FRC Competitions

The Beginning

Kick-Off

Before kickoff, FIRST releases the year's theme that applies to each game. If you don't know already, FIRST also has FIRST Lego League (FLL) and FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), however we only play the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC). This year's theme, as seen on the Home page, is the long-awaited water game. During a kickoff event, FIRST announces the game of the year. This year's game is called Reefscape, though we have no information about it yet. Each game has a certain set of rules and objectives, and we have to build our robot to score points the most efficiently. All the game rules, documentation, and resources are also released at kickoff. After kickoff, teams have only six weeks to build the robot before competitions start.

This season, kickoff is on Saturday, January 4, 2025 at 9:00 am PST.

Load-In

Before the competition starts, we have to load in. This includes packing all supplies necessary for the competition, and shipping it to the competition area. All materials usually get to the location via a U-Haul truck or other similar methods.

The Pits

Once we pack and ship everything, we bring all of it into the pits. In the pits we are given 10' x 10' space, and have to fit everything inside of that space.

Planning and organizing everything is critical to ensure a good load-in and that we can quickly and easily access tools in order for any modifications necessary during competition.

Load-in usually starts on Friday, around 5:00 pm, though we can go anytime after as long as it's before it closes at 8:00 pm.

Opening

Before qualification matches start on Saturday, there are many things happening before the competition starts. Pits open again in the morning on Saturday, and we can continue working on the robot or joining events like opening ceremonies until 11:00 am. During this three hour time frame, there are still an abundance of things that need to get done.

Inspection

Before you can play any matches, your robot needs to get inspected. This is to check if it follows the rules laid out for every robot. This has to pass many things, like a weight requirement, frame requirement, etc. It doesn't take very long, but requires the robot to be done. Any modifications made after means the robot needs to get reinspected. During inspection, you can also flash the radio. This is to set up communication with the robot, the drivers, and the field.

Practice matches are also held during this three hour time-frame, though participating is not required.

Competition

Qualification Matches

Starting a little bit before noon on Saturday is the qualification matches. In every match, you have preset alliances that are completely random, composed of three different teams. You will face off with another alliance, and will try to get more points than them. During these matches, you can gain ranking points in a number of ways, laid out in the documentation after kickoff. These ranking points will come into play during playoffs. This goes from Saturday around noon to Saturday evening, and Sunday morning to noon. Between each match, you can still modify and change your robot.

During these matches, you will want members of your team who are scouting. Scouting is basically going to other teams, looking at their robot, asking questions about their robot, and writing it down. This is to determine good alliance members for later.

Playoffs

Starting after lunch on Sunday are the playoffs. The top-ranked teams (decided based mainly on ranking points but also numerous other factors) will select other teams to join their alliance. There will be eight alliances, and any other teams can remain as backups but are otherwise out of the competition at that point. Each alliance has three members, like the qualification matches. These alliances will go into a bracket-style tournament. If an alliance loses twice, they're out. This keeps on going until every alliance is eliminated except two. At the finals, no matter if they were on the higher bracket or lower bracket, they will play three matches or until one alliance wins twice. Once an alliance wins twice, they win the championship.

Awards

Happening during and after the playoffs are also the awards ceremonies. Throughout the event, judges will decide winners for each award. These are selected for individual teams, not alliances.

Some awards include:

Creativity Award
Excellence in Engineering Award
Quality Award
Engineering Inspiration Award
Gracious Professionalism Award
Imagery Award
Judges Award

Events

There are a total of six weeks of build before you start going to competitions. However, that doesn't mean that competitions will start as soon as you're done building the robot. Here in Washington, there are around five district events. We usually only go to two district events, and the ones we go to depend on how far the location is. After that, if we rank high enough, we go to the Pacific Northwest District Championships, on week six or seven. If we rank high enough there, we go to the World Championships in Houston.

All events work the same, except the World Championships. At the World Championships, you are split up into eight divisions and play a normal event with qualification matches and playoffs. If your alliance wins that division, you go to the final bracket in the Einstein Division. This is the same bracket at normal events, and if you win that, you win the World Championships.

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