8/18/25 weekly Oklahoma FTC newsletter

[Mary Jo Othon]

Hello FTC teams!

We are getting closer to a new season of FTC!  Time to get robot ready!  Please make note of some changes coming to your FIRST Dashboard Login:

✔️ TEAM REGISTRATION:

• I would like to get a better idea of which teams plan on returning for the 2025 - 2026 season.  Please reply to this google form on your intent as soon as possible. 
• Please understand that our slots to championships and premier events are based on registered teams.  When that number is low, so are our allocations. 
• Register your team in the FIRST® Dashboard or let us know your team is planning to participate using the "Returning Teams" button and checking the box next to your team's information.
  

• Coaches, sign into your FIRST Dashboard and make sure that:
• All contact information is current.  We cannot contact you unless we have current information.
• Your team has two screened Lead Coach/Mentors
• FIRST policies and acknowledgement forms are updated and signed

📅  UPCOMING OKLAHOMA EVENTS:

• 9/6/2025 - DECODE kickoff events
• 9/6/25 - Dean’s List Nominations Open
• 9/27/2025 - “Robot in 3 weeks” at DiscoveryFest - OKC Science Museum
• 10/27/2025 - 1/24/2025 - League meets (league schedules coming soon)
• 12/15/2025 - Dean’s List Nominations due
• 1/31/2026 - Mustang League Tournament 
• 2/7/2026 - Kingfisher League Tournament
• TBD - Bishop Kelley League Tournament
• TBD - Oklahoma Regional Championship Tournament 

💲SEASON FEES:

• FIRST HQ Registration Fee - $325

In order to be able to compete as a FIRST Tech Challenge team, teams need to register with FIRST each season. The annual FIRST registration fees that all teams pay to FIRST stays at FIRST Headquarters in New Hampshire and does not get passed onto FIRST in Okalhoma. To pay your team’s $325 FIRST HQ Registration fee, please visit your team’s FIRST Dashboard. If you are waiting for a grant, DO NOT pay your FIRST Registration Fee until after that grant has been awarded. FIRST will not be able to make changes to orders after checkout.

• Oklahoma Registration Fee - $275

In order to participate in Oklahoma events, teams pay a rgistration fee to OKSEF.   This non-refundable fee covers 3 to 5 League Meets, 1 League Tournament and the State Regional Championship (if qualified).  Teams will receive an invoice in early October.  OKSEF gives 45 days after the invoice date to pay without penalty. Teams must pay in order to compete in their League Tournament.

🏈DECODE KICKOFF ACTIVITIES:

• Saturday, September 6th
• 7 - 7:20 am arrival
• Various informational videos and door prizes (more information to follow)
• 11:00 am - Game Reveal
• 11:30 am - Field Reveal
• 12:00 pm - Departure
• East location - Bishop Kelley High School
• West location - Mustang High School

👀 DiscoverFest (formerly Tinkerfest) FTC "Robot in 3 Weeks" Scrimmage:

• DiscoverFest is a daylong celebration of curiosity and creativity. Free to the community, this event gives individuals the opportunity to get hands-on experience learning how things work. Past tinkering activities have spanned from disassembling cars, candle making, creating music, podcast production, foil sculpting, loom knitting and robotics. There are typically over 50 activities to enjoy in addition to the museum's permanent exhibits! You'll find something for every age and ability at DiscoverFest.
• FTC teams - we'd love to have you come out with your "robot in 3 weeks" and have a first try at playing DECODE!  It's a great chance for teams to help each other learn the game.  We are planning to run matches among teams who have a functional robot.
• FIRST Volunteers - if you'd like to help run the scrimmage, please sign up here (but also on your FIRST dashboard when it comes available.
• Sign up or volunteer your team at this link.  The event is anticipated to be from 9am-4pm, so if you can only attend part of it please note that in the comments. We typically have 30-40 robots and over a dozen teams in attendance, so it's a great day!

🗺️ 2025 - 2026 UPDATED OKLAHOMA FTC REGIONS:

• Since the publication of the updated regions in May, several new teams have been added to Oklahoma that caused restructuring of the leagues.  At this time, there are still six leagues with approximately 15 teams in each league.  We anticipate 87 Oklahoma teams this year but only 10 teams are currently signed up through FIRST.  
• League managers have been sent their lists and will be in contact to begin scheduling league meets.  
• Link to Oklahoma FTC leagues.  There have been some small changes.

🏆 DECODE LEAGUE MEETS:

• League meets can begin as early as October 27, 2025, and can be as late as January 24, 2026.
• Each league can host up to five five-match league meets or four six-match league meets for a total of up to 25 matches. 
• League meets are robot matches only, no judged events.
• The top ten match scores will transfer to the league tournaments.
• Final league schedules due by 9/15/2025. 

🥇Advancement & FIRST Championship Update:

• FIRST announced this week two major changes to advancements within the FIRST system.
• In 2026 for the DECODE season, they will be welcoming 336 teams to the FIRST Championship, up (31%) from 256 teams last season.  The number of slots dedicated to Oklahoma has not been determined yet.  It will be determined by the number of registered teams, which is another reason to get your team registered as soon as possible!
• This year a new advancement system will be utilized.  Under the new advancement system, teams will accrue advancement points throughout an event. At the end of the event, the top N teams according to advancement points will advance. Advancement points are gained over the course of a single event, so teams are only being compared with other teams at their event when considering advancement. This system will be used at all events for the 2025-2026 season - League Tournaments as well as the Oklahoma Regional Championship.  
• For more information on how this point system will work, please see this site.

      DECODE COMPETION MANUAL PREVIEW RELEASE

• The Competition Manual Preview Release was published on Monday, August 4. This version of the Competition Manual includes most of the non-game-specific information for this season, so that FIRST Tech Challenge teams can get an early start on understanding advancement, awards, and robot construction rules.
• You can find it at ftc.game (https://www.firstinspires.org/resource-library/ftc/game-and-season-info).
• The format of the Competition Manual has mostly stayed the same. 
• Bold Green rules with a leading asterisk (*) are “evergreen” rules, meaning they are largely the same year-to-year.
• Bold Orange rules are season specific and vary significantly year to year
• Award updates and changes to include  the removal of the Motivate Award and the addition of two new awards, Sustain and Reach

📝 DEAN’S LIST NOMINATIONS

• The Dean’s List Award recognizes outstanding student leaders (in 10th and 11th grade) in FIRST Tech Challenge. Coaches may nominate up to two students from their team who demonstrate leadership, dedication, and embody the values of FIRST. Students selected as Dean’s List Finalists are celebrated during the season, and a small number of winners are honored at the FIRST Championship.
• Participating in Dean’s List is an excellent way to highlight the impact of your team’s student leaders and connect them with the broader FIRST community.
• The 2025–2026 season follows an updated nomination and interview process. Here are the key dates for this year’s Dean’s List:
• Nominations Open: September 6 (same day as Kickoff)
• Nomination Deadline: December 15
• Interview Scheduling Opens: TBD
• Interviews: TBD (remote)
• For more information on the Dean’s List Nomination, see this link.

Mary Jo Othon

    Oklahoma FTC PDP