FIRST Lego League Challenge

Helpful Tips To Get Started:

1. Learn how FIRST Lego League Challenge works
2. Review the Costs of FLL Challenge
3. Start or Join a Team
4. Register your team with FIRST-Registration typically closes in September
5. Norcal FLL Tournament Registration – myLumi
6. Communication with Playing At Learning
7. Define your Team Goals

How FIRST LEGO League Challenge Works:

• The yearly challenge has 3 parts related to an annual theme:  Core Values, Project and Game.  The exact details are published at the Challenge Kickoff which will happen in August.
• Robot
  • Teams use a LEGO robotics kit (current version is SPIKE Prime but you could use EV3 or older kits as well) to design/build an autonomous robot to compete in a FIRST-designed game.
  • Each team will build a robot that is made only of LEGO elements and (read this year’s rules!) most often has a limit of 4 motors and specific types of sensors along with exactly 1 LEGO controller.
  • Teams will program their robot in a programming environment but it is important that the programs are downloaded to the controller and run autonomously.
• The Innovation Project puts the annual theme (Game Changers for the 2020 RePLAY Season) into a real-world context and typically has 3 components.
  • Look at a problem  (also called research);
  • Propose a solution;
  • Share results with others
• Rookie coach workshops generally to be scheduled for August and September with informal grassroots-organized scrimmages starting in October.
• FIRST LEGO League Challenge is about the kids’ efforts and kids work in a team. It is a good idea for rookie teams to start before the challenge kickoff to start learning and understanding how to work together as a team, practice the FIRST Core Values and also to learn about the equipment.
• Tournaments are like sporting events with judges and awards and are typically all day, high energy events with music, announcers and encouragement for all!
• Teams are JUDGED in 3 areas at a tournament:  Core Values, Project, and Robot Design. All judged areas PLUS Robot Performance (Robot Game) is a consideration for the Champion’s Award as well as for advancing to a Regional Championship.  All aspects are  important.    

Cost of FIRST LEGO League Challenge per team:

• The average rookie team without any equipment will spend approximately $1700.  You could spend less and the team could certainly spend more.  All fees collected from FIRST and Playing At Learning are per team, not per individual. 
• 2023 cost details
• Most teams divide costs equally amongst team members. 
• Teams need at least one LEGO robotics kit – SPIKE Prime is the most current model. The vast majority of teams have only 1 kit.   If you are buying a new one, the FIRST LEGO League robot kit bundle is the cheapest for the number and type of LEGO elements that you get
  • The robot kit will be reused each year and only needs to purchased once.
  • We don’t recommend using “personal” LEGO elements or robot kits for the team due to potential for conflict around missing or broken pieces
• Teams may seek sponsors and many teams create a team tshirt listing any sponsor.  As a registered team, you are also able to use the FIRST logos as well as the current year theme logos.  More information about using the trademarked FIRST logos.
  

 

 

Starting or Joining a Team: 

• Anyone can form and organize a team! Don’t feel like you have to do it alone, we have resources and are here to help you.
  • Teams can be formed around a school classroom, after-school program, extracurricular group, home school, a group of friends, neighborhood kids, a club, or civic organization  – basically any way that a small group of young people get together.
  • The definition of a team is that it consists of 2 to 10 kids that are age eligible, and at least two adult coaches.
  • The vast majority of teams form among kids and/or  parents that have an existing relationship of some sort   – new to the area or want to connect with others?  Post on social.norcalfll.org group
  • For a number of reasons, we are not able to match an individual with a team. Typically, we encourage interested individuals to consider forming their own team through people that they already know. 
  • We do have a few FLL Ambassadors through out our region that have stepped forward to help people connect in local communities – if you are interested in being an Ambassador, let us know. We need more people!
• FIRST Participation Rules
  • Every team must have at least two screened  Adult coaches 
  • Team members are between the ages of 9 to 14 OR in grades 4-8.   (NOTE that this is a change from prior seasons)
  • A child can only be a team member on one team.
  • A coach can be the coach for multiple teams. For example, a teacher could be the coach for multiple teams in their classroom.
• On average, teams have 4 to 6 members which we recommend as a great size but up to 10 members per team is allowed.  
  • If your team has more than 10 members participating at any time  during the season, they are ineligible to win any awards.    Ten members is a strictly enforced limit.
  • Generally, younger students have issues with the intense, team-oriented nature of FIRST LEGO League.  Issues range from  attention span, ability to work in a team, ability to keep “on task”, and overall student interest.  Keep this in mind when deciding how large, or small, your team will be. 
    

How to Register Your Team with FIRST and Playing At Learning:

• Create an account and Register the team with FIRST .  The National Team registration typically opens in May each year.  Most years, the national team registration closes in September. There is a maximum number of teams that can register, so register early.  For the pandemic seasons (2020 and 2021), registration has remained open longer.
  • You will not be asked WHO  (ie the team roster) is on the team (ie the youth team members) when you register the team. 
  • The person registering and paying for the team (Team Administrator) can be a different person than the coach or co-coach.  
  • You need to identify 2 Adult coaches as soon as possible and each person needs to be screened per FIRST requirements as well as agree to a number of Acknowledgement forms such as Code of Conduct, Release of Liability, Privacy Policy, etc
  • If your team  does not have access to a LEGO robotics kit – Order SPIKE Prime kit (as early as possible) to start learning about the programming and building a few basic ‘bot designs    Other pre-season ideas
  • Also, remember to order this season’s Challenge Kit unless you have pre-arranged with another team to share one

Other things to do:

• Build FIRST LEGO League Challenge Table (1 piece of standard plywood with 2×3 side walls )
• Read the Team Meeting Guide (a physical copy is mailed to you as well as available on Thinkscape – access guide) and check out all of the additional resources that we have found to help with building, programming and other skills that the team will need
• Decide if the team is going to register for the Competitive League OR the Recreational League
• Register for local Playing At Learning-led workshops in August or September – check out our Events Page
• Review the NorCal Tournament registration requirements and instructions. Do not skip this step it is very important!!!

Registering for a Norcal FLL Tournament – MyLumi

1. NorCal Requirements for Tournament Registration:
   • Both screened coaches must be listed in MyLumi.
   • Teams must have a complete Team roster- including two screened coaches associated with their team in the FIRST Registration System, and All Team Members (Coaches, students, mentors, etc.) must submit a Consent and Release Form via the FIRST website.
   • Team Info Jotform was submitted.
   • NorCal Tournament Payment Completed.
   • Team volunteer assigned in the Team Info JotForm

Registering NorCal Qualifier (November Tournaments)

For our November Qualifiers, we will start with a Preference Registration Period.  After that period, then we will open up to a First Come, First Served General Registration.

Registering NorCal Spring League (or Second Chance) events (Feb-May Tournaments)

For all tournaments except for our November Qualifiers, we will have a First Come, First Served General Registration.

Preference Registration Overview:

1. 1. Preference Based Registration allows teams to select their preferred tournament in advance and at any time, and Lumieos will process them in a random fashion when the Preference Registration period closes.   
   2. This allows coaches to enter their team’s event preferences without having to make sure they are available on the exact day/time that registration opens for everyone. Preference selection occurs before General Registration (first-come, first-served).
   3. The official preferencing registration period for NorCal FLL Challenge 2023/2204 MasterPiece Season will open on Wednesday, September 13 at 9 a.m. and close on Monday, September 18 at 8:45am PST.
   4. During the preferencing registration period, Team Coach will be able to select which qualifier tournaments they can attend by ranking their choices 1-N (with 1 being the most preferred choice).
   5. At any time during this time window, Coach 1 or Coach 2 that have met the requirements can login to MyLumi to add, update, or delete their event preferences.
      1. If a team falls out of “Good” standing in regards to forms / screening, then they will need to get their team back into good standing before the preference period ends.
      2. If a team is not in good standing at the end of the preference selection period, their preferences are deleted.

1. 1. 1.  Once the preference period closes, MyLumi will perform the following steps:
         1. MyLumi will delete all preferences for teams that have not met the requirements mentioned above.
         2. MyLumi will randomize the preference list of all teams in good standing.
         3. MyLumi will submit registration requests on behalf of each team. Team coaches will be notified about their tournament assignments.
   2. For teams that did not participate in the preference registration, an alternative, first-come, first-served general registration will start on Monday, September 18 at 10:00am. Coaches will submit their tournament choices based on what is available at that time.

General Registration Overview:

1. 1. 1. Your registration request is entered into a queue that is processed one at a time. If the first choice for an event is filled by the time the request is processed, then the second choice is used. If the second choice is no longer available, the third choice is used. In the event that all the choices are filled, the registration will be rejected, and the team must resubmit their event registration.

Final thoughts about tournament registration:

For either preference or general registration, please note the following:

• 1. • Please take time to discuss your choices with your team parents and only select events you are able to attend.
     • You will never be assigned an event you didn’t select.
     • Please select as many tournaments as possible. It is advisable not to restrict yourself to only two tournaments, as in case these tournaments are already full, you will need to submit your registration again.
  2. Payment Instructions and Restrictions
     Event registration fees of $350 must be paid before preference selection is closed by Monday, September 18, 2023, at 8:45 am Pacific time. Playing at Learning will only accept PayPal. Alternative methods of payment such as Cash, Money Orders, or Purchase Orders will not be accepted. All fees for tournaments are non-refundable once the payment has been processed. For more information about NorCal refund policy, please visit https://www.norcalfllc.org/nor-cal-fll-team-policies
  3. Requesting Change of Tournaments
     • Once a team registers or is assigned into a tournament, they will not be able to change to another one.
     • Registration is final once MyLumi assigns a team to an event.
  4. MOST IMPORTANT!   Registering your team with FIRST does not register your team for a tournament.
  5. Playing At Learning handles all local tournament registration as well as provides local training and support for teams.
     • Competitive League:
       • All NorCal Qualifier tournaments are in November
       • All NorCal Regional  Championship tournaments will be held between December-March

• • • Spring (Recreational) League:
      • All NorCal Reg League tournaments will happen between Feb – April

1. We do expect to have District Championships again this  season  – likely just 3 districts but this depends on how many teams register with FIRST.
   • Important to know, understand and comprehend,  each Championship only accepts the teams that advanced from their specific qualifier tournaments.  So if you choose to register in a different district by registering for a qualifier outside your district area, you may get the opportunity to travel to a District Championship that is not the closest one to you.

NorCal FLL Challenge Communication:

1. Norcalfll Google Announce Group
   • Primary – MANDATORY:  It is expected that every FLL Challenge team in Northern California have at least 1 person that joins this list and receives email (and pays attention to the content).  This is an open list and any one can join.   Important:  Check your settings to confirm that you are set to receive email.
2. NorCal FLL Facebook page
   • Optional:  We use facebook to promote NorCal FIRST activities, post pictures, links to streamed FLL events elsewhere in the world, and similar general interest topics about Playing At Learning, FIRST, and FLL Challenge.
3. NorCal FLL Twitter (@norcalfll)
   • Optional:  Used lightly (we are looking into how to engage better using twitter) to promote interesting FLL topics as well as promote local activities.

NorCal FLL uses the following websites for information:

1. www.norcalfllc.org
   • Most Important: This site!  Used for Northern California information such as tournament registration, local team status and publishing events like upcoming coach trainings, local grants, etc
2. social.norcalfll.org
   • Very useful:  We have created a dedicated social site just for NorCal FLL Challenge that has options for you to create local community events (like scrimmages, practice tournaments, project presentation reviews, outreach opportunities, etc) as well as join a local area group email list to more easily communicate among the teams in a smaller geographical area than all of “NorCal”.   You can read most of the items without logging in but you will need to create an account before posting anything.
3. championship.norcalfll.org
   • Important: Used to communicate specific information related to the Northern California Regional Championship Tournaments.  This includes information such as locations/dates, and registration status.
4. firstinspires.org
   • Important: Used for US-specific FIRST LEGO League items such as national team registration, official event listings, volunteer signups as well as information about FIRST other programs
5. playingatlearning.org and theplayspace.org
   • Used very infrequently for FLL specific items.  Team members can sign up for FLL-based summer camps on theplayspace.org site.
6. firstlegoleague.org
   • Optional: Used for overall FIRST LEGO League international information

Defining Goals and Expectations

One of the first things is to help the team members understand the various roles and responsibilities of the team – what has to be done – FIRST LEGO League is not about the robot game only.

• It is important to have the team members set their own goals and agree on the expectations for the team.
• These goals need to also be communicated to the other people affiliated with the team – parents, mentors and co-coaches, so that everyone is working towards the common goals.
• Meeting these goals will define success for the team!
• FIRST LEGO League is not about winning awards, it is about discovery and inspiring young people.

The coach can help remove confusion for when the team is meeting by helping the team to create a timeline.  Meeting on a regular basis to review the status of these action items will relay the importance of teamwork, as well as reinforce time management and prioritizing. It is not uncommon for a team’s timeline, roles & responsibilities, action list, and expectations to change through the season.

Try to keep in mind that the FIRST experience extends beyond the deadlines, the competition and robot performance. The FIRST program is designed as a team-building and problem-solving learning experience for children. Once these goals are achieved, your team has already won!