Listen to the recordings of the FIRST Senior Mentor calls for teams:
http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr....aspx?id=10124
If you're sending someone to FIRST Headquarters for kickoff, have them register to attend the workshops held on Friday:
http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr....aspx?id=15787 Can't make it to NH? Click on the title of each workshop to register to view the webinar for that session!
If you're going to a local kickoff event, make friends. Networking is one of the most critical, and oft-overlooked, aspects of a successful FRC team. Even if you're not going to a local kickoff event, host a get-together with some light refreshments and invite neighboring teams to stop by. Network, network, network. And then once competition season begins, scout. And plan your marketing strategy. You have to market yourselves; unless your robot is absolutely stellar, you'll be competing against all the other teams to get the attention of the top 8 who will be choosing their alliance partners. So before you bag (or crate) your robot, take a picture of it. Take one of it with the team, too, wearing their team t-shirts (more on that, below). Create a simple Word doc with the robot picture on it along with a list of things the robot can do. DON'T EXAGGERATE. Just state what you can do well. Leave copies in your pit in case a team comes scouting and you're not there.
Create a team identity. Stick with it, don't change it from year to year. Choose a color scheme, a team nickname, a mascot if you want. I don't recommend using a school mascot because if you should decide to include additional schools in the future or become independent of your school, your previous team identity may no longer be desirable... Lots of well-known teams are known by their identity - MOE wears the brightest green known to mankind. Miss Daisy has daisy hats. Buzz is the yellow smiley face. Everyone can easily name teams in their areas by their team identity. Some teams keep the same general color scheme but may slightly customize their t-shirt designs/button designs each year to match the game theme. But you'd still know them at a glance from a distance. This really is a big deal so give it some thought. Whenever I see crowd shots in the FIRST videos I'm amazed I can identify so many teams - strictly on the basis of their apparel and colors. And before choosing a name, Google it to see if any other FIRST teams (especially in your area) have the same name.
Have questions? Contact your local FIRST people - VISTA, Senior Mentor, Regional Planning Committee chair, or Regional Director - they should be aware of your presence but may not be aware that you need help.