FTC Coach/Captain Call – January 8, 2026

By Mel Wade |

FTC CoachCaptain Call-20260108_203253-Meeting Recording.mp4

Generated by AI. Be sure to check for accuracy.

Meeting notes:

  • Team Registration and Event Preparation: Mel provided detailed instructions to all teams on completing dashboard registration, ensuring two screened coaches, managing express enrollment invitations for parents, and emphasized the necessity of a printed, signed roster for tournament participation.
    • Dashboard Registration Process: Mel explained that teams must access their dashboard on the event website, ensure there are no red flags, and confirm that two primary contacts (coaches) are listed and screened before proceeding with further steps.
    • Express Enrollment Invitations: Once two coaches are screened, the express enrollment invitation feature becomes active, allowing teams to generate a QR code or registration link to share with parents for youth member registration.
    • Roster Printing Requirement: Mel stressed that teams must print out their roster, which includes all team members and parent signatures, and bring it to the event as it serves as their entry ticket.
    • Resource and Documentation Review: Mel highlighted the importance of reviewing the resources, documentation, and blog updates available on the event website, including information about upcoming control system changes and new hardware.
  • Judging Process and Awards Structure: Fiona and Mel outlined the judging process, emphasizing the importance of Section 6 of the game manual, described the structure of judged awards, and discussed strategies for teams to prepare for interviews and award eligibility.
    • Section 6 Manual Review: Fiona recommended that all teams, not just rookies, thoroughly read Section 6 of the game manual, especially section 6.3, which details team-judged awards, and suggested dividing the reading among team members for efficiency.
    • Award Categories Update: Fiona noted that the Motivate award has been discontinued and replaced by Reach and Sustain, resulting in three Team Attributes Awards and three Machine Creativity Innovation Awards.
    • Interview Preparation: Fiona explained that the structured interview consists of a five-minute uninterrupted team presentation followed by questions, and all team members are expected to participate unless exceptions are communicated to Mel.
    • Portfolio Submission: Teams are required to bring a paper copy of their portfolio to the interview, which judges will retain for the day and return with feedback.
    • Pit Interviews: Fiona and Mel described the importance of pit interviews, which occur during the event, and advised teams to designate members to interact with judges while others continue working on the robot.
  • Safety Requirements and Practices: Fiona and Mel reiterated the necessity for all participants to wear closed-toed shoes and safety glasses in designated areas, provided guidance on selecting appropriate safety equipment, and encouraged teams to practice these habits before the event.
    • Footwear and Dress Code: Fiona emphasized that students must be accustomed to wearing closed-toed shoes at all times during the event, discouraging sandals, flip-flops, or Crocs, and suggested integrating this practice into regular meetings.
    • Safety Glasses Selection: Both Fiona and Mel advised teams to ensure every student, mentor, and potentially parents have comfortable, ANSI-approved safety glasses, including over-glasses for those with prescription eyewear.
    • Practice and Enforcement: Teams were encouraged to practice wearing safety glasses and closed-toed shoes during meetings to build the habit, and Mel noted that safety will be strictly enforced in the pit and competition areas.
  • Robot Inspection and Compliance: Fiona and Mel guided teams through the updated inspection checklist, clarified sizing rules and robot sign requirements, and explained the importance of early self-inspection to avoid event-day surprises.
    • Inspection Checklist Changes: Fiona explained that field inspection is no longer performed separately; instead, teams must use the updated inspection checklist, which now omits some previous field inspection elements.
    • Sizing and Mechanical Limits: Fiona detailed that robots must fit within an 18-inch cube at the start and cannot expand horizontally beyond this limit, which must be mechanically enforced rather than relying on software.
    • Robot Sign Requirements: Teams must create two alliance-colored robot signs with white numbers, using provided templates or their own methods, and affix them securely to opposite or adjacent sides of the robot for alliance identification.
    • Inspection Timing and Support: Mel described the inspection process, encouraging teams to complete inspection Saturday night to allow time for corrections, and noted that experienced teams will assist rookies as needed.
  • Tournament Schedule and Match Procedures: Mel and Fiona described the event schedule, including inspection, judging, practice, and match timing, and provided detailed instructions on alliance assignment, sign switching, and pit area operations.
    • Event Timeline Overview: Mel outlined that team check-in and inspection begin Saturday night, with Vespers and continued inspections Sunday morning, followed by judging, practice, and pit area setup.
    • Alliance Assignment and Sign Switching: Teams receive their alliance assignments and match lists after the drivers meeting, and must be prepared to quickly switch robot signs between matches, with at least eight minutes provided for transitions.
    • Pit Area Operations: Teams are assigned pit areas as their home base for working on robots and storing tools, and must adhere to safety protocols, including wearing safety glasses and closed-toed shoes in designated areas.
  • Robot Game Rules and Field Operations: Fiona and Mel provided an in-depth walkthrough of the robot game, covering field setup, artifact preloading, randomization procedures, match periods, and scoring mechanisms, including the new pattern points system.
    • Field Setup and Alliance Areas: Fiona described the layout of the field, including alliance areas, base zones, loading zones, and the placement of goals, noting the color assignments and their implications during autonomous and teleop periods.
    • Artifact Preloading and Placement: Teams must preload up to three artifacts per robot from their alliance’s designated tray, coordinate with alliance partners on artifact selection, and ensure correct placement to avoid confusion.
    • Randomization and Autonomous Procedures: After robots and driver stations are set up, the field is randomized using the obelisk motif, and teams must not touch their robots or controllers post-randomization except to start or stop autonomous mode, as violations result in fouls.
    • Match Periods and Scoring: Matches begin with a 30-second autonomous period, followed by a two-minute teleop period, with specific rules for when teams can interact with their controllers, and scoring includes pattern points based on artifact arrangement.
    • Stopping Autonomous for Strategy: Teams are now allowed to stop their robot during autonomous for any reason, including strategic purposes, which can be used to maximize scoring or prevent fouls.
  • Awards Calculation and Inspire Award Criteria: Fiona and Mel clarified the evaluation process for awards, explaining that FTC uses seven award categories, the Inspire Award is based on overall strength across these areas, and robot game performance is considered separately from judged awards.
    • Award Category Structure: FTC evaluates teams across seven award categories, and the Inspire Award is given to the team demonstrating the strongest overall performance in these areas, not based on a fixed percentage or rubric.
    • Interview and Portfolio Role: The 15-minute interview and submitted portfolio are used by judges to assess teams for all awards, with teams encouraged to address both robot and outreach efforts during their presentation.
    • Robot Game and Advancement: Robot game results are tracked separately from judged awards and are used for advancement and alliance selection, but do not directly factor into the Inspire Award calculation.
  • Field Mitigation Guide and Common Issues: Fiona introduced the recently released field mitigation guide, which outlines potential field element issues, their in-match solutions, and recommendations for teams to address these problems during practice and events.
    • Common Field Issues: The guide describes scenarios such as artifacts jamming the orc shway, gate malfunctions, and goal bracket dislodgement, and provides instructions for field staff and teams on how to resolve these without stopping matches.
Posted in FTC Coach-Captain Call