NorCal FLL

What is the difference between a qualifier and the Championship tournament or how do I compete in the Northern California Championship tournament?

In Northern California, we have a multipe tier tournament system. Teams receive an invitation to compete beyond the first level (qualifier level) based on the Champions’ Award criteria.    We will do everything possible to make sure that every Northern California team has the ability to participate in a first level / qualifier tournament but this can not be guaranteed. Out of all of the teams that compete in all first level tournaments, a fixed percentage from each tournament will advance to the second level. The championship tournament has space for 48 teams.
 
What is the difference between a qualifying tournament and a first level (or possibly second level) tournament?
Nothing. Both first level and second level tournaments are qualifying events in that they will enable a team to participate in the next level after having qualified.   There are qualifying events and championship events.  
 
What is the difference between a state tournament or an official tournament or a Championship tournament?
Nothing. In 2004, FIRST asked the FLL community to change from using the term “state tournament”, to calling the event, an official tournament. In 2006, FIRST decided that the term “Championship tournament” was the one to use. Hopefully this is the last name change.
 
What is the difference between a qualifying tournament and a local event or a scrimmage?

  • The primary difference is that a qualifying tournament follows FIRST and Northern California guidelines that includes how the tournament is run and how advancement is determined.
  • In general the difference between a local event and a scrimmage, is that the scrimmage does not including judging and a local event usually includes judging.
  • Any of these events may hand out awards and charge a registration fee.
  • Local events and scrimmages can be run pretty much however the organizers want to.
  • A scrimmage, in general, is usually used to get teams together only for robot performance on a tournament-type field setup.
  • A local event is a (usually) small tournament that has some aspects of a qualifying tournament, but not all. A few examples might be that the tournament is below the team limit set for qualifiers, or that not all of the FLL required awards are handed out or possibly that some aspects are not judged (such as no core values judging). You can imagine many other examples
  • The important thing to know is that participation in a local event and/or scrimmage is optional and does not affect your participation in a qualifier and/or championship tournament.
  • We highly recommend teams to participate in a scrimmage.  If there is not one near you, then find a reasonably open space (such as a multi-purpose room at a school) and set one up.

 
When and how do teams apply to participate in the Northern California FLL Tournament system?
  • IMPORTANT: You must first finish your team registration information with FIRST and have paid in order to be considered an eligible team by FIRST.
  • Then,  you must complete the requirements to be eligible to register for a qualifier in Northern California 
  • To be invited to participate in the Northern California FLL Championship Tournament, teams must first qualify by participating in a 1st level (and 2nd level, if it is needed) tournament
  • Playing At Learning will be coordinating the tournament process in Northern California.
  • Information on Northern California tournaments are generally posted no later than by late September, hopefully earlier.
  • If you are interested in organizing a tournament, contact Playing At Learning
 
How does the team advance to the Championship and what is the Champion’s Award criteria? 
  • The Champion’s Award criteria is in your Coaches’ Handbook and here
  • All of the judging rubrics that are used in judging are now posted online [2012 version here]
  • Advancement policy for Northern California
  • Each tournament level is given the same percentage (with small rounding at times) of advancing slots.
  • Note that it is important to recognize that all aspects of FLL are required to advance – previously, we had issues where a few teams were upset to not advance in spite of winning an award in a specific category – All aspects are important.
  • Winning an individual award does not guarantee advancement.
  • Remember that a core value of FLL is “What we discover is more important than what we win” –  another way to say this is that FLL is a “journey” and not focused on an “end goal” !
 
 
How do we find a tournament to attend? 
  • Don’t panic – information will start coming in soon for the October tournament registration.
  • We are expecting to have space for every Northern California team to compete at a first level tournament.
  • Information on Northern California events and tournaments will be posted on the norcalfll.org site

 

How do we help with or organize our own qualifier? or How do we host a qualifier?
  • If you are considering hosting a qualifying tournament, or even a local event, contact Playing At Learning