age requirements for FRC?
 

hey i was wondering if there is a minimum age or grade level for people wanting to join our team because we have a middle schooler who wants to join our team.
thanks in advance

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

No minimum age limit can be found in the rules. There is a maximum... but only for the drivers and human player.

Obligatory warning: Based on the 2011 and prior rules. Subject to change without notice for the 2012 season. You have been warned.:)

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

Technically there is an age range. However,We brought in several exceptional skilled middle schoolers from our middle school robotics program who had recently received a Tetrix kit to assist us with our minibot. They were active members of the team, and one of them traveled to us with our competitions. We never received any warnings/complaints or anything else of the sort. They all were in 8th grade. We have plans to continue this program (with some modifications) as we discovered it to be an excellent feeder system, and the kids truly enjoyed it.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

I seem to remember a rule that each student can only participate in FRC for a maximum of 4 years. Though I don't remember where I read that, so don't quote me on it.

edit: Maybe that was just a team rule...

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

Nope, no such rule. If so, I'm in violation--I competed for 5 (8th-12th grade). Might be a team rule.

@293Spike: Nope again. There's an entire team of middle schoolers in Texas. The age ranges that you might see from FIRST are unofficial and typically used in marketing/targeting purposes.

The unofficial/marketing age ranges for the FIRST competitions:
JFLL, 6-10 years.
FLL, 10-14 years.
FTC, high school (I think--that's what I remember offhand)
FRC, high school

Note that these are target ages, except for JFLL and FLL. There is nothing preventing a JFLL-aged student from competing in FRC--though teams are allowed to set their own age limits.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

There is no age minimum and no maximum number of years you can compete. There is a middle school team in CT that has been around since 1994, well before FLL existed.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

It's absolutely okay. I was on team 1836 from 7th grade, and it was the best decision I made in middle school.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

We have 7th-12th graders on 1551.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

Technically the age rages are:
JFLL, 6-9 years
FLL, 9-14 years
FTC, 14-Senior (with slight hints that you need to be in high school)
FRC, 14-Senior (with slight hints that you need to be in high school)

The clarification I would like to see is; are people allowed to compete as a student if they graduated a year early, or would they be considered a mentor? Would this also mean they would not be eligible for dean's list also?

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

In the Game Rules it has always been stated that to be a "Driver" or "Human Player" the individual must be a pre-college student team member. As far as the eligibility for the Dean's List, I am not sure as I did not see any specifics in the award documentation like in the Game Rules. Hope this helps.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

Yes Eric there is a team of all middle schoolers down here in Texas, hogzillia(team number escapes me at te time).

But yes!!! Middle schoolers are more than welcome to do FRC.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

I heard this from an offseason event yesterday that FTC is for middle school and high school students, from ages 10-18.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

From what I was told 330 has a 6th grade driver?

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

FTC was originally geared towards High Schoolers as a way to provide a more accessible and affordable program. With the growing number of middle schoolers and sometimes elementary schoolers getting involved with FLL early, they are finding that by the time they reach 7th and 8th grade, these students have developed the skills and knowledge to be able to successfully compete on a FTC team. So yes we are starting to see more and more middle schoolers competing on FTC teams.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

And, if they didn't clarify the difference between the mandatory ages (see the rest of this thread), the age range targeted (but not mandated) by FTC, and their personal opinions; then they did their audience a disservice.

Not being clear on those three points is a common mistake that should be weeded out of our collective consciousness.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

This topic made me think of a question - would an adult, who graduated from high school many years ago but never entered college, be eligible to be a driver?

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

While there isn't a rule about MS students and FRC, you should check with the people that have the insurance for your team. Ours does not allow MS roboteers to use power tools, the prior one from the school district had the same constraint.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

I don't think so because the intent and the wording of the driver/human player requirements seems to indicate a kid currently attending school by the usage of the word student.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

A great point. Our 7th and 8th graders are in a "shadowing program", and among other things are not permitted to work in the pits at competition -- though they can still scout, etc.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

From my understanding, the upper age limits in FIRST competitions are set while the lower ones are more flexible. They are:

JFLL: 6-9
FLL: 9-16 (Or 9-14 in the US and Canada)
FTC: 14-18 (senior)
FRC: 14-18 (senior)

This isn't to say you can't have younger students. I was very involved on my FRC team in 8th grade. Because our school year is off by 6 months in Australia, we recruit kids in 8th grade and up.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

There is an age requirement for being in the pits. From the safety manual:
"Children twelve (12) and under must have a person eighteen (18) or older with them at all times."

This age requirement conflicts with section 4.9 of the 2011 rules where it states:
"Children under 12 MUST be accompanied in the Pit by an Adult at all times!"

Based on these rules some younger Middle Schoolers may require constant chaperoning in the pit area.

Merle
Granby GRUNTS #3146 - FRC Mentor
Granby Red Blox -FLL Coach
Jr Granby Red Blox - JrFLL Coach

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

My daughter, 12, attended many build sessions and served as an active member of the scouting teams at two regionals and the championships. In fact, she wants to not be part of our middle school's FLL team and instead skip ahead to FTC and FRC. I had to convince her that her experience would serve the middle school team and she needs to be a leader. I don't think you can pigeon-hole younger members and instead should consider them case-by-case, as long as the rules are adhered to.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

My brother is 12 years old and is going to the middle school next year.
He told me he doesn't want to go to FLL, he wants to go to FRC.
If he won't be at FRC he wont go to FLL, so we are in a big problem.
I am mentoring our FLL team so I am disappointed that he don't want to be in the FLL.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

In the Canadian system, you may take a 5th year of high school even if you have your diploma. This is the route I'm taking, and under FRC rules I could still technically be an active competitior. For example, 1114's alliance captain this year was a senior on a victory lap, I believe. The rules are pretty vague, but I'm pretty sure it implies (not specifically says!) someone under the age of 19-20 or so as being a pre-college student.

-Nick

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

Pre-college student means pre-college student. You're pre-college. Can't get simpler than that.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

What about a student that graduates from high school, but doesn't go to college immediately after? Are they still pre-college? What about a student that graduates HS and does not go onto college?

Not that I'm trying to find loop holes or anything.... ;)

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

Your brother will either decide to participate, or decide to sit out.

Give him advice, but don't force him. Mentoring is different from commanding.

Let him decide, and let him accept the consequences of his decision.

Starting a VRC or FTC team might be a good 3rd option

Blake

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

The question you need to ask is not whether he or she is pre-college, but whether he or she is a student. If someone graduates from high school and doesn't enroll in college, I think the answer is no.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

Your mistake was that you graduated from high school. You should have failed so you have retake your senior year again and again. That or move to Canada.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

This is starting to sound like it may need eligibility requirements. Dean Kamen always mentions that he blatantly stole from the sports model, so will that mean it will take that next step?

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

Why? Why not leave it up to each team to decide, just like everything else?

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

What a wonderful idea! :)

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

Considering our lead mentor is a technology teacher at one of the districts middle schools, I'd say about 80% or our recruits are from the middle school. In fact, our current Co-Presidents and 3 members of our build team started on the team as 8th graders 5 years ago.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

I went through this exercise with our lead mentor/coach this season when a couple of 8th graders wanted to join the team. The consensus we came to was the only minimum age rule was being over 12 to be unsupervised in the pits.

Due to insurance concerns, our 8th graders were not permitted to use power tools. Due to school rules, they couldn't miss class for our regionals, although they were able to join us on Saturday at our non-travel regional. They also weren't eligible for a letter, since they weren't in the high school quite yet.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

Bacon is a 4-H team so we don't have to follow any school district rules. Our rule is this:

If you are a sibling of a team member you may be on the team with all rights and privileges provided by the mentors

Our youngest member is in 5th grade. He is on the animation team, in fact all of our animation team is 8th grade and younger. They won the Animation award at Florida this year.

If you are in 8th grade and have had one year of FLL under your belt you can come and join Bacon as a full member. The only thing we ask is that a parent travels with them.

Re: age requirements for FRC?
 

We are opening up to 8th graders as well. If they want to do it, why should we stop them from doing it? :]