Lincoln, Nebraska
march 15-16, 2024
FIRST LEGO League Team Information
The following information will assist FIRST LEGO League Teams participating in the Robotics Expansion Event.
Unloading Procedure
Campus Rec Center Unloading and Entrance
Teams can unload their pit items in front of the Campus Recreation Center. There is another driveway location just east of the Cook Pavilion that teams can access to unload pit items. There will be limited wagons and carts available for use.
There will be one entrance to the event, and that is the front of the Campus Recreation Center.
Nebraska Union Unloading Zone
For teams who may want to drive to the judging session to unload judging items, there will be an unloading zone in front of the Nebraska Union on "R" Street. There is also metered parking along "R" Street if you want to park nearby the judging location.
Schedule
Team Check-In
Registration for teams will run from 9:00 a.m. until 12 p.m. noon CST on Friday, March 15. Teams will not have to turn in any items to check-in for this event, just confirm they are present and pick up a coach's packet. The coach's packet will include maps, schedules, a media lanyard and two coach lanyards. The registration tables will be located at Pit Administration which will be in the entrance of the Cook Pavilion. Coaches will be asked to check-in on Saturday, March 16, at Pit Admin between 7:00 a.m. - 8:15 a.m. to ensure your team has arrived.
Coaches Meeting
We will hold a brief coach meeting at 11:00 a.m. in the Coliseum. This meeting is not mandatory but recommended that at least one coach or mentor be in attendance. This is an opportunity to understand the flow pattern through the competition area, ask judge-related questions, ask robot game questions and any other tournament-related questions. A virtual meeting will be held on Monday, March 11, at 4:00 p.m. CT.
Opening Ceremony
At 8:30 a.m. CT on Saturday, March 16, just prior to the start of the Robot Performance rounds, join us for the Opening Ceremony! This is a fun celebration to open the day. After this ceremony, you will be ready to tackle the Robot Game!
Team Master Schedule
Judging Schedule
Herbie Husker Schedule
Match Schedule for Herbie Husker Division
Lil' Red Schedule
Pit Area
Each team will have a team pit area with one standard-sized table and three chairs. Teams will be assigned to a pit table for this event. Team pit tables will be housed in the Cook Pavilion. The pit area will be used for working on your robot, displaying information about your team, talking with judges and spectators. Teams are required to maintain the pit display within the designated boundaries (10' x 10'). We encourage you to decorate your pit area and display information about your team. EZ Canopy's, tents, and balloon arches are all acceptable.
Note: Due to limited electricity inside the Pavilion, do not use any type of decorations that require electricity.
We recommend that you bring the following for your team to have in the Pit Area:
- A bin or large bags (like trash bags) to store personal belongings, like coats, under your table.
- Robot and all robot supplies (attachments and additional building pieces).
- Laptop computer and power cord.
- A box or small bin to carry your robot and attachments to and from the competition area.
- A team display board.
- A team banner or other team sign - to hang from your pit table and carry for Opening & Closing Ceremonies.
- Games (there will be some periods of downtime in the morning -- bring some small games that the team can play when things are slow).
Other items to bring (label EVERYTHING with your team number):
- Robot, attachments, spare parts and all chargers.
- Judging Notebooks.
- Team Information Sheet (3 copies).
- Extra batteries.
- USB cable.
- Laptop with program.
- Snacks/food (eat outside of the Cook).
- Card games if needed.
- LOTS OF ENERGY!!!!
- Gracious Professionalism!!!!!
* Parents like to bring pop-up lawn chairs to sit in during the event. There will be some space along the walls that could be used to set up chairs.
Some Pit Area Rules for you to keep in mind:
- Coaches should NEVER work on the robot, the attachments, or the robot programming. In fact, coaches should refrain from handling the robot, attachments, or the computer - safe your internet surfing for another time.
Note: If your team encounters technical difficulty, let someone at the tournament know so that the officials at the event understand why a coach might need to handle a robot or work on the computer.
Practice Tables
For the Championship, there will be practice tables available and a sign-up for times to use the practice tables. Teams will not be allowed to bring in their Challenge Set at the Championship. There will be eight practice tables available which means each team can sign up for 3 - 10-minute spots. Please be courteous of the team in line after you and be completed before their allotted time slot.Championship Practice Table Schedule
Remember to be gracious professionals when using a Practice Table:
- Be mindful of your time and other teams' needs (in the event that another team has a crisis with their robot - robot repairs, loss of firmware, etc. - please be courteous and allow a team facing a crisis to use your practice time).
- Reset the Practice Table for the next team.
- Make sure you check that you do not take a mission model from the Practice Table.
- Offer help to teams that may need it!
Judging
The judging format will follow the 30-minute flowchart. The in-person interviews will be held in the Nebraska Union. An internal map is available of each judging pod. All judging pods will be on the second floor of the Nebraska Union or the Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center.Note: The Championship will not offer projectors and screens for the Innovation Project judging session. Teams may bring a device such as a laptop/tablet for the judges to view as they move along with the presentation. Teams can show some video footage but keep it limited to 30 seconds and under.
Robot Game
Your team is responsible for knowing and understanding the FIRST LEGO League Robot Game. You are required to know the following for the robot competition: Field Setup, Rules, Missions, and Robot Game Updates.
Coaches: Two coaches will be permitted to join the team on the competition floor, but you must stay behind the line with the team and refrain from actively directing the team during the game. Please do not touch or handle the robot or attachments during this time. Consider yourselves spectators with the best spot in the house to watch the game.
Media: There will be one badge allocated as a “Media” representative for your team. You may exchange the lanyard throughout the day. The purpose of this role is to record the team’s robot game run or take images of the team. There will be a special spot in the game for this role.
On Saturday, March 16 ,your team will participate four (4) times at the Tournament Tables – the Robot Game will begin with a scored Practice Round. The purpose of the scored Practice Round is to give your team the opportunity to experience the queuing process, competition timing, and of course, to get rid of some of those nerves. This scored Practice Round is just that – a practice – and it does not count, even if this is the best score your team has at this tournament. Your Robot Performance score is the highest score your team achieves out of the three official rounds.
NEW: Each team will be able to sign up for two scored Practice Rounds on Friday, March 15. These matches will be scored on the official robot game tables that will be in the Coliseum. You are not required to sign up for these optional matches and your team could even choose just to participate in one match and not both. We are offering this for those teams who may not have run their robot at a Mini-Play, and this can provide the extra prac.ce of what to expect in your official matches. Friendly reminder, please do not edit an existing coach’s submission in the sign-up.
Friday Scored Practice Round Sign-Up Schedule
NEW: Due to the number of competition teams, there will be two official game fields, LIL RED and HERBIE HUSKER. All robot games scores will be collected as if there were one field. With two fields, this is beter for logistics, A/V, and is more spectator friendly.
NOTE: Bluetooth may not be used at the competition tables.
Reminder: Teams will not be allowed to use carts within the competition robot game area. Teams can use carts outside of the competition area, but only folding tray tables will be allowed inside the competition robot game area.
Make sure you are ready to compete at least ten minutes prior to your scheduled robot round. Remember to respect the referees and the other teams – and HAVE FUN!
Awards
The following awards will be presented at this tournament:
- Champion's Award - 1st Place, 3 Finalists
- Robot Design Award - 1st Place, 3 Finalists
- Core Values Award - 1st Place, 3 Finalists
- Innovation Project Award - 1st Place, 3 Finalists
- Nebraska Innovation Award
- Robot Performance Award - 1st Place, 3 Finalists
- Rising All-Star Award
- Motivate Award
- Coach/Mentor Award
- Volunteer Award
- Special Recognition Awards (Based off Pit Interviews)
Advancing Events
The top two placing teams in the Championship will be offered a ticket to two International Invitationals. Coaches should discuss prior to the event, in the case of advancement, if the team will accept the invitation. The top placing team will have their choice between the two events listed below and the second highest placing team will have the opportunity to accept or decline the remaining event. In the case that one of the top two placing teams decline an event, the third top placing team will be offered the opportunity to accept or decline the remaining event.
2024 World Festival
April 17-20, 2024
- Location: Goerge R. Brown Convention Center, Houston, TX
- Registration Fee: $2,000
- Event Web Site:https://www.firstchampionship.org
- Deadline to Accept Invitation: Sunday, March 17, 2024, at 12 p.m. CT
2024 Florida Sunshine Invitational
June 19-23, 2024
- Location: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL
- Registration Fee: $1,750
- Event Web Site: https://floridasunshineinvitational.com
- Deadline to Accept Invitation: Monday, March 18, 2024, at 12 p.m. CT
For questions about this program or the information on this page, please contact: