Starting a new FLL Team

[Allison K]

Originally Posted by Allison K

Team registration is open now. You need two adults to complete registration per Youth Protection policies. Field set up kits are shipping now, so the sooner a team is registered and paid the sooner they will get their kit.

I think official FLL kickoff is August 26th. Website with that info here. If you start a little before or after that date it doesn't much matter, as there's plenty to do beforehand (especially for a first year team) but if you don't get started you'll have time to catch up.

Build period and competition structure are regionally dependent, so you'd need to specify where in Canada you are. In Michigan (where I am) teams attend one qualifying event on (usually) one of three weekends in November, where they have the opportunity to qualify to move on to states. States takes place the first or second week in December and the season wraps up before December break. We have one of the more limited/condensed schedules. Some areas have qualifying events after the new year even, with state championships in February. Some areas allow teams to attend more than one qualifying event.

Oops, read to fast. I see that you did specify a location. This website here is a bit out of date, but notes that the 2013 FLL Championship was on January 18th. If they stay consistent that may give you an idea of the build period. The contact listed on that sire may be the person to ask which weekends qualifying and championship events will be held on this year. There is no concept of bag and tag or stop build in FLL, so event dates determine the length of the build period.