Alexandria, VA Qualifier II
FTC Qualifier
January 18, 2026
St. Stephen's & St. Agnes Upper School
HOSTED BY
Location
St. Stephen's & St. Agnes Upper School
1000 St Stephens Rd, Alexandria, VA 22304, USA
Coming Soon
EAT
LUNCH & CONCESSIONS
Coming Soon
FOR
COACHES
Be sure to bring a paper copy of your roster to your event to turn into pit admin. Paper rosters can be printed from your Dashboard at FIRST Inspires. Your roster should have a green checkmark next to every team member AND coach/mentor. This indicates that all people associated with the team have signed a Consent and Release form.
You will not compete without Consent and Release forms on file.
In an effort to reduce paper and potential data risks, FIRST Inspires encourages teams to use these resources to register their children and sign the Consent and Release.
Time | Program |
|---|---|
7:00 AM | Pit area opens |
8:00 AM | Judging Begins |
8:15 AM | Robot Inspection & Practice fields open |
9:00 AM | All teams need to be checked in to compete. |
9:30 AM | Drivers' Meeting |
10:00 AM | Opening Ceremony |
10:30 AM | Qualification Matches |
12:30 PM | Lunch Break |
1: 00 PM | Qualification Matches resume |
3:30 PM | Alliance selection begins |
4:00 PM | Playoffs & Practice fields close |
6:00 PM | Closing and Award Ceremony |
Advancement
Qualifier advancement will be shared by November 1 after qualifier selection has been completed and trades and 3rd plays have been determined.
Pit Size
New this season: Each team must bring their own table for their pit area. An 8 x 8 pit size will be provided. Please remember to keep the aisles clear for the judges and transporting equipment and robots.
-
Food and beverages including water must be stored according to the venue's instructions.
-
Please be aware that power is being shared by all the teams in the pit area. Teams are encouraged to utilize only what is needed for robot repair and battery charging. Excessive power use may result in Event Management asking for equipment to be removed from the pit area.
Inspection
Teams should complete a pre-inspection prior to their events. Teams must pass a robot and field inspection in order to participate in qualification matches and access the practice field. The schedule will continue regardless of whether a team has passed inspection. Teams must be ready for their event upon arrival. Pre-inspection forms will be available by the beginning of November and will be located in the Competition Manual.
Health & Safety
-
All team members and coaches are required to wear safety glasses when in the pit area and at the competition field. Chesapeake does not provide safety glasses and teams are responsible for safety glasses for their spectators to enter the pit.
-
Closed toed and heeled shoes and loose items including hair, must be secured for safety.
-
Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Event
Details
About
Judging
Team judging begins at 8:00 a.m. Please be prompt. Each Team will have a ten minute “fact-finding” interview with a panel of judges. At the start of the interview, teams will have a maximum of 5 minutes to present to the judges followed by 5 minutes of Q&A.
Please read the Competition Manual thoroughly. There are many changes from previous seasons and teams are expected to know and understand those changes ahead of their events.
Schedule
Due to the changing nature of the judging schedule, schedules will be shared in advance of the qualifier by the Event Host via email. Schedules will also be available day of at Pit Admin.
Engineering Portfolios
Teams may submit an Engineering Portfolio if they would like to be considered for the Inspire, Think and Control Awards. This is outlined in the Competition Manual. The Engineering Portfolio should be on paper (not electronic) and given to the judges during your judging session.
Official Q&A Forum
If you have not already, make sure you check out and review the questions and answers on the FIRST Tech Challenge Official Q&A Forum. More are added weekly!