I started to learn how to program by getting a Java book and teaching myself. The following 2 summers, I went to a computer camp (
Emagination, to be exact) and took a class in C++ and a class in Java. After that, when I joined the FIRST team, we had pre-season training where I learned how to program the robot and how to do pointers, etc. I've been learning many other things since then from one of our software mentors.
My suggestion is to just get a book on C, get
Dev-C++, and teach yourself.
EDIT:
Oh, and if your team doesn't offer it already, try to get them to do training. That is how I learned how to program the robot, and how our new additions to the software team this year learned how to program the robot. If not, try to get people on your team (members and mentors) to teach you.