FLL Tournament Teams and Coaches,

  It's been 8 weeks since the Nature's Fury Challenge was released, and
over the next four weeks over 500 teams will compete in the Virginia/DC FLL
Regional tournaments.

  What should you expect?  You'll visit with three different sets of judges
to show them what you can do. You'll take your robot to the competition
floor at least 4 times to play the Robot Game.  You'll meet lots of other
teams who have thought about how people can be independent, engaged and
connected, as well as how to build and program robots--just like you!  It
will be a busy and fun day.

  What will happen in judging?  What are the judges looking for, anyway?
The judges will all be using the Nature's Fury Rubrics to let you know what
they see.  The rubrics are available on the web at
http://www.firstlegoleague.org/sites/default/files/Official_Event_Info/CombinedRubrics.pdf<http://firstlegoleague.org/sites/default/files/Challenge/Combined%20Rubrics.pdf>.
That's in the "Judging and Awards" section of the main FLL website.

  Most judging sessions in VA/DC FLL are about 10 minutes long.  They each
have different formats.

Project Judging:  During the first five minutes of the session, you set up
and present the project presentation that tells about your
research problem, solution, and sharing.  [Yes, setup time is part of the 5
minutes.]  For the rest of the session, the judges will ask you
questions about your research and solution so that they can understand all
the things that you've done.

Make sure to read the requirements in the Nature's Fury challenge that
describe what you'll need to do to be eligible for awards.  Teams are
expected to do their setup without adult help, and to have everything that
they will need for the presentation (except we'll supply a desk or a table.)

Robot Design Judging:  Be ready to talk about what your robot can do, and
how you designed it and programmed it to work on the Challenge missions,
and why you made the choices you did.  The judges will have a Robot Game
table, and will probably ask you to demonstrate one or two of your favorite
programs.

Core Values Judging:  The judges will give you a few minutes to work as a
team on a secret task.  Then they'll spend about 5 minutes asking you
questions so they can see how your team understands and lives the FLL Core
Values.  By the way, the secret task is just for fun--the judges are really
mostly interested in how you work together.

Core Values Poster:  One new and completely optional item this year is a
core values poster.  This poster can be used to enhance visibility for
other teams and judges of the key aspects of your team's demonstration of
the core values promoted by FIRST.  This can be displayed at your pit and
brought into the core values judging session to help facilitate discussion
after the Cove Values challenge should the judges desire (no presentations
please during the judging session).  The poster can be used to highlight
how your team has helped to spread the FIRST message and vision.  It is
suggested that no more than two hours should be spent in creating this
poster.

  Lots of experienced teams like to use one of their last meetings to
practice being in the judging sessions.  Maybe you'll have the chance to
show your families everything your team can do.

Tournament Schedule:
  Your tournament will give you a schedule telling you when you are
supposed to be at judging and at the tables.  Try to be there 5
minutes ahead of time--that's the gracious and professional way to behave.
 You should wait quietly until your team is asked to
enter--the judges have to spend some time between teams in order to mark
down their evaluation.  You'll get those judging sheets back at the end of
the day to provide feedback about skills that your team does well, and ones
where you can look to improve.

Judging Etiquette for Coaches and Mentors
  FLL Judging in VA/DC is not open to spectators.  (Note that some
tournaments may have more open judging because of their specific host
facility.)

  Each team is permitted to have two coach/mentors in the judging room as
observers.  A third person may also be present, serving as a team
historian, with a camera or recorder.  Observers are expected to minimize
their disturbance of the team by not speaking and staying to the sides or
back of the judging room.  Some teams may choose not to have observers
during judging.

  Gracious Professionalism applies to all attending the tournament (team
members, coaches, parents, spectators, volunteers, etc.). Our purpose is to
celebrate the accomplishments of all FLL participants during the season.
 Please remember to focus on that.


Awards
  Judging and awards are discussed at
http://www.firstlegoleague.org/event/judgingfaq<http://firstlegoleague.org/event/judging>Awards
are given in each age Division.  In accordance with FLL policy,
teams must participate in all 3 judged areas (Project, Core Values and
Robot Design) and the Robot Game to be eligible for any Core Awards. In
addition, teams are only eligible to win one judged award at the tournament.

  We'll celebrate and recognize the achievements of all teams during our
closing ceremonies, so be ready to cheer!

Steve Scherr
VA/DC FLL Referee Advisor

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