In reading the rule book, chapter 9.1 (Regional Awards), we are unfamiliar with a couple of things and could use some help please:
It appears that “most” of these awards are done “subjectively” and “on-site” by the regional judges with no advanced preparations. Is that correct? What can a team do in advance (e.g. make sure everybody has a good story to tell)?
The Regional Rookie All-Star and Regional Rookie Inspiration both seem to NOT require anything in advance except the submission of a rookie version of the Chairman’s Award (due via www.firstawards.org by 2/18.
How in general do teams prepare for these on-site awards?
Can a team go after the same award at MULTIPLE regional events?
I’ll try to help explain some of these things as best as I can to the best of my knowledge.
It is true that judges chose the winners for many/most of FIRST’s awards on-site. Judges, though, do go to competitions with knowledge about your team and what awards you are most competitive for receiving. Teams are asked to fill out information on the Team Information Management System (TIMS) found at: https://my.usfirst.org/frc/tims/
The judges receive all the information your team fills out prior to the event and use this information for the purpose of judging awards. Your team must fill out information concerning Team History, Team’s FIRST Impact, Team’s Strengths, Robot and Game Strategy, Funding Sources, Team Goals, Community Description, Most Significant Challenge Overcome, Most Competitive For Which Awards, and Public Awareness. The only way to access this is through the login that your team’s Main Contact registered with. Make sure that someone on your team has filled out all this information, as well as the rest of the requested information on the site. Also make sure to complete the Chairman’s Award submission to make sure you become eligible for the rookie awards.
Concerning how to prepare: your team may wish to produce any number of promotional pieces to implement and show to judges in the pit during an event. Such things would include newsletters, business plans, team yearbooks, pamphlets and brochures for team outreach programs, promotional videos, flyers and posters about your team, and so forth. All these can be highly beneficial in aiding to explain the functions of your team and how you have endeavored in succeeding in the various areas of FIRST. Teams can also prep by making sure all members of the team are highly knowledgeable about all the functions of your team as well as by designating certain individuals to serve as spokespersons.
And to your last question, the answer is yes. Teams may win the same award at any and/or all the competitions they attend (so long as nothing has changed from previous years!)
Ok, well I hope that helps! If you need anymore assistance, please feel free to PM me. Massive luck in all your endeavors!
Know your stuff. Make sure you have alteast three people in the pits when the judges come around to talk to them about what you’re doing as rookies. These three people have to know your team inside out. They should be exceptionally informed not only about the robot but about the team and its accomplishments as well. Ideally these three people would be the ones who wrote the rookie all star submission. Be calm, focussed and relaxed. You will usually know when judges come around to check out each team. Your performance throuhgout the competition will determine the award you will win. You must have a copy of your Rookie All-Star Award submission handy just in case, to show judges. Bring along a binder full of material to show judges about stuff that you did during build season and before.
It is NOT impossible to win more than one rookie all-star award in the season. You can win one at your first regional and another at your second. This is quite an accomplishment and you need to have some “Wow” factor in your submission for this to happen. I believe you can apply to all the regionals you attend.
Last year we handed in an Executive summary along with our rookie all star award submission.
Great information regarding how to prepare…here are a couple of other things that should occur.
Emphasis should be on having fun…you are rookies and enjoy…one of the best years that you will experience with FIRST.
Students should be the ones prepared to respond to the judges…most judges do not want to talk to us old guys…they will seek us out if they need us.
You don’t have to wait for a judge to come to you…all regionals have different judges with different assignments…seek all of the judges out…give them information on your team (worst case is that they will pass on to the judges that make the recommendations for the Rookie awards). Ask each judge you see to visit your pit area…judges love rookie teams.
Don’t be afraid to ask a veteran team(s) for advise and help…don’t stress yourself out with a problem when help is all around you.
Look at last years rookie winners by regional and find one of the those teams at the regional that you are participating in…visit…ask for advice.
In our rookie year (2001) we had a really good CAD package made up with a very nice cover sheet. We were enthusiastic. We had a Hawaiian themed tiki hut (an Easy-Up with decorations). We all wore hawaiian shirts. We kept our area clean. Our students were very well versed on the robot and the team.
We won two Rookie All-Star awards and came in second in the final round of the Western Michigan regional (thanks Wild Stang 111).
Good luck…