It's AUGUST! Time to kick it in gear!
FIRST Tech Challenge KICKOFF!
FIRST Tech Challenge Oregon is a month away from the Rover Ruckus Game Kickoff on SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8th starting promptly at 9:00 AM
There will be In-person Kick-off Events in BEND, HOOD RIVER, UMATILLA, HILLSBORO, EUGENE, CANBY, MEDFORD! CLICK HERE for Rover Ruckus Kickoff Details!
Everyone is invited. Current Mentors/Team Members are encouraged to invite others from schools and organizations not yet participating in FIRST Tech Challenge to see what the excitement is all about.
CLICK HERE FOR FTC Rover Ruckus Resource Page - Read Game Manual 1
ROOKIE NOTE: A Kick-off event gives mentors, team members, an opportunity to see this year's game animation video, see the the field and game elements in person and hear a Head Referee talk about the Game Rule highlights. Some kickoff events offer additional presentations and round table discussions. Game Manual 2 with the specific Rover Ruckus game details is released on this day.
FIRST Tech Challenge Oregon SEASON SCHEDULE 2018-2019
This is probably the #1 question in my In-Box in the past month.
Overview of season schedule
- January Weekends! – League Qualifying Tournaments and Non-League Qualifying Tournaments will be held across Oregon. Click for details that we have so far.
- February Weekends!
- Feb 9 & 10 – FIRST Tech Challenge Oregon Super-Qualifier Weekend!
- Feb 9@Roseburg HS - SQ:Delta & @Hillsboro- Evergreen MS - SQ:Theta
- Feb 10 @ Hillsboro- Evergreen MS - SQ:Pi
- February 23 & 24 – FIRST Tech Challenge Oregon State Championship (@Hillsboro)
- March – no FIRST Tech Challenge events – (FTC West Super-Regional Championship was discontinued)
- April Week!
- April 17 – 20, 2019 – FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship – @Houston, Texas
Regarding Non-League Qualifying Tournaments (NL-QT): For the past years, we have held non-league qualifying tournaments at Oregon State University in Corvallis. After much consideration, we think it is time to look for a different venue(s) that can provide bleachers/chairs for spectators and a comfortable sized Pit Room. It is time to seek Non-League Qualifying Tournament Hosts. Dates open for consideration would be Jan 19, 20 or Jan 26, Jan 27.
Some criteria:
- I would like to locate the event somewhere between Wilsonville and north of Roseburg but not too far off of I-5. Could be at school, organization building, corporate office gym, etc.
- Host teams would have responsibilities beyond providing a venue. Includes volunteer recruitment, volunteering at the event, arranging volunteer food, a budget and funds from ORTOP is provided.
- Host teams would attend not compete at the event they were hosting but would attend a different NL-QT or if a League team, their League QT.
- League and Non-League teams are eligible to apply to host Non-League QTs.
- Host teams who execute the guidelines to standards will earn a slot at FTC Oregon Super-Qualifiers.
- Interested? email cathy-swider@ortop.org for details/application
How much are tournament fees this season?
And this is the 2nd most popular questions in my in-box. LOL!
Answer: Same as last season. Here is a link to event fee schedule information on the ORTOP website.
Help with funding
If your team feels you need help with funding beyond team dues, support from your school, or support from local business, you can apply for financial assistance. Click here for details.
New fee policy: Starting in the 2018-2019 season, teams who do not submit event payments (check, credit card, or official purchase orders) by the published deadline will not be eligible to request a discounted fee and will be sent an invoice at the Full Cost of Program fee.
We are willing to work with you if you have issues paying but we need to know what is going on. Unfortunately, we do not have the human time or resources to spend sending multiple reminders to pay and trying to collect the funds, sometimes even after the event is over. It's become an issue.
Registering for the FTC 2018/19 season!
Only 31 Oregon teams have nationally registered so far. Registering for the season is a two step process.
1) Register nationally at the firstinspires.org site and pay $275 (or be credited with a Rookie Team Grant)
And this is the 2nd most popular questions in my in-box. LOL!
Answer: Same as last season. Here is a link to event fee schedule information on the ORTOP website.
Help with funding
If your team feels you need help with funding beyond team dues, support from your school, or support from local business, you can apply for financial assistance. Click here for details.
New fee policy: Starting in the 2018-2019 season, teams who do not submit event payments (check, credit card, or official purchase orders) by the published deadline will not be eligible to request a discounted fee and will be sent an invoice at the Full Cost of Program fee.
We are willing to work with you if you have issues paying but we need to know what is going on. Unfortunately, we do not have the human time or resources to spend sending multiple reminders to pay and trying to collect the funds, sometimes even after the event is over. It's become an issue.
Registering for the FTC 2018/19 season!
Only 31 Oregon teams have nationally registered so far. Registering for the season is a two step process.
1) Register nationally at the firstinspires.org site and pay $275 (or be credited with a Rookie Team Grant)
2) In September, sign-up for an FTC Oregon event (when link is released) and pay the League or Non-League fee.
Other Questions in my In-Box
Q: Are there any workshops that team members/ mentors can go to?
A: Yes. Any workshops that I know about are published on the Camps and Workshops page. Link is on the ORTOP Home Page. Click here . An extensive one is coming up on August 11 and August 18 at OHSU hosted by FTC Oregon Veteran teams.
Q: Can we order the Rover Ruckus Game Elements? And if so, where?
A: From our friends at Andy Mark! Click here! If you can't afford a full field, a half field will do quite nicely.
Other Questions in my In-Box
Q: Are there any workshops that team members/ mentors can go to?
A: Yes. Any workshops that I know about are published on the Camps and Workshops page. Link is on the ORTOP Home Page. Click here . An extensive one is coming up on August 11 and August 18 at OHSU hosted by FTC Oregon Veteran teams.
Q: Can we order the Rover Ruckus Game Elements? And if so, where?
A: From our friends at Andy Mark! Click here! If you can't afford a full field, a half field will do quite nicely.
Rookie Q: What does my rookie team need to order in the way of robot parts?
- A: In the FIRST Storefront that you'll have access to after payment of your national registration, you can order items the very basic needed items; this is what is available at the FIRST Storefront. Rookie teams will need to order the Rev Robotics Expansion Hub. Rookie teams also need two phones (see Game Manual 1 for legal ones), legal game controllers, and it is suggested that you purchase a basic robotics kit of parts like Tetrix or Rev Robotics. Most teams in Oregon use Tetrix as this is the first season Rev Robotics kits have been offered.
- And this is the FIRST Tech Challenge Kit of Parts Options page . Take a look.
- Strongly suggest that Rookie Mentors read the 2018/19 Game Manual 1- to learn what parts are and are not legal. The phone offered on the FIRST Storefront is NOT the only legal phone. You have choices.
Q: What other resources are good?
A: Start with this page on the firstinspires.org website. For FTC Oregon information, I use the FTC Oregon Team Resource page as a landing page of sorts where I will link the most important information needed depending on where we are in the season.
No comments:
Post a Comment