NC FLL and NC FTC are excited to see that you are interested in starting a FIRST LEGO League or FIRST Tech Challenge team. Below are common steps for starting a team.
Find Coaches & Mentors. Each team needs two or more adult Mentors who are willing and motivated to coach the team through the build and competition season and beyond. Other adults can volunteer to help with administration, fundraising, community outreach, and other tasks.
Form your team. For FIRST LEGO League, Recruit up to 10* interested team members ages 9 to14. Team members must not exceed the maximum age on January 1 of the year the Challenge is released. Students can only be on one team, but a Coach is allowed to coach multiple teams. For FIRST Tech Challenge, find and invite at least 3 students (maximum 15) who want to be part of a robotics team. FTC is for students in grades 7-12. Students can only be on one team, but a Coach is allowed to coach multiple teams.
Find support resources. Forming a FIRST LEGO League or FIRST Tech Challenge team requires funding. Review the information on https://www.ncfllandftc.com/fll-grants.html and https://www.ncfllandftc.com/ftc-grants.html to assist with grants. Also, contact local businesses.
Register, Pay, and Order Materials. Once you have a team, register your team at the national level (you do not need all team member names). Every FLL team needs a Field Setup Kit and A LEGO MINDSTORMS set. For FTC, part of the registration process include ordering the Kit of Parts. If your FLL or FTC team already has a robot set, you are not required to buy another one.
Learn about safety. At FIRST, student safety is always paramount. Every adult must become familiar with our Youth Protection Program (YPP). Take the time to watch our videos and read our youth protection materials.
Review Mentor and Team Resources. Part of the fun is designing and building your robot and FIRST provides a wealth of information in the Resource Library to help you. Find everything from technical guides, to fundraising ideas, or fun activities for your team.
For more detailed information on starting a FLL team:
For more detailed information on starting a FTC team:
