Hi Jennifer, There is no better way to learn about FLL and how to compete than attending a competition. 2 hours a week sounds like a good start. There are several coaching workshops in VA, a couple of them listed here. http://vadcfll.org/coaching.html If you are or someone coaching your team is able to attend, it will provide a lot of great info. Nagesh SeeOn Thu, Jul 28, 2011 at 9:52 AM, Darlene Pantaleo <[log in to unmask]>wrote: > Hi Jennifer! > It's tough to be a rookie since there is so much to figure out. I don't > recommend skipping out on competing, though, as the experience is good for > the team to go through even when they don't think the robot will do well. > Performance is only 25% of the score after all, and they could win an award > in one of the judged categories. > > 1. The National Registration must be done every year. You pay the fee and > you get a new number. > 2. You need to find a computer to get all of the information. It is not > just single sheets--there are guides and manuals. The award categories that > your team will be judged on are performance (on the field), robot design, > research project, and teamwork. Each judging interview is 10 minutes; there > are usually 3 matches on the field--only the highest score counts. > 3. 2 hours a week is plenty for many teams. You will most likely add more > time right before the competition as the kids never feel they are ready. > 4. It doesn't matter if teams have the same name. As to the logos, that > information is on the website. If you get a sponsor's logo to add, you will > need to find out what their rules are, too. > > Tell the parents what your needs are, including the ability to download all > of the information. Perhaps one of them can take care of that for you. You > will need a laptop for competition, and it would be best to have all the > rules, etc., along with the programming on that computer. Also, if you need > to spend money, divide by 6 and ask the parents to chip in, or see if any of > them work for a company that will help out. > > Good luck! > > On Jul 28, 2011, at 12:01 AM, SUBSCRIBE VADCFLL-L Anonymous wrote: > > > Hi, > > My team of 6 has met three times and we're trying to decide whether to > > compete this year or wait. I'm sorry, I'm sure these questions have been > > posted before. I have looked through the archives, but haven't found > what > > I'm looking for. > > > > 1. Is the National Registration a one time fee forever, that will be > attached to > > the coaches name or the school, regardless of what students are on the > team? > > > > 2. I can't download most of the files on here as my computer doesn't > have > > anything except works and pdf capabilities. Is there a sheet from a > previous > > year that breaks down the basics of the competition? I read that the > robot > > missions are 25% of the score, but don't know what encompasses the other > > 75%. > > > > 3. Would it be humiliating for a group of 9-11 yr olds to meet 2 hours a > week > > and compete? My parents don't want to add more at this point, and I > don't > > have a point of reference as far as skill levels in either research or > maneuvers. > > > > 4. Are there licensing legalities to putting logos on team t-shirts? And > how do > > we find out if other teams have the same name? > > > > We don't have funding organized at this point, so I can't go get some of > > these great resource books you have been suggesting. Thanks for any > tips, > > and for posting them yet again. > > > > Jennifer Armstrong > > > > -- 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-ANNOUNCEMENTS-L. Visit > https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-ANNOUNCEMENTS-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-ANNOUNCEMENTS-L. Visit > https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-ANNOUNCEMENTS-l.html to > subscribe. > -- Nagesh Chintada Follow me on twitter <http://twitter.com/#%21/nchintada/> | Connect on LinkedIn <http://www.linkedin.com/in/NageshChintada> | Read my blog<http://nchintada.wordpress.com/> -- 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-ANNOUNCEMENTS-L. Visit https://listserv.jmu.edu/archives/vadcfll-ANNOUNCEMENTS-l.html to subscribe.