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List of FRC Regionals

In an effort to promote careers in the engineering and research fields, FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) hosts an annual international robotics competition for high school-aged students. The competition begins with several regional events in which teams of competitors vie for spots in the final event. Planning and organizing the teams in advance of regional competitions will enhance the chances of participating and potentially moving on in this exciting competition.

The Rules
- Teams are composed of 10 to 20 high school aged students (though teams can be as large as 30). Each team has six weeks to complete the design and building of a robot to complete a particular task as assigned by FRC. Before beginning the competition you are charged with finding mentors, usually three to six industry professionals that assist teams through the build phase. It is also necessary to secure corporate or other sponsorship because the costs for competing in the first regional can reach $10,000. The FRC can help secure funding for teams that are interested in entering.
Winning Categories
- The 2011 regionals and finals have already been completed at the time of publication. The final competition is usually held in a university stadium or other large venue in the Southeast U.S. The finals are at the end of April, with winners announced in five different categories (Einstein, Archimedes, Curie, Galileo and Newton). Awards are given to teams for creativity, team spirit, engineering excellence and innovation, among others.
Kick-Off Webinars
- While the regional competitions do not begin until January of each year, FRC hosts several webinars leading up to the events for mentors and others interested in competing. The webinars provide information on upcoming events and workshops.
Regionals
- For those interested in forming a team, finding a mentor (or mentors) and competing, FIRST FRC provides a list of regional contacts for all the states and countries that participate. Resource #2 includes a drop-down list of contacts by state and country. Whether you are able to attend one of the four webinars or not, it is advisable to contact your regional representative promptly because competing requires significant "legwork" and time will be of the essence.

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