The document summarizes the district model for FIRST Robotics Competition events in the Washington/Oregon region. The district model aims to reduce costs for teams by holding smaller, more local competitions and eliminating second qualification matches. Teams will earn points at two district events and a district championship to qualify for the world championship in St. Louis. The summary provides details on schedules, venues, scoring, and advancement for the 2014 season.

1. Getting to St. Louis
AN OVERVIEW OF THE WASHINGTON/OREGON DISTRICT MODEL

2. Be careful hanging out under arch

3. District Model



The district model turns control of the FRC events to
local organizing committees
The goal is to reduce the costs for teams while at the
same time increase the number of plays for teams.
Costs are reduced by

Play FRC events in smaller venues (large high schools and
colleges) closer to home

Eliminating the cost for a second play

Reducing the ‘professional’ overhead by running our own
equipment with our own volunteers

4. How Common is District Model?

Michigan has been doing this for 5 years, Mid-Atlantic for 2
years, PNW and New England in 2014

Ultimate goal is to provide high quality experiences to every
school in our district


Reduce the amount of time at each venue for the teams


Allow each team to play more times for their money
Ability to bring more non-FIRST students to live events
As the FRC program continues to grow, we are running low on
resources for large events



Commercial venues are difficult to reserve and expensive
Regional event expenses are funded locally
USFIRST is doing this across the country by 2017

Better to be in the leading group

5. Language

District Competition – held locally

District Championship – One in each District, advance to Championship

Regional – still exist in areas where the District model is not implemented

Championship – St. Louis world championship

GP – Gracious Professionalism

6. 2014 FRC Competition Season
•
•
•
•
•
Build season Jan 5th thru Feb 18th.
District Level Events during FRC weeks 1 thru 6,
PNW District Championship week 7 (April 9-12, 2014)
World Championships expected to be April 23-26
This plan estimates the number of FRC teams at 185-200 teams.

7. Team/Event Map
District Events
PNW District Championship

8. Details about where

District events will be in large high schools and/or
universities

Each venue will hold 40 teams
2014 PNW District Model Schedule
Version 2.0
Week
Date Range
(Thursday ‐ Saturday)
West
1
2
2/27/14 ‐ 3/1/14
3/6/14 ‐3/8/14
Auburn Mountainview
Glacier Peak
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
3/13/14 ‐3/15/14
3/20/14 ‐ 3/22/14
3/27/14 ‐ 3/29/14
4/3/14 ‐4/5/14
4/10/14 ‐4/12/14
Mt. Vernon
Shorewood
Auburn
4/23/14 ‐ 4/26/14
Washington
Central
Oregon
Totals
Oregon City
1
2
East
EWU or
West Valley
Wilsonville
CWU
OSU
PNW District Championships in Portland
National Championships in St. Louis
2
2
2
1
10

9. Schedule for a District Event

10. Notes on District Events

Smaller venues. Seating is typically in the 1200-1800 range



40 teams x 30 people = 1200
Expect some parking and elbow-room challenges – GP required.
Smaller venues may require smaller pits


Proximity to services will be different


Might need to consider this in your pit layout as we might drop to 9’x9’ pits
We are aware that teams will be traveling. Our venues are generally not too far
from services. However, some are in suburban areas.
You can bring your own food and water

This is a huge budget item for many teams. Yay!

Generally, all venues will also have concessions available.

11. Stretching FRC Dollars

Standard FIRST registration fees
 $5,000
for veterans, $6,000 for rookies

Each team plays twice for the usual fee!

We will offer 3rd plays if space available
 Likely
 No

to cost an extra $1,000
points
District Championship
 Registration
is $4,000

12. Scoring Overview

FRC Teams will accumulate points at the first two District
events they attend in chronological order, as well as at
the District Championship.

Teams will not earn any points at third or subsequent
District events, nor at any Regional events they attend
during the 2014 season.

Points earned at District Championships will be multiplied
by three and then added to points earned at District
events to determine the final season points total for the
Team.

13. Scoring at Competitions
Scoring Category
Points
Win a match
Lose a match
Tie a match
2
0
1
Alliance Captain (top 8) (performance)
17 minus the ranking (16 for 1st, 8 for 8th)
Draft Order Acceptance (peers)
17 minus the selection order (12 for 5th)
Elimination Round Performance
5 points for each match won in which a
Team’s robot participated, ONLY for the
Alliance that wins the series
Judged Team Awards
10 for Chairman’s Award
8 for Rookie All-Star Award
8 for Engineering Inspiration Award
5 for all other awards
Team Age
10 points for each Rookie team
5 points for each Veteran
(awarded once per season)

14. Notes

District Teams will only be able to win FRC’s most prestigious awards
– Chairman’s Award, Engineering Inspiration Award, and Rookie All
Star Award – once per season at the District level. This supports the
broader distribution of those awards.

District Teams do not earn points for their actions at any Regionals
they may attend, but are still eligible for Team awards at those
events, and any benefits that may go along with winning those
awards, such as earning their way to the FIRST Championship.
However, if a District Team does earn a slot at the FIRST
Championship while attending a Regional event, that slot does
count against the total Championship allocation the District is
receiving for the season.

15. District Championship



A total of 64 teams will be invited to the District
Championship in Portland
10 of those teams will be there by winning the
Chairman’s Award at a District event, 54 will be there
based on their points
There could be teams present who don’t compete with
their robot. Those who won Rookie All-Star or
Engineering Inspiration in a District competition but did
not score enough points to be one of the 64 robots
competing would be there competing for District
Championship Award of same category.

16. Advancing to St Louis

24 teams advance from the PNW to World
Championship

The exact breakdown is not yet complete
 Chairman’s
 Rookie
 The
Award winners (probably 3)
All-Star and Engineering Inspiration
rest by points ranking

17. Example: Team 9995

At Glacier Peak District


Chosen by second seeded Alliance (15 points)

Alliance wins quarter finals (10 points)

Alliance wins semi finals (another 10 points)


Seeded 8th after Qualification Matches


Wins 10, loses 3, ties 1 (21 points)
Team wins Imagery Award (5 points)
Team accumulates 61 points
NOTE: Alliance points are calculated at the END of
Alliance selection

18. Example: Team 9995

At Wilsonville District


Seeded 1st after Qualification Matches (16 points)

Alliance wins quarter finals (10 points)

Alliance wins semi finals (another 10 points)

Alliance wins the finals (another 10 points)


Wins 15, loses 0, ties 0 (30 points)
Team wins Engineering Inspiration Award (8 points)
Team accumulates 84 points

19. Example: Team 9995

Their point total after 2 Districts

61 + 84 + 5 points (veteran team) = 150 points

They would be invited to District Championship to
compete on Engineering Inspiration

They MIGHT be invited to bring their robot to compete
based on points.

Winning the finals at a District does not guarantee an
invitation to District Championship

20. Example: Team 9995

At District Championship

Win 7, lose 4, tie 1 = 15 points

Finish seeded 9th Chosen

Moved into 8th seed in Alliance Selection process, and ends up
Alliance Captain of 8th = 9 points

Win quarterfinals, and semifinals, and lose in finals (20 points)

Their score for consideration to be one of the 24 teams to worlds:
 (44
X 3) + 159 = 132 + 159 = 291

21. Seen Another Way
St Louis
Teams
District Ranking
Team
District #1
Ranking Points
Win / Loss record
Alliance Ranking (16‐8)
Draft Pick (16 to 1)
Winning Alliance 30
Finalist Alliance 20
Semi Final Alliance 10
Awards (5)
District #2
Ranking Points
Win / Loss record
Alliance Ranking (16‐8)
Draft Pick (16 to 1)
Winning Alliance 30
Finalist Alliance 20
Semi Final Alliance 10
Awards (5)
Add
4401
1769
3936
382
3427
19
25
3047
2005
1011
829
4515
1799
596
4932
472
2895
1585
3888
4256
275
4719
3881
2251
4406
2107
1822
3236
Rank
80
76
72
69
65
62
59
57
53
52
48
47
46
43
41
39
35
34
30
29
25
22
21
17
15
14
12
8
District Championship
(DCMP points x 3)
Ranking Points
64 teams
Win / Loss record
Alliance Ranking (16‐8)
Draft Pick (16 to 1)
Winning Alliance 30
Finalist Alliance 20
Semi Final Alliance 10
Awards (5)
24
Team
Rank
4401
3642
4964
4501
1033
476
4344
4992
3557
2832
3384
828
3030
3198
3106
4741
1346
2802
3319
1805
1187
3131
3180
4898
294
2171
4394
2330
175
171
169
166
162
158
156
154
151
149
147
145
144
141
139
135
132
128
127
123
119
117
114
113
110
108
104
103

22. Tie Breakers










Total Elimination Round Points (from 2 Districts, plus District
Championship X 3)
Maximum Elimination Round points (from either the 2 Districts
OR District Championship X 3)
Total Alliance selection points (from 2 Districts plus District
Championship X 3)
Maximum Alliance selection point (from either the 2 Districts
OR District Championship X 3)
Total Qualification Match Points (2D + DC x 3)
Total Qualification Match Wins (2D + DC x 3)
Highest Match Score (2D or DC: win or lose)
Second Highest Match Score
Third Highest Match Score
Random Selection

23. What you should do now

Monitor updates on websites



www.firstwa.org Washington FIRST website
FIRST national (Championship Eligibility Criteria)
Consider the pre-inspection option


Attempting to permit robot inspectors complete partial inspections after
bagging day to shorten inspection times at Districts
Listen for “6 hour robot access time” rules

Ability to work in your own shop in the weeks you compete

24. Acknowledgements

Kevin Ross



For spearheading the OR/WA District Effort
For allowing me to steal most of the content for these slides and answering
questions late into the night in preparation for this session
Deb Mumm-Hill

For recruiting local leadership to put together the Oregon Districts

For setting up the infrastructure to make this sustainable