Hello FIRST LEGO League Coaches attending the Championship (see list of teams advancing below):

Congratulations on advancing to the 2018 SBPLI FIRST LEGO League Championship! We hope you are excited as we are! Longwood Central School District has hosted 13 fabulous tournaments and we’re delighted to be back for our 14th year.

There is a lot of information here about the Tournament - please read it completely and carefully!

Remember that spectators are welcome and there is no admission charge.

Tournament Registration and Payment

Step 1: Please register on your Dashboard for the Championship. 

Step 2: Payment:
 

The cost to participate is $75 per team. Remember that it is your responsibility to ensure payment is made before the Tournament to confirm your registration.

            a) You may pay on line via Pay-Pal at at http://firstlongisland.org/payments

            b) You may pay by check.  Checks in the amount of $75 per team should be             made payable to SBPLI Inc.- FLL and sent to Janet Anderson, 155 Hidden Pond             Circle, Smithtown, NY  11787.

            c) You may provide a completed Purchase Order (PO)

We have attached a generic invoice in case you need one. If this is not sufficient, let us know.

If, for some reason, your team will be unable to participate, please let us know by sending a reply e-mail no later than February 16, 2018.  Any team that cancels at the last minute or does not show for the event will be responsible for the registration fee.

Date

Sunday, March 4, 2018……snow date Sunday, March 11, 2018 

Coaches will be notified via e-mail by noon on Friday, March 2, 2018 if we need to use a snow date or delay the opening.

Location of Event

Longwood High School
100 Longwood Road
Middle Island, NY 11953

Tentative Schedule:

Team Check-In:            8:00 AM   

Coaches' Meeting         8:40 AM 

Opening Ceremonies    9:25 AM

Matches and Judging    9:45 AM

Awards Ceremonies      2:15 PM (approx.)

Directions and Parking

At the school, proceed straight ahead to the far end of the large parking lot. Use the SOUTH Entrance to the building. Watch for signs.

You Need to Bring

1. Team Roster from the FIRST data base – Coaches, Mentors and team members should already have completed the Consent and Release forms electronically. Download your team roster from the Team Registration System, print a copy, and bring it with you to Team Check-In.   We have attached a sheet from FIRST explaining how to invite students to your roster.

2. Team Introduction Form - Please complete the attached form and bring three copies of it with you.  Use this form only.

3. Three team photos with team members & coaches’ names written on the back. Staple each photo to a Team Intro form, please. Your team will deliver the Team Information Sheet to each of your judging teams when you attend your judging sessions. 

4. Any item needed for research presentations (AV equipment) or technical judging (programming documentation.) There is no Wi-Fi available, so please do not plan on accessing the internet unless you are set up to do so yourself.

 

5. Your Gracious Professionalism - Remember that all team members, Coaches, Mentors and Parents are being judged throughout the day!

You’ll Probably Want to Bring

1. Flag or Banner for Team Parade

2. Laptop with charged battery. (Teams may be inspired to try new solutions or improve old ones.) Remember to back up your programs to more than one place.

3. Extra LEGO parts, batteries and chargers.

4. Money for food and raffles.

5.  A bin or large bags (like trash bags) to store personal belongings, like coats, under your table.

6.  LEGOS or DUPLOS to donate to LEGOs FOR FUN. For many years we have supported the FIRST tradition of giving back to the community. Previously, we have donated new & used LEGOs to Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Long Island Adolescent and Family Services, the Ronald McDonald House and Toys for Hope.

You Will Find At the Competition

1. Delicious & reasonably priced food will be sold all day. Your purchases will help defray the costs incurred by the Longwood Central School District.  We ask that you not bring in outside food and remember that  FOOD OR BEVERAGES ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE GYM OR THE AUDITORIUM.

2. Raffles

3. Journal!  With all the details of the competition plus wishes from teams and parents for a great day! Please see the e-mail about journal ads and sponsorship opportunities and pass it on to the parents. We appreciate your support!

4. Battery Charging Station - Space is limited so everyone’s cooperation is appreciated!

5. Pit Area - Each team will be assigned to one half of a cafeteria table.

6. Competition Area - Four double field setups will be there. Teams will be asked to queue up outside the competition area and then be admitted to their spot. There will not be a light setup above tables, we will be using the gym's lighting. You will have time to adjust your sensors when you arrive and before each match as part of your set-up time.

7. Robots will be inspected during queuing.

8. Practice Tables - Remember to be Gracious Professionals when using the practice table and follow the directions of the person in charge. There will be a queuing line for the practice tables, and each team will have 5 minutes for practice. Please understand that at least 2 team members and a responsible adult should be on the line with the robot.

o   Be mindful of your time and other teams’ needs (In the event that another team has a crisis with their robot - robot repairs, loss of firmware, etc.- please be courteous and allow a team facing a crisis to use your practice time).

o   Please be sure to reset the practice field for the next team

o   Make sure you check that you do not take a mission model from the practice field

o   Offer help to teams that may need it!

o   There is no need to bring your own Challenge Set or mat. No one will be allowed to set it up in a any area of the tournament.

Mission Scoring with Referees

1. Two team members will review and initial their score sheets with the Referees before they leave the game table. Team members need to know the mission rules and scoring. Encourage the two team members to speak up politely before leaving the table about any questions with the score. Any scoring issues will be resolved by the Head Referee, and his decisions are final. Remember that only students can speak to the referees. Video will not be used for review purposes.

2. Make sure your team has reviewed the technical and challenge updates on the FIRST LEGO League website.

3. Alliance Round: There will be an alliance round just for fun and each team will have 2 matches. Please note that the rules are different than the official match rules.

4. Schedule showing times for robot matches, research, technical & teamwork judging, will be emailed to you by the evening before the event and will also be distributed at registration.

We ask your assistance in meeting our expectation that the teams will be attentive and quiet during the Opening and Awards ceremonies.  Remember your gracious professionalism! 

 

Judging & Awards

Anticipated Awards:

CORE AWARDS: 

Champion's Award - First and Second Place
Robot Performance - First and Second Place

ROBOT DESIGN
            Programming
            Mechanical Design
            Strategy & Innovation

PROJECT
            Innovative Solution
            Research
            Presentation

CORE VALUES
            Teamwork Award
            Inspiration
            Gracious Professionalism

Judges' Awards (optional)

LOCAL AWARDS:

Alliance Award
Zebra Award

1. Remember that teams must participate in all three judging sessions for Project, Robot Design and Core Values, which will take place in classrooms. Teams will be judged throughout the day for the other awards, and Judges may observe teams in the pit and playing areas as well.

2. Robot Design Judging: Robot Design judging will be done with Challenge sets that are provided. Teams will explain their robot's design and demonstrate their programming solutions. We expect teams to bring their robot and attachments, as well as printouts of their programs to share with the judges.

3. Project: Teams are responsible for bringing any equipment needed for their project presentation.  Teams will have five minutes (including setup) for their presentation.  There will be 5 minutes for judges' Q&A session. We hope teams will display their research projects in the pit area so that everyone can see their work. The research presentation is the only judging session that parents and coaches will be admitted to see.  Be sure they go with you to the judging room - no one will be allowed to enter the room once the presentation has started.

4. Core Values: The mandatory Core Values Poster and any other visual aids presented by teams are intended to serve as tools for the team to communicate information to judges. Some of the Core Values are more difficult to observe in Judging – the Poster is a chance for the team to think about those Core Values in advance and prepare to share that information with judges. Expect a teamwork challenge from the judges.

5. Awards will be presented during the Awards Ceremony.  Certificates for participating teams and winning teams will be sent electronically following the tournament.

Competition Rules

1. Each team may have up to 10 members, 9-14 years of age. A child can only participate on 1 team. Coaches will receive wristbands for registered team members which must be worn for judging & competition.

2. Each team must have one adult Coach, mentor or volunteer chaperone over the age of 18, who has successfully passed YPP screening, accompany it at ALL TIMES.

3. Team number should be permanently displayed on the FRONT of the shirt and known by all members. Shirts should have one Team number only on the front.  Teams will be called to events by the team number.

4. Only LEGO parts may be used.

5. The use of Bluetooth devices to download programs or control the robot is prohibited.  Any team found to be using Bluetooth will be DISQUALIFIED!

6. No carts allowed! All robot attachments must be brought to the table before the match and must be clearly visible to the referees and available for robot inspection. Small tables will be available this year for teams to utilize.

7. Only 2 team members are allowed at the competition table during a match. The remainder of the team will remain and watch in a designated area. Optional Tagging In: a team member may return to his team’s area to allow another member to step up to continue the competition. Remember that Coaches AND Parents must refrain from actively directing the team's activities during the game.

8. Coaches or adults should NEVER work on the robot, the attachments or the robot programming.  In fact, Coaches must refrain from handling the robot, attachments or the computer. If your team encounters technical difficulty, and needs assistance, please let an official at the event know so that we can get you help.

9. We expect that any photos or video that you take will be of your team's robot, team members and their performance only.

Respect the site and our hosts, Longwood School District.

1. Wear sneakers.

2. No food or beverages in gym or auditorium.

3. No smoking or illegal substances on campus.

4. No running or profanity.

This is the Championship.  Remember that all rules will be strictly enforced.

Please continue to look for final announcements up until Friday, March 2, 2018.  See you on March 4th!

Good luck to all teams!