Congratulations on starting an FLL team!  It has been the most awesome experience for us!  I agree with everything said above too.  I started a team two years ago for my son and a few of his friends.  They were all just turning nine that year, so they were the youngest in the age range, and several people had recommended to me to keep it small with a very young team.  That was the best decision, especially with a first time team (and coach!).

A team of four was the perfect size for us because we met at my house and I do not think I could have kept any more than that engaged and actively working on the project at the same time.  However, if you have an assistant coach, you could split into two groups and have each group working on something different.  We did that a lot even with just four.  Two kids would work on programming while the other two worked on research and then they would switch.  I did have an assistant coach but he was not able to be there for every practice.  We were much more productive when we had two adults there though.  Each member had the opportunity to work on all aspects of programming and research this way.  I think if you have older kids, it is much easier to have a large team.

We split the costs among the parents, but this year I am going to apply for some sponsorships.  There are lots of grants out there for schools and technology, so do a little digging and you may be able to find some money (since you are a school) if you will have families who are unable to contribute.  Although it is not prohibitively expensive, and certainly not any more expensive than sports fees when it is divided up.

I definitely think you should start now.  Our team is already meeting this month to work on some programming theory and to start exploring the topic of biomedical engineering.  We plan to meet over the summer too.  Not weekly or anything, but we will be meeting.  I would start gathering interest and names now, and do at least one informational meeting.  Then maybe you can get your team from that group and start communicating over the summer.  If you wait until school starts, you will have no time to get the planning hassles out of the way in time to really start the challenge.  It is a short eight weeks!  We always feel like we don't have enough time, despite feeling like we start early every year!

We only have one robot, though we have a lot of extra parts because my kids have access to their excessive Lego collections at home.  :)

Please feel free to ask questions.  I highly recommend going to a new coach workshop (the one with Ralph Grove at JMU was awesome) and networking with more experienced coaches.  I cannot say enough about the wonderful advice and mentorship I received from other coaches!  (Thanks, by the way!)  This will be our third year in FLL and the kids have had such a great experience.  I have learned right along with them, though they surpass me in their programming skills by now!

Good luck!

All the best,
Sonya Shaver
Nanobots in Harrisonburg, VA



On Thu, May 6, 2010 at 8:37 AM, Matthew Cuba <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Well, hopefully this is the place to ask these questions.  I'm sure someone will chime in if it isn't.

I'm looking to start an FLL at my son's middle school here in Spotsylvania, VA.  I'm in the very beginning stages of this right now - talking with the school's Principal and doing a lot of reading. All of this is new to me.  Of course, funding will be a BIG challenge.  Realistically, we probably won't get going until the beginning of the school year (late August) though I might be able to get an informational meeting put together before the school lets out for summer. 

What is a reasonable timeline for a new team and a new coach?  Can I realistically assemble the team when school starts in the Fall and meet once a week after school and have sufficient time?

I'm hoping to come up with funding for at least two robots.  Should this drive the number of team members?  Should I limit the team size to < 10 in this case?  I'd hate to turn anyone away who is interested but I'm wondering if logistically too many kids and not enough robots will be a problem.  It would seem that 5 kids to 1 robot would be too high, but I don't know that for a fact.

Are there any clinics or meetings that would be useful for a new coach to attend within 50 miles of Fredericksburg, VA?  I see there is an expo in D.C. in May.  Looks interesting.  Do I have to have registered as a team prior to attending?   Not sure we'll have funding worked out by then.

Thanks,
Matt

--
"Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions."
--Oliver Wendell Holmes
To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or leave the list".
VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via VADCFLL-ADMIN-L. Visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-admin-l.html to subscribe.

To UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your settings, please visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-l.html and select "Join or leave the list".
VADCFLL administrative announcements are sent via VADCFLL-ADMIN-L. Visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-admin-l.html to subscribe.