FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC®)

FTC is designed for those who want to compete head-to-head, using a sports model. Teams of up to 10 students are responsible for designing, building, and programming their robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. The robot kit is reusable from year-to-year and is programmed using a variety of languages. Teams, including coaches, mentors and volunteers, are required to develop strategy and build robots based on sound engineering principles. Awards are given for the competition as for well as for community outreach, design, and other real-world accomplishments.

Students in grades 9-12 (ages 14-18) get to:

Design, build, and program robots
Apply real-world math and science concepts
Develop problem-solving, organizational, and team-building skills
Compete and cooperate in alliances and tournaments
Earn a place in the World Championship
Qualify for nearly $9.7 million in college scholarships

FTC Home Page
Start an FTC Team

2011-12 FTC Season

2011-12 FTC Season Calendar

FTC Team Registration and Costs

2011 Team Registration Opens

Monday, May 4, 2011, 9:00 AM Pacific

2011-12 FTC Game: Bowled Over!

Bowled Over! is played on a 12’x12’ diamond shaped field as shown on the diagram above. Two alliances – one “red” and one “blue” – composed of two teams each compete in matches consisting of a 30 second autonomous period followed by a two-minute driver controlled period.

The object of the game is to score more points than your opponent’s alliance by placing racquet balls into crates and then stacking the crates. Teams will be challenged to complete tasks during autonomous and driver controlled periods and will score special racquetballs and six pound bowling balls for additional points.

There are a total of 100 racquetballs available to both teams as scoring objects in the game. The field also holds 12 stackable Ball Crates that teams can fill with racquetballs and stack for additional points, and two bowling balls that can be scored during the autonomous or end game period for additional points.

The field includes two home zones comprised of a platform and a ramp, and two protected zones where a team may stack their crates without fear of having them toppled by their opponents.