Being on a FIRST Tech Challenge team can be a challenging but also rewarding experience.

Resource

FIRST and FIRST Tech Challenge Iowa have put together an excellent collection of resources for teams. The various resources include information about working with Programming & Design, Building Resources among other things. Check out the Resource Library for a bunch of helpful documents for having a successful team.

Events

There are several types of events held during the FTC Tournament season. Before any event, make sure your team and robot are prepared for the event.

• Scrimmages - An opportunity for teams to collaborate with other local teams and work on the robot or programming. Typically, there is a field to use, but there is no judging, score-keeping or awards.
• League Meets, League Tournaments and Super Qualifier - The FIRST Tech Challenge program in Iowa has implemented the League structure for tournaments. Teams are able to participate in short league meets (about 4-5 hours in duration) through the season. Then, all teams compete in a League Tournament. From there, teams advance to the Super Qualifier level.
• Championship Tournament - The FIRST Tech Challenge Iowa Championship tournament is the culmination of FIRST Tech Challenge competitions in Iowa.

Regardless of the event, make sure to read the FTC-Iowa Event Cancellation Policy.

Scholarships

Many colleges and universities, professional organizations and corporations recognize the importance of being a part of a FIRST team. This is official recognition of the knowledge and technical and life skills these students have gained from participating in FIRST. For 2018, there are over ~200 scholarship providers and $80 million. For more information about scholarships, check out the FIRST Scholarship page.