January FTC Link: Decode Season
- Bonnie Crites
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
FIRST Chesapeake's FTC News
Stay informed and connected!
This month's newsletter at a glance:
Queuing Up
URGENT Volunteers Needed-Sign Up Today!
Lessons Learned from Month One
Student Mental Health Workshop - Jan 6
FTC FIRST Chesapeake Championship is Coming!
Volunteer Training: Judge
Spread the Word
Help Turn FIRST Grads into FIRST Alumni
Compass Awards Now OPEN
Become a Lead Volunteer
Host an Event for 2026
Watch the Replay!
FTC Summer Academy 2026
Volunteers Needed for FTC Qualifiers-Urgent Need!
Our qualifier events run on volunteer power! Each team is expected to provide at least one volunteer during the season. Roles include both technical and non-technical (field reset, queuing, judging, robot support, registration, safety, and more). Volunteering helps ensure fair, well-run competitions for every team. Click the links below to sign up at a qualifier near you!
Qualifier Location and Date | Link to Register |
Moorefield Qualifier I-Jan. 10 | |
Powhatan Qualifier I-Jan. 10 | |
Moorefield Qualifier II-Jan. 11 | |
Powhatan Qualifier II-Jan. 11 | |
Alexandria Qualifier I-Jan. 17 | |
Alexandria Qualifier II-Jan. 18 | |
Norfolk Qualifier-Jan. 18 | |
Harrisonburg Qualifier I-Jan. 24 | |
Union Bridge Qualifier I-Jan. 24 | |
Harrisonburg Qualifier II-Jan. 25 | |
Union Bridge Qualifier II-Jan. 25 |
Lessons Learned from Month One
With two weeks of competition out of the way, here are some lessons learned to help make your next qualifier as smooth and successful as possible!
Do's and Don'ts of Pit Setup!
DO bring your own table.
DO label all equipment, storage, and materials with your team number.
DON’T Set up your table in a way that blocks access to your or neighboring team’s pits.
DON’T stand in neighboring pits. Make sure the table is positioned so all team members working are in your own pits.
DO keep all team equipment – including backpacks, judging material, and anything brought by parents, etc. inside your own pit or stored in a vehicle.
DO feel free to bring display boards or posters as long as they remain inside your own pit at all times.
Commonly Penalized Fouls – From Senior Head Referee Jim Anderson
Stay away from your opponent’s GATE!!! Nothing good can happen there for you. Contact with the opposing alliance’s gate either directly or through a scoring element is a Major Foul, and awards said alliance a Pattern RP. Touching the gate and removing artifacts is a Major Foul PER ARTIFACT! Empty a full ramp, and your opponents get 135 points. See rules G417 and G418
When you hear the Train Whistle (last 20 seconds), get away from your opponent’s BASE ZONE… fast!!! During the last 20 seconds, any contact with an opponent's robot in their Base Zone, regardless of who initiated contact, is a foul. See G427
After randomization begins, wait until you hear the end of AUTO buzzer before touching your OPERATOR CONSOLE in any way other than the start and stop exceptions. See rule G401
Pit Admin, Judging, and Inspection Reminders
This season, Human Player buttons are treated the same as Driver Buttons and visa versa. Hold on to your Driver Buttons for all your events.
Keep portfolios with you until your judging session. If judges take your portfolio, you can collect it again at Pit Admin at the end of the event.
A student must be present during inspection per rule I308. A coach or mentor may answer inspector’s questions as long as at least one student is present.
Review all the inspection rules regarding your team numbers in section 12.4. Some commonly missed portions of those rules include:
Size of the sign must be 6.5” by 2.5” minimum. See R401.
Must be placed at least 90 degrees apart. See R401.
Number must be white arabic numbers 2.25 in. +/-0.5 in.tall. See R403.
Have both red and blue sets of these numbers. See R402.
Helping Student Mental Health Workshop
Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026 at 7:00pm
Join on Zoom
Passcode - FIRSTCHS
Competition season can be a stressful time for students. Sometimes, coaches and mentors are the first to notice when that stress starts to affect them. This presentation, given by the professionals from Compass Health Center, equips mentors and volunteers with a concise mental health framework, helping them identify warning signs, respond with confidence, and direct students and parents to meaningful follow-up care.
Join us with your questions and compassion for an enlightening conversation.
FTC FIRST Chesapeake Championship is Coming!
FTC Chesapeake Championship is taking place February 7th and 8th at the Meadow Event Park in Doswell, VA. Read more about the schedule and details on our website.
This season 10 Teams will advance from the District Championship to FIRST Championship in Houston. There are also options for 14 teams to enter Premier Events. Read more about Premier events here.
For Advancing Teams: After advancing from a district qualifier, expect an email from FIRST Chesapeake containing an invitation to the FTC Chesapeake Championship, registration instructions. See a schedule and information now on the FTC Chesapeake Championship webpage.
FTC Volunteer Judge Advisor and Judge Trainings
Please Share with Your Judges & Judge Advisors
Help us spread the word to Judge Advisors and anyone interested in volunteering to judge:
Judge Training (all Judges)
Mon, Jan 5 • 7:00–8:30 PM ET • Zoom
These sessions cover interview flow, rubrics/consistency, pit & interview logistics, DECODE updates, and more.
Questions or interested in volunteering? volunteer@firstchesapeake.org
Please forward this to the relevant folks on your team and partner organizations.
Help Turn FIRST Grads to FIRST Alumni
Help us celebrate your graduates and keep them in the FIRST community. Your team’s growth in FIRST is something to be proud of. The skills your students have developed- curiosity, critical thinking, and collaboration-will stay with them beyond graduation. Many will pay it forward by becoming mentors and volunteers who inspire the next generation of STEM students and professionals. By supporting FIRST programs with their time and energy, your graduates ensure that more students gain the same skills, community, and inspiration that robotics provided them.
FIRST Chesapeake wants to support your graduates on the next steps of their journey. Every graduating FIRST team member is a potential volunteer, mentor, and coach. Please share our graduating senior survey with your seniors so we can keep in touch, share local events and opportunities, and gauge their interest in supporting FIRST.
Talk to your teams about volunteerism, and continuing to support STEM access and education. The future of FIRST starts with you and your graduates! Share the Graduate Survey with your seniors, and let's build robotics together!
Compass Awards Now Open
The Compass Award recognizes an adult coach or mentor who has provided outstanding guidance and support to their team throughout the season and exemplifies the values of Gracious Professionalism. This award is nominated by students.
To nominate a coach or mentor, submit a 40–60 second video highlighting how their mentor has helped the team become inspirational.
Please submit your Compass Award video using the form linked below:
Submissions are due by Sunday, January 30, 2026, at 11:00 PM.
Please review the Compass Award section of the Competition Manual for full details and judging criteria.
Become a Lead Volunteer!
FIRST Tech Challenge is only possible because of the dedication and expertise of its volunteers. At the core of every event are the Lead Volunteers, fulfilling vital roles to put on the game safely, fairly, and consistently. FIRST Chesapeake is seeking new applicants to expand our Lead Volunteer community. Roles include :
Head Ref
Field Technical Advisor
Lead Robot Inspector
Judge Advisor
Equipment Manager
Volunteer Coordinator
Event Manager
And More!!!
Read more about the roles at our Volunteer page, and fill out the form below to express your interest in becoming a Lead volunteer today!
Do You Have What it Takes to Host FTC?
Most of our events are hosted by FTC teams and schools just like yours! Hosting a FIRST Tech Challenge Qualifier is an exciting way for FTC teams, schools, and organizations to support STEM education, gain behind-the-scenes experience in event management, and connect with other teams and volunteers. By hosting an event, you play a key role in making robotics accessible to more students while strengthening your own FTC community.
Fill out the survey, and you may be one of next years events! Read more at our website.
Virginia JCI Senate Scholarship Now Open — Ideal for FIRST Robotics Seniors
Scholarship opportunity perfect for our FIRST community. The 2025–2026 Virginia JCI Senate Scholarship is now accepting applications from Virginia high school seniors. FIRST Robotics students, known for leadership, technical skill, and community service, are strong candidates for this competitive award.
Who Can Apply
Any vocational or college-bound graduating senior in Virginia
How to Apply
Visit the Virginia JCI Senate website for full instructions
Apply by Jan 12, 2026
Two or more students will be moved forward for a potential of $1000-$2000 towards their education and training. Good luck!
Ready to Enroll in FTC Summer Academy 2026!
FIRST is gauging interest for this summer's FIRST Tech Challenge Academy in our District. This four-day intensive academy will provide hands-on training, coaching strategies, and exposure to FTC robotics for both new and experienced coaches. Are you interested in attending?
Who Should Attend
New and prospective coaches
Existing FTC coaches looking to deepen their technical and program management skills.
Geared Up teacher-coaches ready to expand their technical acumen
What You You Learn
Technical sessions (robot design, programming, control systems)
FTC game strategy and team management
Mock FTC events (students + teachers)
Networking and mentor roundtables
If you are interested in learning more, fill out the survey below to let us know! See you on the field!
FIRST Chesapeake Event Attendance and Participation Policy
To keep qualifiers running smoothly, FIRST Chesapeake has a new policy:
No-shows: Have reduced priority for future qualifiers, may lose Championship eligibility, and forfeit fees.
Teams unable to compete for reasons beyond their control are not counted as no-shows if they notify FIRST Chesapeake before the event begins, but registration fees are still forfeited.
Withdrawals: Team-initiated removals must be requested at least 3 weeks in advance via ftc-teams@firstchesapeake.org.
Please read the full policy and details at the link below:
Follow the link below to catch up with last months news, including:
The New FTC Advancement System
Updates to the Dean's List Timeline
The FTC Hardship Grant Process
The DECODE Game Manual
And more!
Stay connected—join our Slack community!
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Join now and be part of the conversation!
Thank you to our generous partners!
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