Starting a Middle
School FTC Team
Code Red Robotics
Corey Oostveen
Outline
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Registration and tournament info
Team management guidelines
Coach & mentor qualifications/time demands
Cost, budgeting and fund-raising tips
Programming and Controls resources
Where to find vital resources & updates
Q&A with area FTC coaches
About FTC
FTC in Michigan
• Middle School Program
• 46 teams currently
• Goal:100 new teams this season
FLL
FTC
FRC
Important Dates
• May 9, 2012
– Registration Opens at noon for the 2012-2013
Season
• Sept. 8, 2012
– Season Kick-off for the 2012-2013 Season
• Nov. 2012 - March 2013
– Tournament Season (Late November/Early December)
• April 24-27 2013
– FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship Event
in St. Louis, Missouri
Coach/Mentor Qualifications
• Does the coach need a technical background?
• What is the time commitment?
– 3-6 hours per week
• How many coaches are needed?
– 1 adult for every 5 kids
– 10 kids per team
Cost, budgeting and fundraising tips
• Sample Budget
• Grants
• Fundraising
Sample Budget
ITEM
Costs
Totals
ESSENTIAL COSTS:
FTC Registration
$275
Initial Kit of Parts*
$900
Essential costs before grants
$1,175
Less Grant from GM
‐$600
Total Essential Costs
$575
OPTIONAL COSTS:
Extra parts team may want to purchase (optional)
$400
Robot C software (optional‐ labview comes free)
$75
Local tournament fee (Varies by event)
$200
Food and entertainment of team (varies by team)
$700
Travel to events (varies by team)
$350
T‐Shirts and banners/misc. (varies by team)
$400
Total Optional Costs
TYPICAL FTC TEAM BUDGET
*KIT INCLUDES:
Kit ‐TETRIX kit with Mindstorm
$650
Resource Kit (add on but needed)
$200
Samantha Module‐$50‐ (Wifi module to connect robot to comp field)
Total Kit Costs
$50
$900
$2,125
$2,700
Grants
• GM Grant (Michigan Specific)
– $600 to new FTC teams
• FIRST Graduation Grant
– You are a registered, rookie FTC team (a new team
that did not exist prior to the 2012-2013 FTC season).
– At least one member of your rookie team participated
as a member of an FLL team in one of the last four
seasons.
– Your team must have an affiliation with a non-profit
organization willing to accept funds on your behalf.
– Covers Registration fee of $275 and provides $300
Grants
• Lego Foundation Grant
– You must register and pay for their 2012-2013 FTC
season.
– Have a valid rookie team number.
– At least one member of your team must have
participated in FLL in one of the last four FLL
seasons.
• $100 per FLL graduate, up to $300 max per
team, towards an FTC Competition Kit (with or
without MINDSTORMS) at FTCrobots.com.
Fundraising
• Participation Fee
• Sponsors
• Reasons Why a Company Should Sponsor an FTC Team:
– Funding FTC teams encourages a talented future
workforce.
– Sponsors help to develop the community in which they
exist by providing for positive experiences for young
people.
– Sponsorship creates and enhances awareness of the
company in the local community.
– Companies can add their logo on to team banners or Tshirts.
Fundraising
• Always be sure that the host organization approves the chosen fundraiser.
• To be more original, make and sell items that complement the community.
• Make it fun! The more fun the fundraiser is, the more donors will want to
be part of the excitement.
• Think of fundraising ideas that do not require additional Volunteers, or a
greater time commitment.
• Ask community groups to support the team in any way they can. A
number of major retail franchises may match money raised at their sites,
while others may offer community groups free or discounted products.
• Be sure to call local businesses and ask them what they might do to help.
Every little bit raised is helpful!
• Visit local businesses and companies to grow the program in the area and
bring community awareness for the team.
• $100 from ten businesses might be easier to attain than $1,000 from one
Sponsor.
• Several small fundraisers are easier to coordinate than a single large one.
Preparing the team
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Before Kickoff
Explaining the Rules and the Challenge
The Engineering Notebook
Preparing the Team for Judging
Preparing the Drive Team for Competition
Preparing the Pit Crew for Competition
Before Kickoff
• Familiarize with hardware and software
• Tutorials and curriculums
Explaining the Rules and the Challenge
• Everyone read the manual
• Watch the game video several times
• discuss game rules without referencing robot
design at all
Engineering Notebook
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Very Important!!!
Document obstacles that will be faced.
Highlighted lessons that will be learned.
Sketch or draw ideas for development and
testing.
• Record the results of development and
testing.
• Document teams decisions.
Engineering Notebook
• Document everything!
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Sketches and photos
Discussions from team meetings
Design evolution
Processes
AHA! Moments
Obstacles and resolutions
Each team member’s thoughts throughout the
journey.
Preparing the Team for Judging
• Hold mock judging sessions in each area
• Be prepared to speak about
– how the robot was designed and built
– Driving
– game strategy
– the Engineering Notebook
– community service
– outreach, and fundraising.
Preparing the Drive Team for
Competition
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Timed trials
A way to keep track of score
Attend a scrimmage
Have backup drive team(s)
Tools
Recommended Tools
Additional Power Tools
Helpful Supplies
• Allen Wrench, 7/64"
• Soldering Iron
• Shrink Wire Wrap
• Allen Wrench, 1/8"
• Jigsaw
• Electrical Tape
• Wrench (open end / box
end), 5/16"
• Drill
• Black, Red and Green Wire
• Heat Gun
• Small Zip Ties
• Wrench (open end / box
end), 1/4"
• Extra Vise Grip
• Blue Lock Tight
• Fuses for 12 volt battery
• Hacksaw, 32 tooth blade
• Gear and Axle Lubricant
• Hand Files (flat and round)
• Extra Fuses for 12V Battery
• Wire Strippers
• Cable Ties
• Wire Cutters
• Needle Nosed Pliers
Programming and Controls resources
• http://www.tetrixrobotics.com/FTC/
• https://decibel.ni.com/content/community/fir
st/ftc
• www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/ftc/ftctool
box
Where to find vital resources &
updates.
• http://www.coderedrobotics.com/ftcresources/
• http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/ftc/