West Tennessee
FIRST LEGO League Challenge

Steps for Successful Season

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

General Information about events this Season!

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.
  • 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:
  • 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.

Schedule & Deadlines

Qualifier

  • No Qualifiers this season

Championship (Dates Confirmed!)

  • Registration via West TN FLL system is open when you have paid your RAF.
  • Registration via West TN FLL system closes January 8th
  • Coach Meeting: TBD
  • Championship is January 27th at Collierville Highschool

Robot Rounds

General info about Robot Rounds

  • Teams will have a scheduled Practice Round in addition to their 3 scored runs.
  • Your team will be scored based on the most recent official Challenge Updates
  • No Totes, Boxes, Bags, etc. will be allowed.  All parts are to remain in the Home/Inspection Area as we normally require.
  • Robots will be inspected at the inspection station before every run.

 

Robot Game 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.

Judging

Judging Format

  • Teams will be judged for all 3 areas by the same Judging Pod during a 45-minute session.
  • Please review the new rubrics and other information available on the FIRST Inspires website under Challenge Resources.
  • Only one of the registered coaches will be allowed to go into the judging room with the kids. Parents 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!

 

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 5-minute period.
  • Teams may present using a projector, but the projector must be provided by the team and setup during the 5-minute period.

 

Robot Design Presentation

  • 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, but can if you want.
  • Show an excerpt of code, do not need to show your whole program.
  • Show the robot attempting a mission, perhaps with a slow motion breakdown.
  • 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 robot attempt this favorite mission.
      • Give a play-by-play of what is happening and discuss challenges you had with your design process and how you came to this 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.
  • There will be a reflection period where the judges will ask the team about Core Values and how they functioned as a team.

 

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.