Copyright © 2009 Playing@Learning. This document may not be duplicated and/or distributed, electronically or otherwise, without explicit permission. NorCal.

Copyright © 2009 Playing@Learning. This document may not be duplicated and/or distributed, electronically or otherwise, without explicit permission.

NorCal FLL Coaches’ Training9/16/2009


Playing At Learning

• 501(c)(3) non-profit• Provide & support technology-based

enrichment programs for kids• Completely volunteer-based• Northern California Affiliate Partner:

– FIRST LEGO League– FIRST Tech Challenge

• Support / Promote– Junior FIRST LEGO League


Our Role in FLL• Host the Northern California

Championship• Coordinate all Qualifying Tournaments

– District– Regional

• Provide local support for FLL coaches, teams, and students

• Outreach


Today’s Goals

• Raise comfort level• Heads up on what’s coming• Provide resources for later


Overview

• Coach’s Role• The Season• Tournaments• Resources• Q&A


The Coach’s Role

• Kids do the work!• Facilitate & Challenge!• Control the process, not

the content• Celebrate the successes• Coaches’ Promise

– Read, understand & live it!


Coaches’ Promise1. The kids come first. FLL is about the kids having fun and getting

excited about science andtechnology. Everything my team does starts and ends with that principle.

2. The kids do the work. This is their opportunity to learn and grow. The kids on my team do all of the programming, research, problem solving, and building. Adults can help them find the answers, but cannot give them the answers or make the decisions.

3. My team is comprised of ten or fewer members (all team members participate on only one team), registered as an official FLL team, and all team members are no older than 14 on January 1st of the Challenge year.

4. FLL communicates with my team via my primary email address, and I am responsible for reading and relaying all aspects of FLL guidelines and rules to my team, other coaches, volunteers, and parents.

5. I will encourage my team members, other coaches, volunteers, and team supporters to develop and practice a set of FLL Values that reflects FIRST’s goal to change culture in a positive way by inspiring others through our team’s actions and words.


Coach’s Responsibilities

• Read, know & be a resource for:– The Rules– The Game/Missions and Q&A– The Research Project

• Registration– National– Tournament

• Paperwork - Liability Waivers; Team Profile

• Instill FLL Values in entire team!


FLL Values• Respect each other in the best spirit of

teamwork• Behave with courtesy and compassion

for others at all times• Honor the spirit of friendly competition• Act with integrity• Demonstrate gracious professionalism• Encourage others to adopt these values


Keep in Mind!• FLL is NOT about competition

– 90% is accomplished before tournaments!

– Going through the process is the goal!• Kids

– do the work– make the choices

• Keep it FUN - Celebrate!


Coaching Resources• Coaches Manual• NorCal FLL Website

– http://www.norcalfll.org

• Ning Groups– http://norcalfll.ning.com

• FIRST LEGO League Site• FLL Team Forums• Playing At Learning Website

– http://www.playingatlearning.org


Team Size

• Maximum is 10• Typical is 4-5• Right Size depends on you & kids

– Co-coaches– Structured meetings– Kids with existing relationships


Team Member Ages

• FIRST says 9-14• Upper limit is “hard”

– 14 or younger Jan. 1, 2009

• Lower limit is “soft”– Attention span– Work in team environment for 2+

hours

• Limit age differences within a team


Needed Equipment• NXT or RCX Robot Kit

– Any version of Mindstorms– Any version of software (RoboLab or NXT-G)

• Field Setup Kit– Can share but team must have access

to at least one• FLL Table (or equivalent)• Laptop(s)


Working with Your Team

• Don’t do it alone– All of the kids on the team have parents!– Make them a part of the process

• Snacks• Field Trips / Project background • “Distractions”

• Be patient• Lead by example


Team Meetings

• Frequency– Most teams meet at least twice a

week

• Duration– Typically around 2 hours per session

• Keep it structured• Keep it scheduled


Keeping on Track

• Goals– Team sets them– Periodically review them

• Challenge them– Answer questions with questions

• Don’t let them get stuck


Sharing the Effort

• Team defines roles• Take turns in roles at start• Allow team to “gravitate”• Respect work of others


FLL Tournaments

• 3 tier system in N. CA– 1st Level Tournaments– 2nd Level Tournaments– NorCal FLL Championship

Tournament

• Tournament Policy– 1 1st Level tournament per team– Only 1 Championship per team


1st Level Tournaments• 12-15 or more tournament sites• 12-24 teams each• Variety of locations• All dates in November• Registration

– Open to all NorCal FLL Teams– Opens in October– http://gofll.usfirst.org


2nd Level Tournaments

• 3 tournaments– Sacramento– San Jose– TBD

• 36 teams each• Registration like 1st Level

– Opens in late November


NorCal FLL Championship Tournament

• 48 teams• Location TBD

– Likely in SF Bay Area

• Date TBD– Likely mid to late January


Tournament Registration

• Opens early Oct.• http://gofll.usfirst.org

– Coach login• 1st, 2nd, 3rd choices• Notification shortly after registration

closes• You will be asked to (postal) mail all

liability waivers to Playing At Learning


Typical Tournament Schedule

• 8:00AM Team Check-In• 8:30AM Opening Ceremony• 8:45AMCoaches’ Meeting• 9:00AM Judging Starts• 12:00PM Lunch Break• 1:00PM Rounds Start• 4:30PM Awards Ceremony• 5:00PM Cleanup & Go Home


Team Check-In

• Don’t Be Late!• Turn In

– Team Volunteer Name(s) – if not already

• Receive– Tournament Programs– Team ID’s– Team Pit Table Assignment– Team Schedule


Robot Inspection

• Ensures robot is built following rules

• Not all tournaments do it– Some do once– Some do at start of each performance

round (in the queue)


Opening Ceremony

• Pledge Of Allegiance• FLL Team Creed• Possible Speaker


Coaches’ Meeting

• Mandatory to attend – be on time!• Don’t bring the team!

– Doesn’t have to be the “coach” but needs to be adult that can relay information back to team

– Make sure kids are supervised

• Includes:– Tournament Director– Head Referee

• Final Q&A for the day!


Judging

• 3 judging sessions– Research Project– Robot Design– Teamwork

• 10 minutes with judges• Rubrics in Coaches’ Manual• Be on time – queue 10 minutes

before scheduled


Research Project Judging

• 10 Minutes Total– 5 minute team presentation– 5 minute Q&A with judges

• Setup time counts• Watch out for “technology”• Project Examples on DVD


Robot Design Judging

• 10 minutes• Conversation with judges• Demo of robot

– FLL table in room

• Don’t script it!• Don’t have a “presentation” but

you can direct conversation


Teamwork Judging

• 10 minutes• Conversation with judges• Includes FLL Values & Gracious

Professionalism• Alternate Eval Methods

– Interview in pits– Team observation

• May include input from “wandering” judges, as well as others


Judging Feedback

• Not an absolute number/score• Teams are ranked compared to

other teams• Judges “deliberate” over results• Awards based on deliberations• Rubric-based feedback given to

teams (same day or mailed shortly)


Lunch

• Bring own• Encouraged to buy from

tournament– Pre-ordered pizza– Snacks– Fundraiser

• Food typically NOT ALLOWED in gyms


Robot Performance Rounds

• Minimum of 3 rounds• Highest score• Playoff Rounds

– Possible time filler while judges deliberate

• Practice Rounds– Where schedule allows!


Robot Performance Rounds

• Queue up 10 minutes before scheduled round

• Only 2 kids at table at a time• Match will finish with review w/

referee … KIDS ONLY!• Results are final after referee

review


Robot Performance Round Tips

• Practice• Have secure way to carry robot &

attachments• Practice• Checklist• Practice


Robot Performance Scoring

• Highest Score Counts– 2nd (and possibly 3rd) score as tie-

breaker

• Other awards – other metrics– Rookie Team– Highest Average– Playoffs


Awards Ceremony

• Final Celebration of Tournament• Possible Guest Speakers• Awards• Volunteer Recognition• Sponsor Recognition


Awards• Standard Awards

– Robot Performance

– Robot Design– Research Project– Teamwork

• Others– Champion’s

Award– Rookie Team– Judges’ Award– Volunteer Award


Tournament “Areas”

• Pits• Competition Floor• Judging Rooms• Common Area


The “Pits”

• Work area for teams• 1 table & some chairs• Power (nearby …)• Shared FLL tables for practice• Likely noisy & crowded• Food may or may not be allowed• Possible score display


Competition Floor

• 1 or more competition table pairs• Spectator seating• Score display• Team queuing area(s)• Awards table• Information table• Likely NO FOOD OR DRINK!


Judging Rooms

• Possibly multiple sets of rooms• Typically near pits or competition

floor• May be small• May not be “spectator-friendly”


Common Area

• Typically a cafeteria• Food sales• Place to relax away from noise• Not all tournaments have the

luxury• Eat here!


Bring To Tournament

• Laptop(s)• Robot & pieces• Lunch/Snacks• Extension Cord(s)• Kids• Volunteers


Additional Resources• Coaches Primer

www.fll-freak.com

• Los Altos Roboticswww.losaltosrobotics.org

• High Tech Kidswww.hightechkids.org

• Oregon FLLwww.ortop.org

• FIRST


Wrap Up / Q&A

• Questions?• For more info:

– NorCalFLL Ning Group• http://norcalfll.ning.com

• On the internet– [email protected]– http://www.norcalfll.org– http://www.firstlegoleague.org

Copyright © 2009 Playing@Learning. This document may not be duplicated and/or distributed, electronically or otherwise, without explicit permission. NorCal.

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