FIRST Technology Challenge

FIRST Tech Challenge is excited to partner with AndyMark on Field and Game Elements for the 2014-2015 Season.  That means you no longer have to build a practice field, but can purchase one from AndyMark and have it shipped to you after Kickoff (no Team pre-orders!). They will offer teams a full or half field option and each kit comes with the Field Setup elements and Game Elements. Don't worry, you can still build a field if you want to! But what will they be? Each year, the Game Design Committee drums up a new element that presents a variety of manipulation challenges for teams to overcome. They've chosen wiffle balls, rings, two varieties of racquet balls, hockey pucks and batons, to name a few.  Since elements are different from year to year, teams must redesign their robots each season to accommodate the new item and the scoring objectives. What do you think this year's element will be?  Leave your guesses below and go to a kickoff event , or go to www.usfirst.org/...

In case you missed the big news in the most recent FTC Team e-mail blast, I want to take this opportunity to let you know that FTC Teams are now eligible to compete alongside FRC Teams for the Media and Technology Award, Sponsored by Comcast/NBCUniversal (formerly the FRC Website Award)! This award recognizes the FRC or FTC Team that develops and implements the most outstanding digital experience, marketing strategy and rationale for digital channels to share the FIRST  mission with the public.  It will be awarded to the team that looks beyond just their team website and takes into account the various ways people search for and consume content. The award was originally started in 2003 as the FRC Website Award.  As technology advanced and people changed the ways in which they consume media, the award expanded to include digital media as well.  The Comcast Corporation began sponsoring the award in 2013 and this year, the award received its name makeover and eligibility...