Your team is registered. Now what? Here's how to get through your first few weeks, especially if this is your first season coaching.
Before your first meeting
- Download the season materials. The Team Meeting Guide plans every session for you, and each student gets an Engineering Notebook. Both are on the 2026-27 Challenge page.
- Get your robot kit ready. You'll need a LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Prime set and the free SPIKE App on your laptop. Install the app and update the hub before the kids arrive. Need a kit? Email us.
- Watch the season videos. The Season Welcome and Robot Game Missions videos are a great way to kick off your first meeting.
Your first few weeks
- Follow the Team Meeting Guide. Its early sessions teach the robot basics and introduce the BIOGLOW™ theme. You don't need to know the answers; learning alongside the team is part of the fun.
- Set up your practice field. Build the mission models from your Challenge Set and lay the mat on a practice table. The Field Set-Up Reference Guide and Table Building Instructions are on the season page.
- Work on all three parts. Split time between the Robot Game, the Innovation Project and Core Values. Teams are judged on all of them, not just robot points.
- Read the rules together. The Robot Game Rulebook and the latest Challenge Updates decide what counts. The rubrics show what judges look for.
Keep the season on track
- West TN deadlines. Our Steps for Successful Season covers the Regional Activity Fee and getting ready for the Championship on Saturday, February 27, 2027.
- Practice events. Optional practice events are a low-pressure way to try the Robot Game and judging. Watch the Calendar of Events.
- Tutorials and help. Programming lessons, robot design tips and more are on our FLL Useful Links page.
Questions?
Email us at fll@nobox.org. No question is too small, especially in your first season.