I have chosen my top 3 choices for the regional tournament but how do you pay??? Is has the paid? on the screen. My school has 3 teams and it is imperative we are all at the same competition. Can someone lead me in the right direction please??!! On Fri, Oct 2, 2015 at 4:50 PM, VA-DC Referee Advisor <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > There have been a lot of helpful and informative replies to these > questions, and I just wanted to supplement those with some Core Values > observations. > > FLL creates an annual Challenge as a way to spur interest and excitement > in teams about robotics, solving problems, and applying technology to > achieve goals. Teams only get a limited time to work on the Challenge in a > competitive way, and that focuses interest, and introduces some real-world > engineering constraints. (This is the way that all FIRST sponsored > robotics programs work.) > > As it says in the Coaches' Handbook, teams learn that friendly > competition and mutual gain are not separate goals. The Core Values > include: > We learn together. > What we discover is more important that what we win. > We have FUN! > > It is true that FLL tournaments have a competitive element--that adds some > spice to the mix. But what I'm looking for as a referee or judge is that > teams are competing with their own personal bests--to do the best that they > ever have with this Challenge. Our goal in putting on tournaments is to > allow the teams to "show what they can do"; they've worked all season long, > and this is our opportunity to see that and celebrate what they have > accomplished. > > There is, officially, no such thing as losing an FLL tournament. There's > a participation award for every child (and often coaches), and most of us > long-time volunteers recognize that this is the most important award that > we give out. The experiences that the team has are the real long-term > reward for the work they put in during the season. (And many coaches have > heard from me that the most important part of the tournament is not when > the teams meet with the judges and referees...) > > Yes, we do have awards to recognize excellence, and to provide an > additional incentive and inspiration for all teams to do their best, and > the hierarchy of tournaments is part of that structure. But you'll see > that the journey really is its own reward. > > > So, if your team goes to a tournament and is not invited to advance to the > next level, is that all there is--are they done? Not necessarily. > There's probably a break, to relax and get over any disappointment. But > after tournaments, team members are often full of new ideas, that they are > eager to tinker with and try out. We hope that they continue to improve > their skills with robotics, and problem solving, and sharing their > experiences with others. We encourage teams in areas with multiple > tournaments to attend one before or after their tournament, just to see > more ideas, and stay excited. There are also opportunities to attend via > the internet, locally and around the world, if you aren't able to go to one > in person, and to be in the audience for FTC, FRC or other robotics > events. Or mentor a Junior FLL team! > > As Nick Swayne said, there is some interest in friendly events in the > springtime; I know that there are some opportunities already, and teams can > organize and host a friendly get-together with another group. > > FLL and intellectual pursuits are like athletics--if you totally stop > doing things at the end of a season, you'll get rusty, and need time to get > the kinks out the following year, but, if you stay active in related > activities, you can continue to improve skills, and round out your > abilities by trying new things. > > > That's more than enough philosophizing for today. In just one more month, > we'll have tournaments underway, with teams talking about what they can do > now that they couldn't do before, what they are most proud of > accomplishing, and what makes the judges and the other teams say WOW! > > Steve Scherr > Virginia-DC FLL Referee Advisor > > > On Fri, Oct 2, 2015 at 1:20 PM, <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> Hello all, >> My name is Tim. I am from Mindframe Education (Mindbot team), and this is >> our first time doing FLL, as well as my first year coaching an FLL team. >> The information is very overwhelming, and we are a little late in terms of >> preparation. I would greatly appreciate it if you guys can help me with the >> information on the followings: >> 1. The important dates other than the ones listed on the websites. For >> instance, on the FLL websites, it says that Nov 14th - Jan 17th are >> regional tournaments. But when is it for us, the Northern VA and DC area? >> And where does it take place? >> 2. Where does our regional tournament take place? >> 3. What happens when a team wins a loses in the regional tournament? Does >> the team advance to the next regional round, or does the team move on and >> compete in a bigger tournament? And when a team loses in the regional >> tournament, does it mean that they are done and have to wait till next year >> FLL? >> We would greatly appreciate it if you guys can provide us with the above >> information. Thank you in advance! >> With regards, >> Tim >> >> -- 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. -- *Cindy Watson* Biology & Leadership Teacher Science Department Chair ACE Coach SCA & NJHS Advisor FLL Robotics Coach Girls on the Run Liaison Altavista Combined School -- 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.