NM FTC September Season Update!

Hello NM FTC teams!

We’re closing in in the 2021-22 FTC FREIGHT FRENZY Kickoff!

Due to the worsening of the COVID Pandemic over the last 2 months, we are going to hold a Remote Kickoff on Saturday, Sept 18.  Let’s plan to start at 9:30AM with FIRST‘s kickoff at 10AM.  I’ll send out a Zoom link when we get closer to the date.  I’m hoping to have some door prizes from FTC suppliers!

2021-2022 New Mexico FTC Tentative Season Schedule:

At this point, we are still planning on having in-person competitions.

December 11th:  Socorro FTC Qualifier or Scrimmage, Sarracino Middle School. (In conjunction with the Socorro FLL Qualifier)

January  22nd:  Alamogordo FTC Qualifier or Scrimmage, Chaparral Middle School. (possible practice remote judging TBA)

February 4-5, 2022:  NM FTC Regional Championship, Nex+Gen Academy, Albuquerque.

Dean’s List Judging: A remote event to be held in conjunction with the NM FTC  Championship

Due to the uncertainty of the COVID Pandemic, FIRST and NM FTC reserve the right to modify these events as needed or switch to a Remote Competition Model as defined by FIRST in the Remote version of the FTC Game Manual Parts 1&2.  This will depend on conditions as each event approaches. 

At this point, masks will be required at in-person events!

A few other season notes:

1. Some teams have found that the new Rev Driver Hub is backordered from the FTC storefront and out of stock at Rev Robotics.  FIRST assures me this is temporary and should be back in stock soon.  While you can still use the Android phone as the driver station, I highly recommend purchasing this new Driver Hub if you have the resources! It replaces the phone and other driver station hardware with more robust equipment and a version of the Android OS that is under FTC program configuration & control.
2. The FREIGHT FRENZY Challenge sets are available for preorder from AndyMark.  You will notice it is available with or without the scoring elements.  If you still have the balls and cubes from the FTC FIRST Res-Q or FTC Rover Ruckus seasons, they are the same scoring elements and you don’t need to re-purchase those, so order the set without scoring elements.  If you do not have these, you need to order it with scoring elements.

Please let me know if you have any questions about the season!

Jim Jackson, NM FTC Operational Partner