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Welcome to the FIRSTWebconference

2009 FRC Field

Supervisor Training

Version 1 – 8 February 2009

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Introduction & Overview

Trainer: Paul George FIRST Volunteer Since 1994 FTA Since 2005 Cell: 513-377-6584

The Field Supervisor plays a key role in coordinating the flow of events on the field and is crucial to a successful outcome. It is a demanding and rewarding position that will challenge your organizational, operational, and diplomatic skills.

The following material assumes some basic knowledge of how a FIRST Robotics Competition event works (experience with at least one previous competition).

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Agenda

Learning Objectives Responsibilities Principles Key Event Positions Key Activities 2009 Lunacy Details Quiz

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Learning Objectives

After this presentation, you will be able to:Describe why this is importantDescribe your responsibilitiesDescribe the principlesList the Key Event Staff Positions Implement the 2009 Lunacy Specifics

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Why Do We Do This?

Without Volunteers Like You, FIRST and your event would not be possible

Opportunity to Make A Difference Opportunity To Use Your Leadership Skills Great Learning Opportunity

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Primary Responsibilities

Field Safety Direct Field Setup and Breakdown

Keep track of tools Manage the supplies

Collaborate with Event Manager to Establish: Robot Flow Crowd Control Safety Glasses Station Locations

Train the Field Reset Crew Direct Field Reset and Repair Help Keep the Matches on Schedule Identify and Resolve Field Issues

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Principles

Create the BEST Possible Event for the Students! Embody Gracious Professionalism Communication Is Key! Lead versus Do Be a Team Player Use Gentle Persuasion Be Consistent and Fair Use Diplomacy and Common Sense Be Decisive and Stick to Your Decision Strive for Consistency

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Expectations

Do Your Best Do Your Homework Stay At the Field – this is your first priority! Keep the FTA and Event Manager informed of any issues Be Professional – you are representing FIRST Be Polite – “please” and “thank you” go a long way Be Humble – don’t be afraid to ask for help Be Approachable – you have to know what’s going on Be Patient – stay calm and work things through Be a Good Listener – show empathy but then get to the point Be Flexible – there is more than one way to accomplish most goals Use Your Resources Follow the Rules

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Equipment

Rule Book! Appropriate Sections of the FTA Manual A Watch – Preferably with a stop watch FIRST Toolbox

Tools Cleaning Supplies ONLY USE MATERIALS DESIGNATED FOR YOUR REGIONAL!!!!!

Scissors or Pocket Knife Carpet Trimming Cutting Tape

Obtain a Radio from the Event Office Queuing FTA and FTS Event Manager

Match Schedule (s)

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Key Event Positions

Field Reset and Repair Crew FIRST Technical Advisor Event Manager Head Referee Emcee FTA Assistant Score Keepers Lead Queuer Lead Robot Inspector Volunteer Coordinator

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Field Reset and Repair Crew

Provide their training This is a key responsibility area for you Assign a Lead Reset Person to help Establish a sense of pride Establish the procedure and manage breaks Work with the Volunteer Coordinator to ensure

you have enough volunteers Field reset can impact staying on schedule Assign individuals to do field repair

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FIRST Tech Advisor

He/She is your “go to” person for technical issues All these people have done your job in previous years

and know the ropes They are responsible for:

Assisting with field set up and breakdown Resolving technical issues throughout the competition Knowing the right person to contact

Check in regularly and get feedback on how things are going

Any questions, ask the FTA first.

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Event Manager

Confirm start and end times for each day Review

Robot Transit Judges Seating Area Crowd Control Ceremony Needs Media Plans and Needs Support for VIP Appearances

Establish ground rules for camera operators & photographers

Keep them informed of the schedule status

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Head Referee

Scoring Establish signal for indicating scoring is over and its OK to enter

the field Make arrangements for practice scoring on Thursday

Establish area for student questions Collaborate to stay on schedule

Emphasize importance of fast scoring Depending on the game, field reset may start before scoring is

complete. Discuss this possibility on Thursday. NO Replays!

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Emcee

Does Team Introductions Establish who will signal to start (FTS or Yourself) Establish the signal that the field is ready

Collaborate with the Emcee to stay on schedule When running late, it is OK to start introductions while

the teams are still on the field Let the Emcee know if there will be a significant delay

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FTA Assistant

Trained and supervised by the FTA Responsibilities include:

Monitoring the field electronics Assists in ensuring Robots can communicate with the

field Providing “Quality of Service” reporting

Collaborate with the FTS to stay on schedule Support each other BUT do not duplicate efforts

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Score Keepers

Enters the score Works with the AV crew to display the scores Prepares scoring system for the next match Check point that the field is ready Establish the signal to indicate that scoring is

ready for the next match FTA is their first level of support

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Lead Queuer

Establish expectations Train them on the flow patterns Lead Queuer works out the details with the Pit

Announcer Lead Queuer decides on locations for the Queuing Team Establish importance of communication Balance between:

Having teams ready Giving teams as much time as possible in the pit

Discuss any changes necessary for Saturday afternoon

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Queuing

Train Queuing On: Where on-deck robots are to wait How robots will get loaded on the field Where carts will go while robots are on the field How robots come off the field Need to check that robot numbers correspond to the numbers on the

scoring system Make sure everyone understands stations Red 1, Red 2, Red 3, Blue 1,

Blue 2, and Blue 3 Establish that Queuers are ultimately responsible for making sure

the right robots and drivers get to the right playing spot You and the field setup folks will help but Queuers need to be

responsible

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Lead Inspector

Review the method for indicating that teams have passed inspection for Friday and Saturday competition

Establish a method for asking for a re-inspection

Review anything to watch out for on the field (e.g., tires that could become a problem)

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Volunteer Coordinator

Review the number of volunteers scheduled for field setup, field reset, queuing, and field disassembly.

Emphasize the need to have reliable volunteers Especially for Queuing and Field Setup Preferably many will work all 3 days Helps maintain consistency and timing

Establish process for having the volunteer coordinator work with you on any volunteer issues that affect the field

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Others

A/V Manager Make sure you know how to find him/her Use A/V Manager with regards to Union Sites or not.

They will know best how to handle. Head Judge and Judge Advisor

Introduce yourself in case they need anything to do with the field/competition flow

Regional Director FIRST Representative Stakeholder

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Agenda

Learning Objectives Responsibilities Principles Key Event Positions Key Activities 2009 Lunacy Details Quiz

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Wednesday

Truck unloadingCheck the crates as they come off

Build the field Meet with the Event Manager Volunteer Meeting

DinnerTrain the Field Reset Crew

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Field Set Up & Checkout

The Field Supervisor is responsible for field setup and breakdown

ONLY use materials designated for your Event! Generally No Tools Are Required!! Supervise versus Do

Use your volunteers! Direct the activities (Especially during breakdown.) Teach them the proper methods

Work with the FTA and FTAA to confirm that the field is operational

For questions, consult the FTA

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Field Reset Crew Safety

Emphasize that safety glasses are required to be worn at all times on the field

Only closed toe shoes are acceptable Tennis shoes are ok Low heels are preferable

No one may enter the field or touch a robot while the robots are active! NOT EVEN ON PRACTICE DAY!

Be weary of pinch points Be alert. Robot arms may and do extend past the field

barrier.

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Field Reset Crew Expectations

Volunteers must wear their volunteer shirt and try to look neat

Be punctual – you are counting on these folks to be on time

Pay attention and follow directions Do not yell at the players! Use gentle, but

insistent, persuasion to get teams to move.

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Field Reset Crew Training

Importance of speed and accuracy in reset No one under Age 12

Review field configuration – exactly how you want it set up – be firm!

Crew only enters the field after the OK sign Review game piece rules

Deflated or broken pieces Do game pieces re-enter the field during the match

Let robot owners remove game pieces from their robot

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Field Reset Crew Training (cont) Decide where you want people posted

Gates onto field Helping teams get set up and disconnected

Establish Procedure For and Who Will: Trim carpet snags Replace broken zip ties Re-tape Manage the spare game pieces

Clean up between matches Establish a lost robot parts bin

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Other Field Reset Items

Alliance team members must decide their robot position on the field prior to stepping onto the field

The drivers must be under the computer assigned driving position (under their team number)

Encourage teams to disconnect their Operator Stations during scoring

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Thursday

Breakfast Event Meeting Drivers Meeting Practice Rounds

Who will Emcee? Establish area and procedure for fill in lane Evaluate field resets and robot flow

Talk to Head Referee Field Clean Up and Maintenance Talk to Spare Parts about charging the spare batteries Print the Qualification Schedules at Lunch

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Driver’s Meeting

FTA welcomes the teams You discuss:

Field Safety Safety Glasses Stay off the field until directed to get their robot Move quickly but safely

Operator Badges Robot Flow and Cart Storage Queuing Areas Match #1 robots must be on the field prior to the opening ceremonies

Head Referee Emphasizes Specific Rules Holds a Q&A session

NOTE: A “script” will be available by Week 1

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Practice Matches

Do not allow anyone on the field while the robots are active!

See 2009 Specifics for Practice Requirements Watch for field or game piece damage. Inform the Lead

Inspector of any suspect robot mechanisms. Finishing on time is NOT mandatory or necessary!

It is more important to give the teams adequate practice versus finishing on time.

Schedule 10 minutes between matches with 2 cycles First one is 5 min (15 sec Auton with 285 seconds of Teleop After a reset, rerun the match with standard timing

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Practice Matches (Cont’d)

Opportunity to teach the teams the match timing and set the tone for the 2 days of competition

Remind teams that it is PRACTICE Monitor traffic flow and your field reset crew An opportunity to practice announcing Let rookie members of your team know that the

intensity level will be substantially higher tomorrow – don’t get too comfortable.

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Field Clean Up and Maintenance

Vacuum carpet and trim loose ends Inspect game pieces Inspect the field

Look for missing zip ties and bent or broken pieces For field markings, Minimize tape use! Patch versus

complete replacement (use common sense) Clean all glass – both sides Check that the field has not moved significantly Trash pick-up

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Friday

Breakfast Event Meeting OPTIONAL Drivers Meeting Review training with the Field Reset Crew Set up the field for the Opening Ceremony Set up for Match #1 Matches and Lunch Award Ceremony Field Clean Up and Maintenance Get Alliance Captain bibs ready

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Optional Drivers Meeting

Short and Sweet Reasons to have the meeting

Head Referee needs to emphasize 1 or 2 rules based on Thursday’s practice

Drastic change in Robot flow

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Opening Ceremony

Set up field the way the Event Manager wants it

Match #1 robots should be on the field before opening ceremoniesEstablish robot communications Have teams turn off their robots to save

power Review timing with the Lead Queuer

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The Qualifying Schedule

A perfect day is starting the last match at the appointed time! Strive for plus or minus 5 minutes Too fast is worse than too slow

Cycle times are 6 minutes You can make up time at lunch Dynamic Scheduling

Maintains the lunch break Matches may shift from before lunch to after lunch

and vice versa

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The Schedule Continued

You will run behind schedule in the morning By mid-morning, the match interval should be

correct If not on target, then look for the bottlenecks

Field set up time Getting teams on / off field Getting teams connected / disconnected Referee scoring time (work with refs to improve) Emcee / announcer taking too long

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Qualifying Matches

Early on focus on field set up and make sure this goes smoothly

Check on queuing Coordinate Field Reset Crew breaks Look for trouble Keep people pumped up (from 2:30 to

4:00 is the twilight zone!)

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Saturday

Breakfast Event Meeting Review training with the Field Reset Crew (you may

have new members) Set up the field for the Opening Ceremony Set up for the first match Qualifying Matches Continue Alliance Pairings Elimination Matches Award Ceremony Field Breakdown Truck Loading

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Alliance Pairings

Have Emcee begin making Alliance Pairing announcements 30 minutes before the last match The time Need a representative from each team The assembly area for the representatives Back up robots Alliance Captain meets with the Head Referee

Review with Emcee where each Alliance pairing will stand

Have the Alliance Captain bibs available Have a runner available to fetch a missing representative

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Alliance Pairings (cont.)

Meet with the Back Up Robot teams and explain the situation

Get a new schedule Make sure that Queuing, the Pit and the Pit

Announcer have new schedules Make sure Alliance Captains receive their Time

Out Card Devise a method to keep track of the FIRST

provided batteries. They must be returned.

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Elimination Rounds

Keep the Emcee appraised of any significant schedule delays

Encourage the Emcee to fill in any dead time and entertain the crowd

Work with crowd control and the Event Manager to make sure the field perimeter doesn’t get too crowded and the people in the stands can see

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Award Ceremony

Check with Event Manager to see how they want the field set up Quickly pick up the carpet, but there is most likely no time to

vacuum ABSOLUTELY NO FIELD DISASSEMBLY DURING THE AWARD

CEREMONY! OK To Do QUIETLY and OUT of SIGHT

Practice Field Game Pieces Inspection Station

Do not give away game pieces Good time to give positive feedback to the event team as warranted

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Field Break Down and Packing

CHAOS! Unless YOU take control! Too many people is worse than not enough! Keep track of tools Going slower means getting done sooner Check the contents of each crate When everything is packed, walk the facility with

the FTA. Do not overlook cardboard boxes! Line up the crates according to the truck packing

layout

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Agenda

Learning Objectives Responsibilities Principles Key Event Positions Key Activities 2009 Lunacy Details Quiz

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2009 Specific Information

Field Set Up Practice Day Game Pieces Game Specifics Field Reset Miscellaneous

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Field Set-up

FRP (Regolith) FRAGILE while rolled up Use gloves

Easier to grasp Glass splinters

Allow time for it to warm up Expands and contracts with temperature Position of FRP is approximate

NO FTA manual on the truck Posted on the forum

Construction is easy Field and scoring table electronics have changed for the better

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Practice Day

Practice at the team’s scheduled time does NOT require inspection MORE TO COME

Bumpers ARE required at all times Must PASS their inspection to use the Fast Lane Week 1 Events will NOT have any Rocks for the practice

field Week 2 and later will use scuffs from previous weeks Fast Lane

Score Keeper must update team numbers in the FMS before loading the match (Pre-Start)

Last second adds from the Fast Lane could delay the matches

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Game Pieces

50 Rock Repair Kits per truck Need a count of New, Repaired, and

Worthless Rocks on Friday and Saturday Do NOT use Rocks for subsequent events

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Game Specifics

Rocks are placed back on the crater close to where they left it

Bogey wheel for the trailer Use when no robot shows Uses a retaining clip (not the hitch pin) Do NOT loose clips or pins! Collect from the reset crew before

they leave! There is no pause between Auton and Teleop Saturday afternoon robots, including backups, must have

another Volume and Weight inspection (no quarantine areas)

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Field Reset

On field Score Keepers will disconnect the trailers from the robot

Field Status Light Red Flashing Red Alliance Ready Blue Flashing Blue Alliance Ready Green Flashing Field Ready Red Solid Red Alliance Penalty Blue Solid Blue Alliance Penalty

Containers for the Moon Rocks Each Holds 10 Rocks Teams on the same Alliance may NOT share Rocks prior to the

match starting

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Miscellaneous

Carpet and Regolith New process for awarding the post event ownership

(in process) Clean Regolith with Swiffer Dry at lunch and at the

end of the day

Water Bubbler replaces the water bottles No open top cups or glasses on the scoring table!

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Certification Quiz

There is a quiz Everyone must take it Emphasizes key points of this training Provides me with feedback This year, you do not need a passing

score

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Gracious Professionalism is Key

At FIRST, Gracious Professionalism has become an expectation.

We expect it from our students, from the Mentors and Coaches, from all FIRST Volunteers and from FIRST Staff.

It is part of the ethos of FIRST.

“In the long run, gracious professionalism is part of pursuing a meaningful life. If one becomes a professional, and uses knowledge in a gracious manner, everyone wins. One can add to society and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that you have acted with integrity and sensitivity. That’s good stuff!”

– Dr.Woodie Flowers, FIRST National Advisor

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Gracious Professionalism is Key

Encouraging high-quality work +

Emphasizing the value of others +

Respecting individuals and the community

EVERYONE WINS!

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Lead Volunteer Communication

With your team of volunteers: As a Lead Volunteer you are a LEADER. Lead Volunteers must communicate with the Volunteer

Coordinator(s) to get names and begin communicating with their team as soon as possible via e mail etc.

As a team leader, you must communicate with your volunteers to create a sense of a team and teamwork.

By doing so, questions can be answered in advance, comfort levels increased, and miscellaneous information gotten out of the way.

There should be no surprises when you get together with your volunteer team at the event.

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Lead Volunteer Communication

With the other lead volunteers at your event: Take the opportunity to meet with other lead volunteers and

discuss your expectations. Discuss overlapping areas of responsibility and decide on

how issues in these areas should be handled. Clarify each others roles BEFORE a problem arises. Make sure everyone understands the non-medical incident

report (new in 2008).

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Thank You

For volunteering to be the Field Supervisor. Events could not happen without dedicated, energetic people

like you.

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FIRST would like to thank the Association for Laboratory Automation for their

gracious support.

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Questions?