Hillsborough FLL Regional Tournament Preparation Details
December 9, 2007

What's New (updated 12/10/2007) Quick Links: Links to Other Sites: For Sale:

Date:  December 9, 2007
Time: 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM (Setup begins at 8:00 AM)
Location: The Nueva School
Address: 6565 Skyline Boulevard, Hillsborough, CA 94010
(see maps below)

See the WELCOME MESSAGE sent on October 29.

If you notice anything on this web site  that is incomplete or incorrect (e.g. left over from last year), or have any questions, please let us know at nuevatournament@roboticslearning.com or phone 408-910-1176

DIRECTIONS

The capacity of this tournment is 12 teams.

TEAM LIST (updated 11/26/2007)

NEW: Click on your slot number to view a highlighted schedule for your team (PDF format)
 
slot pit Team Team Name City Coach Boys Girls Coaches
1
3068
 HillviewRobotics@SAP Menlo Park Manfred Kopisch
7
0
1
3
2448
 Robohawks Menlo Park Tom Lyons
5
 2
2
1
2001
 Cosmic Comets Santa Rosa Tina Souza
8
2
1
3
2893
 SAP Power Users San Bruno Kirti Schoener
6
0
2
2
3050
 Nueva Nuclear Shock Hillsborough Laura Robbin
4
0
2
2
3051
 Nueva Team Green Hillsborough Peter Rathman
4
1
3
1
6856
 Orinda OIS White Robo-Bulldogs Orinda Laura Foxworthy
6
1
1
1
7166
 Orinda OIS Grey Robo-Bulldogs Orinda Laura Foxworthy
7
0
1
2
5806
 RoboFerrets Sunnyvale Helena Jerney
4
0
2
3
477
 RoboChicks Los Gatos Pamela Maker
0
6
3
2
70
 Smiling Noodleheads Los Gatos Suparna Vashisht
0
4
1
3
2088
 Super Sonic 'bots Silicon Valley Cynthia Bruketa
2
4
3

Payment Instructions

There will be a $50 per team tournament fee, and your space will be confirmed when payment is received.  Payment is being handled through Playing At Learning (www.NCAFLL.org).  Additional donations are welcome (and needed to cover projected a budget shortfall).  Please follow the following payment link:

VOLUNTEERS

Each team must provide at least one adult volunteer (other than the coach) to help with the tournament. We do our best to make sure that volunteers get an opportunity to see their own team participate if that is possible and requested.  Sharing volunteer jobs among 2 or more parents is a good way to achieve this.  Teams can also volunteer in other ways, such as transporting and/or providing a table and field elements.
TEAM VOLUNTEERS
Team
Position
Name
HillviewRobotics@SAP Queue Manager PM #1 Michelle Bercow
Robohawks Queue Manager PM #2 Frank Adams, etc
Cosmic Comets Pit Boss PM Pit 1* Priscilla Vivio
Cosmic Comets Pit Boss PM Pit 1* Joe Vivio
Cosmic Comets Queue Manager PM #3 Wendy Young
Cosmic Comets lending pit field mat and models Tina Souza
SAP Power Users Pit Boss PM Pit 3 Stan Kresniak
Nueva Pit Boss PM Pit 2 Ken Ross
Nueva Timekeeper, etc Nick Pegley
Nueva Assist Alison Bonnie Fought, John Garber
Nueva Queue Manager PM (GCC) (Bonnie or John or Nick?)
Orinda OIS Robo-Bulldogs Queue Manager AM #1 Michael Wheeler
Orinda OIS Robo-Bulldogs Pit Boss AM Pit 1 Karen Sakai
Orinda OIS Robo-Bulldogs Queue Manager AM #2 Michelle Perrin
Orinda OIS Robo-Bulldogs * Ginny Ross
Orinda OIS Robo-Bulldogs * Ann Orel
Orinda OIS Robo-Bulldogs * Kate Mack
Orinda OIS Robo-Bulldogs * Marta Wallace
RoboFerrets Queue Manager AM #3 (Helena Jerney, coach)
RoboChicks Checkin / Queue Manager AM (GCC) Linda Swenberg
RoboChicks Runner / Timer Diane Manning
RoboChicks KidZone Supervisor PM (with 2 kids) Dean Takahashi and Nancy Chin 
Smiling Noodleheads Transporting Tables Joe Steger
Smiling Noodleheads Pit Boss Morning Pit 2 Fanny Roan and daughter
Super Sonic 'bots Pit Boss Morning Pit 3 Cynthia Bruketa

Equipment and Supplies Needed

High School Volunteers

We will give community service hours to High School students that volunteer. This is a really fun way to fulfill student community service requirements! Let your students and friends know.  Student volunteers must be supervised by a responsible adult.

JUDGES AND REFEREES

We need a team of judges to interview and assign awards to the teams, and referees to oversee and score the robot competition.  Judges and referees should not be affiliated too closely with any competing team. Judges are required to study training materials ahead of time, and should be prepared to attend a training session or phone call.

Technical judges should have some background in engineering, programming or design.  Project judges should have some background or interest in presentation skills, teamwork, or this year's challenge theme (Energy).  All judges and referees should enjoy working with and inspiring children.

If you know anyone interested in volunteering as a judge or referee, have them email nuevatournament@roboticslearning.com or phone 408-910-1176
 
KEY VOLUNTEERS
Position
Name
Director Alison Ross
Director Steve Putz
Judge Advisor James Isom
Head Referee Eva Carrender
Referee Alan Littleford
Referee Krishna Atreya
Referee Jon Perkins
Project Presentation Judge Caroline Sloan
Project Presentation Judge Anand Ramachandran
Robot Design Judge Ian Gilmore
Robot Design Judge Lukas Kuhn
Teamwork Judge Jose Alvarez
Teamwork Judge (arrive 9:30) Charles Zheng
Check-In, etc Laurie Higgins
MC Kim Saxe
Presentation Video Operator Forrest Glick
Scorekeeper Brooks Patton

VOLUNTEER Check-In Times

SCHEDULE (Sunday, December 9, 2007)

8:00 AM - Begin Set-up (contact volunteer coordinator for your volunteer arrival time)
9:00 - 9:15 AM - Teams check-in
9:30 - 9:45 AM - Light sensor calibration opportunity
9:45 AM - Coaches Briefing
10:00 AM - Opening Ceremony
10:30 AM - 12:00 AM - Morning Robot Competition and Judging Interviews
12:00 - 1:00 PM - Lunch
12:45 - 2:30 PM - Afternoon Robot Competition Rounds and Judging Interviews
2:30 - 3:00 PM - Clean-up (teams vacate pit rooms)
3:00 PM - Awards
4:00 PM - Final clean-up

(schedule, team assignments and time slots are subject ot change)

New: Click Here for PDF version of the schedule

(2-page generic master schedule)

MAPS
 
The Nueva School (Yahoo Maps Link)
also see directions above		 Site Map (PDF)
GCC Robot Competition Area
L Lobby / Check-In / Info (and Kid Zone)
V Project Video Viewing Room
P Project Presentation Judging
D Robot Design Judging
T Teamwork Judging
1, 2, 3 Team Pit Rooms
Pit and Judging Rooms GCC Building Layout Map (PDF)

FOOD and LUNCH

An assortment of breakfast, lunch and snack items will be available for sale throughout the day, so please plan to eat with us!  Food sales will help support the tournament and a local charity.
 
Update on 11/30: We are still finalizing the details, but we’re most likely going to offer pizza slices, whole fruit, bagels, snack bars, soup/noodles, brownies or cookies, as well as beverages (likely water, juice squeezes), etc.  I’m guessing the pizza will be $3, with most other items being $1-$2, depending on their cost, which is still being resolved.  I would guess that $5-6 would feed most children pizza, a drink, and either a piece of fruit or a dessert item.

 We will also be offering breakfast items (bagels, hot chocolate, whole fruit, possibly yogurt tubes), again mostly $1-$1.50 per item, depending on our costs.

Hope this helps—

PREPARATION AND WHAT TO BRING

Review your coaches' handbook, the challenge rules, and the challenge Q & A web page (http://www.firstlegoleague.org/default.aspx?pid=29620).  Did I say review the coaches' handbook?  REVIEW THE COACHES' HANDBOOK.  Many common questions are answered in the excellent resource.

Prepare and bring the following: [new info added 12/3]

Also Recommended: You will be provided space in one of the team "pit areas" and shared access to a practice playing field.   No field parts may be removed from any playing fields at the tournament.

Each team should bring a laptop computer, extension cord, and parts for making repairs or improvements to your robot and programs.  For RCX robots, bring a cloth, box or other method to cover your robot and IR tower when downloading programs, to prevent interference between robots.  Make sure your IR tower is set to "Short" range (see the software settings screen).  For NXT robots, the Bluetooth feature must be turned off and not used while at the tournament.

Everyone is invited to bring some money to buy food, souvenier items, etc.

TOURNAMENT PROCESS (Subject to Updates)

Each team should arrive in time to check-in as scheduled (will be indicated in the team list above).

On arrival, each team will check in, turn in their signed release forms for all team members and mentors.

Each team will receive a tournament schedule, score sheet, and be assigned to one of the pit areas.

Each team will have specific times scheduled for their judging interviews and robot competition rounds.

Before their appointed time (or when called), teams should queue outside the Robot Design Judging Room.  Each team will have 10 minutes to demonstrate their robot to the robot design judges, show and explain a printed copy of part of their program, and answer the judges' questions.  There will be an FLL table where teams are expected to demonstrate their robot performing a challenge mission.

Before their appointed time (or when called), teams should queue outside the Project Judging Room, where they will have 10 minutes with the project judges to present their "Power Puzzle" project and answer questions from the judges.  The presentation should be no longer than 5 minutes, to allow 5 minutes for the judges to ask questions.

Before their appointed time (or when called), teams should queue outside the Teamwork Judging Room, where they will have 10 minutes with the teamwork judges.  A coach is allowed in the room for the Teamwork activity and interview, since the judges are interested in the total team dynamic.  The judges may observe the team doing a short activity, and will ask the team about their team organization, work process, and teamwork. Teamwork judges may also observe and interview teams in the pit and competition areas.

Each team will participate in three rounds of competition matches according to a pre-determined schedule.  Teams should queue at the appropriate "on deck" area before the times indicated on their schedule, or when their team is called. Teams not ready on time may be skipped and lose their chance to compete or be judged.

The highest score from each team's three matches will count as that team's performance score. Ties will be decided by comparing the teams' next highest scores.  There will not be any playoff rounds.

Scoring Confirmation (as described in the FLL Manual)

At the end of each match, have a team member witness the referee’s scoring of the table. The team’s only opportunity to confirm the score is after the referee has totaled it. A team member, not an adult, may present any difference of opinion to the head referee. The referee will then confirm the final score. Once your team leaves the area and the competition table is cleared for the next team, you are no longer permitted to dispute the score. As in other competitions, the referee’s ruling on the field is final. Graciously accept the referee’s decision. When finished, collect all your robot parts.

TEAM MEMBERS OF GUESTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

If any of your team members or guests have special needs, such as wheelchair access, please email or phone (408-910-1176) to let us know.

TEAM COMMENT FORM

All decisions by referees and judges are final.  The Team Comment Form (available at the check-in table) provides a way for teams to inform the Head Referee or Judge Advisor of any questions or comments that a team may have during the tournament. The coach or mentor must fill out this form and provide the information in writing. Forms will be read, but there is no guarantee that a response will be provided to the coach. Please maintain Gracious Professionalism at all times.

AWARDS AND ADVANCEMENT TO THE STATE TOURNAMENT

Of the 12 teams at the tournament, a few (exact numbert TBD) will advance to the Northern California Championship Tournament in San Jose in January.  The criteria for advancement is described on the NCaFLL web site.

Independent of the advancement judging, teams will receive recognition awards for the following:

Teamwork and contribution from all team members will be relevant to all judged award categories.   The robot design, programs, and project must be the work of the team members, not adult mentors.

Additional recognition or judges' awards may also be awarded.

FLL VALUES AND GRACIOUS PROFESSIONALISM

Team members, coaches or parents who are observed demonstrating negative behavior, especially toward officials or other teams, will be reminded of the purpose and spirit of the FIRST LEGO League program, and encouraged to act in a manner that leaves everyone feeling valued.