First Tech Challenge FTC Robotics – Preparing for the Championships
Congratulations! You have just received the Golden ticket to go to FTC Robotics World Championships. Once you get past the euphoria, there is not a moment to lose before you start planning and preparation. If you are going to Worlds for the first time, this blog may help you get started.
I’ve been fortunate to visit World Championships with multiple teams for eight years. Most of the trips were to St. Louis and the last one to Houston, but this information should be still relevant.
The World Fest is different form anything you have experienced in the season. It’s a Carnival, a technical conference, and multiple competitions (Jr FLL, FLL, FTC and FRC) all rolled into one. There are so many things happening at the same time, you will need to plan ahead to get the most out of it.
Travel & Accommodations
Planning out the travel and locking down your accommodations are top priority. Just remember there are multiple teams who are trying to leave and come back on the same days. The longer you wait, the more expensive the travel can become.
Getting the robot and a core set of the team members there a day before inspection starts is ideal. Every year there is at least one team whose robot gets delayed because of airline/travel challenges. Also plan on getting the full experience and staying there for the closing ceremonies. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, so it’s not worth trying to get a cheaper ticket by coming back early. I also have personal experience with a team where half the team members decided to fly back before the award ceremonies and they missed their big moment when the team won. There will be lots to carry with you – robot, tools, judging, pit stuff, etc. Added baggage fees may be a consideration also.
Accomodations where the hotel is attached to the competition venue or within walking distance is obviously preferred. There will be long days and very early mornings – practice pits open around 7am and the team will find long lines at Starbucks to even get a coffee. So not having to worry about travel/drive time to the venue can help immensely.
Budget & Expenses
If you are an out of state team, the trip can get expensive especially if you have to fly. A back of the envelope calculation can get you in the ballpark of the budget you will need. A quick check on the travel website, $200/day/room, number of people travelling (and willing to share rooms), and food expenses will get you started. Add another $200-500 for parts, pit design and promotion.
Now is a great time to reach back out to your sponsors and see if they can help you again. Many of the core FIRST sponsors have additional grants that may be available to you. Many teams also use gofundme or other crowd sponsoring sites to get support from family and friends.
The Pit: Promoting the Team
The one big difference with Worlds compared to some of the state competition is the size of the team pits, and how people decorate it and promote the team. Typically it’s a 10×10 feet (this changes based on the venue) pit space that teams creatively dress up and use to actively promote their teams. A quick search online will give you a lot of ideas/pictures on what teams have done in the past. Many teams use a camping canopy as a base frame, while others use light weight PVC pipes/joints. Event coordinators will also let you know about the pit constraints – typically loud music or even balloons may not be allowed. Pay close attention to the exact pit dimensions, including height restrictions.
Teams also use pins, pens, chocolates, brochures/handouts and a bunch of other innovative ideas to engage other teams at the competition. Plan on the lead time to get some these things ordered and shipped. Also this can impact your budget and add to all the things that you have to take along with you in addition to the robot, tools and judging boards. Some of these promotional materials can help your team stand out and remembered such as a flag or a hat that can be shared with the Emcee during match introductions. Just remember, these are not a “must have”. You will still make a lot of friends and have a great time even if you don’t hand out free stuff. So look at being creative within your budget and your constraints.
Competition Days
At Worlds, you will be competing over more days, more matches and you should expect your robot to take more of a beating. Teams always bring along a good set of replacement parts for repairs. If for whatever reason a standard part fails and you don’t have it, some other team may have a spare and most teams are happy to help – but don’t plan on that. All custom parts (for example 3D printed parts) that are essential and could fail, should have replacements. Beyond the robot and tools, you need all your boards and other props for judging. All of these things can add up, and you need to plan for everything that you need to take along.
Practice pits open early and teams are there early to get a spot to ensure their autonomous programs are working, or even doing a little scrimmage with their alliance partners.
You will need team members at the pit (in addition to competing and scouting) because you never know when the judges will come by. If you have a really small team and absolutely cannot afford to have someone at the pit, plan on having a “Will be back by” sign so the judges know when they can come back to talk to the team.
Plan on taking the robot and a core set of tools with you back to the hotel. Usually you will be making some repairs and adjustments in the evenings. This is where having a hotel within walking distance can help. A cart or wagon to take the robot / tools back and forth is invaluable.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn from other teams. There will be lots of teams sharing unique ideas about their robot design, engineering notebook and other aspects. Our team always came back with a ton of new ideas on how we could improve the next season. Take lots of pictures!
Fuel & Hydrate the team
There are lots of food options around, but there are long lines for breakfast and lunch. Restaurants in the vicinity fill up quickly, so plan ahead on team dinners.
University Row & Local Colleges
Beyond your competition, there is so much more going on at Worlds. Sophomores and Juniors must check out University Row where there are a lot of universities representatives interested in talking to you. There are also local universities that you can visit. This is a great opportunity to make the connection with the colleges of your choice – a must do for your college application process.
Have Fun
Congratulations! You are going to have a once in a lifetime opportunity. There will be ups and downs during the event. It will be heartbreaking to go into a match where you think you have a great shot at winning, but things go wrong. But look beyond all that to the broader experience. Get some selfies with some celebrities, maybe even Dean, sign Woody’s shirt.
It will be an experience that will last you a lifetime. Have fun and enjoy the ride.
If you are a team that has gone to FTC Robotics World Championships and feel there are some things that you were not prepared for, add to the comments.
