Changes to the information below will be RED in color.
Any information that has been replaced or removed will have a strike through it.

Lots of Information...

• Please periodically check back here for updates!  We will also send out emails for big changes!

• We plan to keep this page up-to-date for all requirements.

• Also, do not forget to always check the Challenge Updates released by FIRST.

• If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us! fll@nobox.org

General Information

• There will not be Qualifiers this season. Only Championship event and Practice events.

• All events will be in-person.

• You still have to register with FIRST before you can register for one of our West TN events.

• Coaches, please mark your teams as “Intent to return” in your FIRST Inspires dashboard.

Requirements From FIRST

• The FIRST Consent and Release Forms must be signed using the FIRST Registration Systems (firstinspires.org Dashboard) and is required for ALL coaches, mentors, volunteers, and YOUTH TEAM MEMBERS!

• All youth must register via the FIRST on-line Youth Registration System to be eligible to participate in all FIRST programs.
• Links FIRST has provided to assist:
  • Please see the Youth Registration System Guide for parents/legal Guardians
  • Please see the Youth Registration System Explanation for Coaches/Mentors
• Coaches will have to select events via the West TN FLL event portal.
• Coaches will have to register their teams with FIRST.
  • Each team must have 2 coaches assigned to each team that have completed the YPP background checks and have signed the T&C release forms online.
• Coaches can only select events when the requirements from FIRST have been met as defined above.
• Don’t worry if you are new, multiple emails will be sent to you on how to access this portal.

Practice Event

• Registration via West TN FLL system is open when you have paid your RAF.
• Practice events are NOT required!  Participation in a Practice event is completely OPTIONAL!
• Practice events are more than a Scrimmage but less than a Qualifier.  Teams will be scheduled to be judged and refereed.  If you do not wish to participate in any of the activities let us know 😊

• Practice events are TBD. They will be posted on the Calendar of Events and emailed to coaches.

Championship

• Registration via West TN FLL system is open when you have paid your RAF.
• Registration via West TN FLL system closes January 15th
• Head Judge/Head Referee Q&A: TBD
• Championship: Saturday, February 27th at Collierville High School

General info about Robot Matches

• Teams will have a scheduled Practice Match in addition to their 3 scored runs.
• Your team will be scored based on the most recent official Challenge Updates & Clarifications.
• No Totes, Boxes, Bags, etc. will be allowed.  All parts are to remain in the Home/Inspection Area as we normally require.
• Totes, Boxes, Bags are not allowed for transport past the robot inspection station.
• Robots will be inspected at the inspection station before every run.
• Robots are required to run autonomously without an external controller or device.  This means that all programs must be loaded on to the SPIKE robot itself.  Starting programs using a tablet or laptop is NOT ALLOWED.
  • Teams must load their programs to the SPIKE and use the numbered menu on the robot's Light Matrix to select the program they wish to run.  Teams are allowed 1 piece of notebook paper in each home area that can be used to remember which program is which (cheat sheet).
  • In the bottom right hand corner of the LEGO SPIKE app you will see the matrix display numbers, use this to select the slot you wish to load your program and then click the download button to save the program to your SPIKE robot.
  • If you have any questions about this please email us!
  • Bluetooth must be turned off to pass Robot Inspection.
    

Robot Match Score Challenging

• If your team disagrees with a score given to them, they must notify the referee.
• If the team and referee are not able to resolve the situation, the referee will include the Head Referee .
• The Referees and/or Head Referee will discuss the challenge with a youth team member, not a coach, mentor, or other adult.
• The Head Referee will have final say in the matter and make adjustments to the score as necessary.
• Teams may have a dedicated team member who scores the robot match to confer with the referees at the end.  This may be done with a tablet, phone, app or paper.  Just don't connect it to the robot!

Specialists/Technicians

• All 10 team members are allowed in the robot arena.
• Only 2 team members are allowed at each home at a time.  (4 youth at the table, but 2 at each home)
• Team members must pick a side to be on if they are to be tagged in.
• TEAM MEMBERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SWAP SIDES AFTER THE TIMER BEGINS.  This is similar to the not passing robots rule.

Useful Ideas

• Write a simple program that you can use to legally pass objects from one home to the other home.  Load the robot with whatever, point the robot towards the other home, press go, and have it drive straight into the other home.

Clarifications

• An interesting question was asked....  If the robot starts in the launch area, drives into the home area and then back on the mat is that legal?
  • We have determined yes.  But your team cannot touch the robot.  When the team touches the robot it has been interrupted and must be re-launched.  If the robot is fully in home when the team touches the robot, precision token will not be removed, otherwise precision tokens will be removed per the rules.

Judging Format

• Teams will be judged for all 3 areas by the same Judging Pod during a 30-minute session.
• Please review the new rubrics and other information available on the FIRST Inspires website under Challenge Resources.
• One of the registered coaches will be required to go into the judging room with the kids.  Both registered coaches are allowed to go into the judging room.  Parents and/or Guardians are not permitted!

Judging items no longer required by FIRST

• Core Values Poster is no longer required and will not be reviewed during judging, but it is still a good process for your team to learn the core values!
• Robot executive design summary and/or engineering notebook are not required and will not be reviewed during judging, but again these are good processes/tasks that will help your team succeed!

Team Welcome/Introductions

• Make sure that you review this season's Judging Session Flowchart (on the 2026-27 Challenge page).
• Make sure that your teams introduce themselves!
  • Judges like it when the team members introduce themselves in a ice-breaker-like format, for example: "My name is Patrick McGinnis I am in the 6th Grade, I was the lead programmer, and my favorite part was out Innovation project"
  • Please use the above as an example and formulate your own introductions 😊

Innovation Project

• If the team has a poster, back-board, or other material they would like to share with the judges, it must be included in the 2-minute period.
• Teams may present using a projector, but the projector must be provided by the team and setup during the 2-minute period.

   

  Robot Design Presentation

  • PLEASE NOTE THAT A FIELD WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE IN THE JUDING ROOM!
  • These are not required! But would probably help you.
  • We highly encourage the team to show code examples!
  • Show the sensors and describe how you used them.
  • Show the attachments and how they function to complete various missions.
  • Show the attachments in action, doing something. Does not have to complete a mission.
  • Show an excerpt of code, do not need to show your whole program.  (not required, but suggested)
  • Suggested Breakdown. This is not required! This is just some suggestions from the Judges to help teams!
    • 1:00 Show the robot, sensors, and attachments
    • 1:00 Design Process
    • 3:00 Pick your favorite mission (or missions)
      • Show the robot, attachments, sensors, etc. for completing that mission.
      • Show and describe how the attachments and sensors work together.
      • Show the attachments in action if possible.
      • Mime step-by-step what your robot does to complete the mission.  Discuss what is happening and the challenges you had with your design process and how you came to the final solution
   

  Core Values

  • Core Values does not require any physical preparation for judging.
  • Core Values will be judged through the whole judging session, while at the event, and at the robot tables.
  • Core Values is now scored using all rubrics.  Core Values no longer has it's own dedicated Rubric because Core Values should be in everything we do!
   

  Feedback

  • The Judges will provide the team with some verbal feedback before the team leaves the judging session.
  • The judges will also record their comments as previously done on the rubrics which will be sent to the coaches after the event has ended.