to pick up their Engineering Notebook before departing the event.
    • FTC Control Award: This is a Core Award for FTC. The Control Award celebrates a team that uses sensors and software to enhance the robot’s functionality on the field. Note that a team MUST APPLY for the Control Award in order to be considered for the award.
    • Team’s applying should fill out the Control Award Content Sheet, located in Game Manual Part I, Appendix 3 and linked below. And, the team’s Engineering Notebook must include an Engineering Section that documents the control components.
    • The Control Award Content Sheet should be turned in (along with the team’s Engineering Book) at the team’s morning Judging session.
  • Gracious Professionalism – Teams are expected to behave in a gracious and professional manner at events. This goes for team coaches and mentors as well. Just in the way that positive behavior, that exemplifies the values of FIRST, reflects positively on a team; negative behavior will reflect poorly on a team. Judges are informed by event volunteers when stellar behavior and actions are noted – but they are also informed when poor behavior and actions are noted. The true test of gracious professionalism is when things aren’t going well – coaches and mentors are asked to monitor team behavior and to set a good example for their team members and model appropriate behavior at all times.