BLACKSBURG, VA FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION

Week 1
March 3 - 5, 2023

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Blacksburg High School

Parking & Load In

Featured Speaker

SAMANTHA LIVESAY
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT, ONWARD NEW RIVER VALLEY

As Director of Business Engagement, Samantha works alongside our investors, local employers and educational institutions to support business attraction and retention. She promotes the NRV Experience to area employers as an effort to attract and retain world class talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. As a Christiansburg native, Samantha earned her B.S. in Communication from Radford University. She loves spending time with her family either hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains or camping on the New River, and they appreciate the opportunities to enjoy nature that making their home in the New River Valley provides.

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Competing Teams

Event Schedule
Friday, March 3, 2023
3:00 PMVolunteers arrive to begin set-up
6:00 PM – 8:00 PMPits open, Inspections (Closed to Public)
Saturday, March 4, 2023
7:00 AMTeam Check-in, Pits Open
8:00 AMInspections, Practice Matches
 8:30 AMDriver’s Meeting

Submit a Driver’s Meeting Question
10:30 AMOpening Ceremony, Practice Matches End
11:00 AMQualification Matches
12:30 PM – 1:30 PMLunch Break
1:00 PM – 4:00 PMFLL Challenge Scrimmage
1:30 PM – 7:00 PMQualification Matches Continues
8:00 PMPits Close
Sunday, March 5, 2023
8:00 AMPits Open
9:00 AMOpening Ceremony
9:30 AMQualification Matches
12:30 PMAlliance Selections
1:00 PMLunch
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM FLL Explore Expo
2:00 PMFinal Matches
5:00 PM-6:30 PMAwards Ceremony
7:00 PMPits Close

Pit Map

Pits will be 9′ x 9′

Pit Guidelines:
  • Pits are for not more than 6 people
  • Pits are for maintenance of machines not for machine assembly
  • Water for the people in the pits only, not food or drink storage
  • Coats and backpacks should be kept out with the obvious exception for programming laptops and materials to be shared with judges.

Health & Safety

Appropriate safety attire, including safety glasses and closed-toe shoes, are required while in the pits. 

We encourage all visitors wear a masks in the pits and in the stands. Please stay home if you are experiencing symptoms of illness, especially shortness of breath, fever, cough, or congestion. 

Advancement

A team competing in a District qualifies for their District Championship by meeting 1 of the following criteria:

A. District FIRST Impact Award Winner,

B. District Ranking (based on total points earned at their first 2 home District events as detailed in Section 11.8.1 District Events),

Q & A Forum

If you have not already, make sure you check out and review the questions and answers on the FIRST Robotics Competition Official Q&A Forum.  There are currently (as of 02/17) 188 Questions and Answers about Robot build and game play rules in Game Manuals.  More questions and answers are added weekly!

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FIRST Lego League at Blacksburg

See SWVA’s youngest robotics students be super powered by designing, building, problem-solving, coding, and STEM fun!

To have your FLL team participate, contact Kaitlin Ilnitzki at [email protected] or New River Robotics Association at [email protected]

FLL Challenge Scrimmage

Saturday, 1:00-4:00pm 

FLL Explore Expo

Sunday, 1:00-4:00pm 

Inclement Weather Policy for FIRST Chesapeake Events

Any changes to our event schedule will be determined by the policy of the event venue or hosting school district. Because of this, we recommend that all traveling teams make hotel reservations that are refundable.

In case of inclement weather the day of a FIRST Chesapeake event, click to call (804.404.3134) after 5am for updates.

Alumni Ambassador Sponsor:

Booz Allen logo black no tag

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