age requirements for FRC?

[h1n1is4pigs]

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

[EricH]

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.

[293spike]

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.

[legogeek24]

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...

[EricH]

Originally Posted by legogeek24

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.

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.

[dk5sm5luigi]

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.

[msimon785]

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

[pfreivald]

We have 7th-12th graders on 1551.

[treffk]

Originally Posted by EricH

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.

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?

[Mike o.]

Originally Posted by treffk

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?

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.

[MattC9]

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.

[Techhexium]

Originally Posted by EricH

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

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

[nikeairmancurry]

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

[Mike o.]

Originally Posted by Techhexium

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

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.

[gblake]

Originally Posted by Techhexium

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

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.