2013-2014 Northern California FIRST Tech Challenge Championship Tournament

Take Mowry Avenue exit off I-880 and turn towards bay (east).   Turn left onto Cedar (2nd light).   School is on the right.   The main entrance is at the intersection of Cedar and S Magazine Drive  (there is a traffic light at the intersection).    

• Your robot  – only one … 
• Your smile, patience and Gracious Professionalism!
• Fully charged batteries and charger
• Your Engineering Notebook (PLEASE make sure it has team name & number on the front)
• Make sure you are familiar with the latest Game/FTC Forum updates!
• Spare parts
• Hand Tools- NOTE no power tools or anything that generates shavings, odors or similar are allowed inside
• SAFETY GLASSES – including for any visitors that your team will have (ie parents!)
• laptop computer and power supply
• STIMS Record OR Signed liability waivers for each team member, mentor, or coach- yes, i know that you turned these in to each qualifier already.   We need “fresh” ones
• A powerstrip and  extension cord for use in the pits
• Bring food or money for lunch.  We expect there to be a FIRST team there selling pizza, snacks, beverages as a fundraiser for their team!

ON SATURDAY:    We expect to start setting up the pit areas ~5pm      Starting at ~6pm, we will start robot inspections and possibly judging if we have available teams  

ON SUNDAY:   Team pits open at 7:30am.  The early morning will be spent:

• checking in  –  Pits may be in either Mezzanine level of Event Center (like in 2011)  OR in Cafeteria (like in 2012) 
• final robot inspection – on the competition floor including for those that did not pass on Saturday
• judging interviews  (if you did not have your judging interview on Saturday)

All teams are expected to be on site and signed in at pit admin no later than 8am on Sunday!

There will be a practice field (1 or 2) – if a team can bring. These are shared fields.  Make sure everyone has equal opportunity to practice!  

In the pits, each team will have a 6 foot table with 2 chairs for their use during the tournament.

We will have a brief opening ceremony at ~10am, followed immediately by the beginning of the qualification rounds.  The qualifying rounds will finish in the early afternoon, after a short lunch break. Our goal is to finish all qualifying rounds no later than 3:30pm/4pm  – we need your help to make this happen  [Did you read my last year’s message on how to do this and what impact your attention has on the entire day ?]!

Once qualifying matches are complete, we will hold alliance selection.  We will have 4 Alliance Captains that will each select 2 partners.    Alliance Selection will be followed by a short break, and then the elimination rounds.

It would be good to plan for alliance selection. If you are not familiar with the alliance selection process, make sure to read the Game Manual

We will ask ALL teams to clear out of the pit area immediately after alliance selection.  The 4 alliances (and their partners) that are in the semifinals will MOVE to pit tables physically on the competition floor itself.  We want to be able to completely clear out and close the pits before the final rounds.  

The end of the elimination rounds will be followed by the presentation of awards, and the closing ceremony.   We would really like to be all done by 6pm but we need your help to do that.

There is a very big cafeteria (look for large letters on building with curved roof) – Cougar Commons.   Please eat/drink in the cafeteria!

TEAMS ARE ON THEIR OWN FOR FOOD!