FAQs

Below are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about FLL. Please check to see if your question is answered below before contacting the Museum.

How do I get a FLL team started?

Starting an FLL team is quite simple. If you have 3 to 10 students ages 9 through 14, you already have the basis for a team. Additionally, each team will need a coach as well as one or more mentors to help students with the many tasks the team will need to do during the year. The coach for the team should be a highly organized person who can keep track of the many aspects of FLL that need attention: team management, scheduling of robot design and trial competitions, fundraising, and participating in FLL Coaches conference calls arranged by FIRST. Coaches do not need to have engineering or robotics experience and are not expected to be technical experts. Their focus is on organizing the team. It’s up to the team members to do the technical work.

The Museum of Nature & Science is the Operational Partner for FLL in North Texas. We oversee official FLL events in the region and work to spread the word of FLL. We cannot, however, assist with team creation or management. We recommend the following course of action for anyone interested in getting involved with an FLL team:

1. Contact the child’s school and see if they already have an FLL team that has an available spot.
2. If the child’s school does not have a team, encourage them to start one.
3. Offer to become a team coach.  There are great resources for coaches at www.usfirst.org.

Once you have a group of students and a coach, you’re ready to begin the season – all you need to do is register!

How do I register a team for a North Texas FLL Qualifier Event?

You must first register with FLL and pay your team registration fee. You may register your team from May through September OR UNTIL ALL SLOTS HAVE BEEN FILLED. FLL Registration for the 2010 BODY FORWARD season will open on May 3, 2010.

You will receive instructions about purchasing your Field Setup Kit from FLL after you have paid your team registration fee. Note: the shipping delay for robot kits and field setup kits is usually about 1 week during the months of May through August. During the month of September, because of the sheer volume of last-minute registrations, this will almost guarantee an increase to 3-5 WEEKS. It is recommended that you sign up as early as possible to ensure your Field Setup Kits arrive in time for practices prior to the championship tournament.

Registration for the North Texas Regional Qualifier Tournaments will take place during the month of October 2010 and is done by contacting the Museum of Nature & Science’s Reservations desk at 214-428-5555, extension 8. In order to register for this competition, each team must already be registered with FIRST. Teams who have not done this already are not eligible to sign up for the regional competition.

The fee for participating in the North Texas Regional FLL Qualifiers is $50. An additional registration fee of $75 per team will be required for teams that move on to the North Texas Regional Championship Tournament. Please factor these fees in to your budget.

What costs are associated with participating in FLL each year?

If you choose to start an FLL team, please be aware that there are certain costs attributed to starting, registering and maintaining a team. Below is a chart to help you identify the items necessary for each team:

**FLL Robot Sets do not need to be purchased each year unless there is a major change in the kit parts. Also, please note that these costs are approximate and serve as a minimum for each team. Other factors may include expenses related to the Regional Championship Tournament (travel, meals and accommodations).

How do I raise money for my FLL team?

The most common sources for funds are usually a combination of the following:

1. Costs are split equally among team members.
2. A school, school district, PTA, or booster organization subsidizes the team.
3. Donations from parents or local businesses.
4. Fundraisers such as candy and bake sales.

It is up to the team members, coaches, and mentors to secure funding. The Museum is unable to provide financial assistance to teams.

Can I (a member of the general public) attend a tournament as a spectator?

Yes! Spectators are welcome to attend the tournament free of charge. We invite you to observe the robot challenge portion of the competition (the judging rooms for other competition categories are off-limits to all spectators). Details regarding location, time, etc. for the tournament will be posted on this page as soon as they become available.

How do I sign up to volunteer at the tournament?

It would be impossible to run a FLL tournament without a legion of dedicated volunteers. Volunteer positions are available in the following categories:

Technical Judge (engineering background preferred)
Project Judge (engineering background preferred)
Teamwork Judge
Referee
Judging Assistants
Competition Assistants
Event Set-up
Event Strike

If you are interested in volunteering during a tournament, please check out our volunteer page.

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Challenge 2010