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Registration

What steps are involved with completing my registration online?

There are 3 steps involved:
1) Family Registration. Start here and accept the “Consent and Waiver Form” which will then apply to anyone in your immediate family including your children.
2) Team Member Registration.  Answer any questions regarding health, allergy, or other existing conditions. This information is used in confidence to ensure a safe and fun environment is created for all children.
3) When you finish with #2 above, you will be taken to a screen which will give you an option to pay via PayPal (ex credit card or PayPal account) or pay via mail in invoice with a check.

Can I register more than 1 child at a time?

Each child must be registered separately. If you start a PayPal cart, you can add multiple entries for one payment. If you pay by mail, you can pay for all of your children at one time.
Family registration should only be completed once regardless if you have more than one child in only one division or multiple divisions.
You need to repeat Registration Step 2 for each child and then pay the appropriate amount.

Are girls and boys allowed to join?

Absolutely. There is no restriction on either.

My friends are interested in joining, what should they do?

Tell them to visit www.bataviarobotics.com or www.foxvalleyrobotics.com for more information.
Invite them to one of our information meetings, or have them fill in the Contact Us.

Why  “Consent and Waiver Form”

Since we use the school to hold some of our meetings, it is a requirement that we have pertinent information available in the case of an accident. Accidents can happen, and we feel that this should not jeopardize the future of our Robotics organization.

What are the requirements for joining the Coyotes?

You must be in 8th-12th grade, want to have FUN, and enjoy building things, such as robots.

My child is in 7th grade this September, can I sign her/him up?

Instead of the Coyotes or Wolves Divisions, check out our LegoDogs Division, which is a different challenge and more appropriate for the age group.

I’m not sure if my 8th grade child should sign up for the LegoDogs (5th-8th) or the Coyotes (8th-12th)?

This is a complicated question, but here are some guidelines:

Sign up for the LegoDogs if your child:
1. Has some friends who are doing the LegoDogs division
2. Still likes to build with LEGOs
3. Needs experience performing in a team environment

Sign up for the Coyotes if your child:
1. Needs a new challenge for designing and building
2. Has out grown Lego
3. Performs well in a team environment setting

The above are only guidelines. If confused about which division, please consult with the head coach.

My browser crashed before I was able to hit save or submit on the registration screen, what do I do?

You will need to re-enter the data in the registration system if you were not able to press the save or submit button.

My child is not sure if he/she wants to join, what should I do?

Fill in the Family and Team Member Registration processes to ensure that your child is assigned to an appropriate team. Eventually payment will be due.
Make sure you come to one of the information meetings. Talk to one of our members from a previous year. Ask questions and get the answers that you need.
Sit down and talk to your child seriously about the commitment which needs to be made to this, and the benefits which they will encounter. Send us an email and let us know your concerns.

I filled in the family registration last year, do I have to do it again?

Yes. Since we are beginning a new year, all forms need to be filled in again to ensure accuracy and the Consent form needs to be agreed upon.

What does the registration cost cover?

The registration cost covers several things for the competition season. It includes the national registration and 1 or 2 regional registration fees, a t-shirt, a team challenge budget, parts and materials replenishment, and the robotics general funds. Misuse or abuse resulting in damaged pieces will be charged for appropriately.
The registration cost does not cover travel expenses.

I have a financial issue?

We understand the economics of the time. Please contact the head coach for available options.

I understand that my overall  registration cost can be lowered, how is this accomplished?

Included in the registration cost are five (5) gift cards. These cards can be used at the designated local establishments for discounts. Each card retails for $10.00. You can give them away as gifts or sell them for $10.00 each. If you sell them, the money is yours to keep; this lowers the registration cost by $50.00.
If you want to or can sell more cards, contact us for details.
Cards should be available at the beginning of October and are good for one (1) year.

Why don’t you allow kids to join after October 1?

We require teams to be formed and all fees to be collected to pay for a part of the registrations and equipment.
There have been some situations in the past where kids are allowed in past this date for extenuating circumstances. This would need head coach approval and then team approval where the child wants to join.

Team

How many kids are on each team?

3-5 kids per team (average)

How am I assigned to a team?

Your registration application, home location, age, grade, experience, etc
On the registration system, there is a space to indicate if you would like to be assigned with someone.

How often does the team meet?

The inidividual teams will determine a good day/time to meet.

An industrial location is rented which will have the playing field set up. This helps to eliminate setup/teardown. Arrangements can be made with the coach to gain entry to the premise. In order to use this location, an adult/parent is required to be present anytime a person under the age of 18 occupies the premise.

Other meetings are left up to the individual teams and are based on getting all the team members together at a convenient location in coordination with parents’ schedules.

My child won’t be able to make all the meetings, is this a problem?

Not necessarily. Communication between your child and the rest of the team becomes important. Let them know your schedule and your ideas for that day.

Will my child’s opinions be listened to?

Every opinion is important. There is no “I” in the word “team”. The team decides on what and how things should be done.

What about robot materials?

All robot materials and tools remain the property of Batavia Robotics / Fox Valley Robotics.

My child has his own equipment, can that be used?

Talk to the team or head coach.

Season Information

Within the Coyotes Division, two different types of robots can be built:

a) Tetrix - this is what we refer to as a LEGO hybrid. It consists of the newer LEGO NXT brick and the plastic, motors, and sensors that go along with LEGO. Along with this steel and other electro-mechanical parts can be used to create a hybrid robot. Check out the pieces by clicking here.

b) Vex - this is a combination of steel/aluminum pieces plus electro-mechanical parts. Click here to see what these parts look like.

The parts are not interchangeable between the two systems.

If you are coming out of our LEGO Division or similar, do Tetrix.
If you are new to robotics, do Tetrix.
If you are in 10th-12th grades, do either the Tetrix or the Vex.
Our recommendation is for 8th-10th graders to do Tetrix, and 10th-12th graders to do Vex.

Tell me about the season?

May - Vex competition is announced. Game pieces available in June or July.
September - Tetrix competition is announced.
September – kick off meetings
September thru March – robots and more
November - March – regional competitions
April – world competitions 

What is the competition for the season?

We don't know until the day it is announced. Even the name of the game is kept secret.

How is the competition scored?

(applies to both Tetrix and Vex)

An alliance consists of two teams.
Each team can have 1 or 2 drivers and a coach.
Each round has a beginning autonomous mode, in which the robot acts solely based on the programming, followed by a tele-operated mode, in which the robot is controlled by either 1 or 2 team members.
The playing field is a 12'x12' matted floor with lexan/steel sides.
The game elements change every year depending on what the competition is.
Scoring is based upon the rules and regulations.
A team may play anywhere from 6-9 matches at a competition.

Besides the robot performance, there are judging categories which the team participates in. Some of these are presentations in front of a group of judges.

My child has never presented before, is this a problem?

Not at all. We review with the kids what is going to happen.

Explain a regional competition?

A regional competition can consist anywhere from 12 teams and up. There are multiple regional locations scattered across the midwest area and we pick some of the closer ones to go to.

Regionals or Qualifiers normally start in November and go thru March. The teams will tweak their robots from one regional to the next in order to make it better. The number of regional competitions which a team can attend is only limited by the registration fees and travel expenses.

Batavia hosts a Vex regional competition with our teams from our organization participating along with visiting teams from other locations.

Parent Involvement

Why is parent involvement necessary?

We can’t do it alone. Our organization keeps growing and expanding every year.
Remember, this is a not-for-profit organization and that we are all volunteers. Parent involvement is critical to the success of the organization and the success of your child’s team. Team = kids + coaches + parents.

What level of involvement is required from me?

That depends on you and your child’s team.  It seems as though we are all trying to catch up at the end of the day. Remember that the success of your child’s team also involves the parents. Parents provide a sense of logic, scheduling, maturity, car pooling/chauffeuring, and sounding board among other things.

How can I help out my child’s team?

You decide –
Parent / Supervisor
Mentor
Coach / Assistant Coach

How can I help out the division or the organization level?

We are always looking for help at the division and organization levels. The time commitment is not great, and the rewards are gratifying.
If you would like to help out (ex. snacks, planning, meetings) or have some special talent (ex. accountant, writer, web design), let us know.

What if I know someone who would like to be a mentor?

Have them contact us. We are always looking for professionals to work with the kids every now or then or on a regular basis.

I can’t be a coach or an assistant coach; I’m not technical!

Some of our best coaches and assistant coaches in the past have been the non-technical people. Adults have special talents which have a need on the team. The kids can do the programming and building, which they love to do.

I’d still like to know something technical so that I’m not in the dark (and I know what my kid is talking about).

The best way to do this is to observe the kids when they are strategizing, designing, prototyping, building, and programming. I've never seen a kid not be proud of their accomplishments and want to tell you more about how and why they did something.

Organization

Briefly describe the organization?

The organization consists of multiple divisions which are monitored by an Executive Committee which reports to the Board of Directors. The President of the organization is in charge of the day to day operations  with multiple committees and reports directly to the Board.

Tell me about the administration of the organization?

All people involved with the organization are volunteer, non-paying positions. Most of the people hold full time jobs outside of robotics and keep involved for the good of the kids, organization, and community.

What is the history of the organization?

Batavia Robotics – established in 2002
Fox Valley Robotics – established in 2007
Fox Valley Tech Ed Foundation – established in 2008

What is the purpose of the organization?

To provide a fun learning environment which encompasses sciences and engineering for kids in 5th-12th grades.

What are the different divisions?

LegoDogs – 5th-8th grades
Coyotes – 8th-12th grades
Wolves – 10th-12th grades

How long have the Coyotes been around?

Since 2007

What robotic organizations do you participate in?

www.usfirst.org
www.vexrobotics.com

What are the benefits of these organizations?

Their ethics and philosophy are applicable to all people.
Colleges and universities recognize these programs and in turn, some will offer scholarships to participating members. Last year there were over $12million worth of scholarships available to the kids who participated in these robotic programs.

What other activities do you partake in?

Community outreach
School demonstrations
Annual recognition dinner
Fundraising
Recruiting

I know someone who wants to donate to the organization, what do I do?

We are always looking for donations, be it monetary or other. Computers, supplies, tools, materials, Lego pieces, and storage are just few of the items always being looked for. If you have or know someone who has any of these, please contact us.

Payment Information

What forms of payment do you accept?

PayPal or mail in check.

Do I need a PayPal account?

No. You can use your credit card to pay for these programs with PayPal without having to setup a PayPal account. The following credit cards are accepted by PayPal: Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express.
PayPal does require the Credit Card Security Code (CSC), the three digit number located on the back of your credit card, or for American Express, the 4 digit number on the upper right hand corner of the front of your credit card.
If you plan to set up a PayPal account, you may want to consider setting it up prior to registration at www.paypal.com

What are the benefits of using PayPal?

PayPal is an industry leader for accepting online payments. It is a safe and easy way to authorize payments without exposing your financial information to the vendor. PayPal offers protection from unauthorized payments and your account is monitored 24/7 to prevent fraud. With PayPal facilitating the payment process, you will know right away if there are any issues with the credit card information you enter, as well as an almost immediate email confirmation of payment. PayPal also offers you more payment options. You can simply pay using your credit card, or you can set up a PayPal account. With a PayPal account, you will have the option to pay with either a bank account or credit card.

My browser crashed before I was able to get to the Paypal screen, what should I do?

Send us an email (see below) and we will send you the link to the payment system.

How will I be informed that my transaction was successful?

You will receive a Receipt for Payment email from PayPal (service@paypal.com).  The PayPal email will confirm that the transaction completed successfully. You should receive this email almost immediately after you complete your order.

After registering and paying online, what do I need to do?

Look for an email "Receipt for Payment" from PayPal. In the event that you do not receive this, send an email to us.

What is the Refund and Cancellation Policy?

All payments are not refundable.
FVR reserves the right to refuse a person from participating in a Division. Registrants will be offered a full refund if this occurs.

Contact

What if I need some more information or have some concerns?

Send an email to info?foxvalleyrobotics com (change the ? to an @, and replace the blank space with a period before com)