To join an FVR team, a student must be signed up and paid (or a payment plan in place) prior to the close of registration.
Registration fees can be made online by credit card or by mailing a check to Fox Valley Robotics, PO Box 96, Batavia IL 60510.
The deadline date for registering and paying varies but is always early September. The top of this webpage has this year's cutoff date.
The registration fee covers national registration for the team and 2 local qualifiers, team t-shirt, a team challenge budget, parts and materials replenishment, and contributes to robotics general funds. Misuse or abuse resulting in damaged pieces will be charged for appropriately.
The registration fee does not cover travel expenses.
The registration fees might only lay seed money for the team. The team members will be responsible for fundraising the remainder of the team budget.
A limited amount of scholarships are available for those in financial need. If a student wants to do robotics, we would like to make that happen. Begin a discussion with an email to info@foxvalleyrobotics.com.
All payments are nonrefundable.
FVR reserves the right to refuse a person from participating in a division. The family may be offered a full or partial refund if dismissal occurs early in the season.
FVR Coyotes teams are typically between 4 and 8 students. Teams are formed based on the following priorities:
1. Participant requests (friends, siblings, previous teammates)
2. Town
3. Grade
4. School
Additional factors taken into consideration are previous experience in robotics programs and gender.
FVR tends to put rookie members on teams with other rookies members to both preserve the team's rookie status for competitions and to allow the team members to grow in knowledge and skill together.
If you are in 8th grade, you may either participate in LegoDogs or Coyotes division. Here are some guidelines:
Sign up for the LegoDogs 4th-8th grade division if your child:
1. Has some friends who are in the LegoDogs division
2. Still likes to build with LEGO
3. Needs experience performing in a team environment
4. If your family can use the structure of Saturday technology based, division level meetings
Sign up for the Coyotes 8th-12th grade division if your child:
1. Needs a new challenge for designing and building
2. Has outgrown LEGO
3. Performs well in a team environment setting
The above are only guidelines. If uncertain about the best division for your family, please attend an Info Meeting to learn more, talk with current members, and see the different robots. Info Meeting purpose and schedule is on the home page while registration is open.There is a Coyotes division Kickoff meeting in September.
Teams consisting of both student members and parents will determine appropriate times for their team to meet based on schedules. Once the season starts, meeting times are usually 2-4 hours and 2-3 times a week. As competitions come closer, it's not unusual to see 3-6 hour time frames with 3-4 sessions a week.
A downtown Batavia location is rented which will have the playing field set up. This helps to eliminate setup and tear down time and labor. Arrangements can be made with the coach to gain entry to the premise. In order to use this location, an adult is required to be present anytime a person under the age of 18 occupies the premise.
The Illinois qualifier schedule is from October to February, Illinois VEX State Championship in March, and VEX Robotics World Championship is in April, and the next season's game is announced in April.
FVR parents are expected to be involved in some way. They are expected to work together to coach the team unless a parent or two decides to step-up and coach.
A downtown Batavia location is rented which will have the playing field set up. This helps to eliminate setup and tear down time and effort. Arrangements can be made with the coach to gain entry to the premise. In order to use this location, an adult is required to be present anytime a person under the age of 18 occupies the premise.
Below are a few of the possible parent involvement scenarios:
• One coach with additional involved parents who offer support whether it's helping the team troubleshoot, time management, coordination, planning, or as assistant coachs
• Two coaches where one coach may be a technical coach and guide the team in the robot game and technical presentation while the other assists with team goals, schedule, brainstorming, and division of work efforts.
• Two coaches who share the work equally
• More than two coaches who share the work
Typically, FVR's more successful teams have multiple coaches who share the work. It provides a better dynamic for the team to grow and learn.
FVR coaches are expected to follow these guidelines:
1. Kids do the work
2. Coaches are meant to be guides: help lead students to the answers while never giving them the answer
3. Be fair and consistent while mediating team discussions
4. Help the team divide work and make sure every voice and contribution is heard
5. Push the team to learn new topics, grow as individuals, and grow as a team
6. Kids do the work 🙂
Coaches of experienced or older teams are expected to step back and let their students manage themselves within the capabilities of the team.
A great coach is one who can help students learn in a fun and engaging way while encouraging them to try new things and push the boundaries of their knowledge base. Great coaches do not have to know how to build a robot or program; great coaches can analyze a robot task or action and help their students break it down into manageable pieces. Great coaches help guide their students in effective time management and communication.
FVR team members and parents are involved with the events that the organization participates in through out the year. Robotic events, recruiting, and demonstrations are some of the events which your participation is important. The number of events that you will be required to participate in will be determined once the season begins and the events are finalized.
FVR teams are expected to:
1. Do the work
2. Take mistakes in-stride: they are learning tools, learn from them
3. Share the work with your fellow teammates
4. Encourage yourself, your teammates, and fellow students
5. Help guide your teammates and other teams to answers if they need help
6. Push yourselves to learn new ideas and concepts
7. Have Fun
Rookie teams use the experience of their parents/coaches to help guide and instruct them. Experienced teams are expected to show leadership skills and take some of the responsibilities of their coaches onto their own shoulders.
FVR teams are also expected to:
• Help other FVR teams
• Be respectful and mindful during team and division meetings
• Be responsible: take initiative to clean up your own messes while helping others as well
• Be respectful of the equipment and facility including robots and the field