Early Season Resource For Coaches
Starting a robotics team can feel overwhelming, especially during your first season. This page provides practical resources to help coaches organize their teams, establish a consistent practice schedule, assign student roles, communicate expectations, hold the first practices, and prepare for the season ahead.
Use these templates and guides during the first weeks of your season to build a strong foundation and keep students and families informed.
1. Recruiting and Selecting Students
Resources to help coaches identify interested students and build their teams.
3. Leading Your First Practice
Resources to help introduce the season, establish expectations, and begin working with students.
The presentation includes:
Team introductions
Goals for the season
Team guidelines
VEX IQ Game and scoring overview
Robot requirements
Initial strategy discussions
Homework and next steps
5. Holding a Parent Meeting
Resources coaches can customize and use when meeting with families at the beginning of the season.
The presentation covers:
What robotics is
Student and family expectations
Practice and competition schedules
Communication
Volunteers
Sponsors
Ways families can help
2. Organizing Your Team
Information to help coaches establish how the team will operate.
Other things to think about:
Setting a consistent practice schedule and location
Establishing attendance and behavior expectations - both for student behavior in school and after school
Creating student pickup procedures
Choosing a family communication method - consider phone trees or group chats
Assigning or rotating student roles
Identifying builders, programmers, drivers, strategists, and notebook leads
4. Funding and Sponsorships
Resources coaches can use to seek support from local businesses and community partners.
Estimated Season Expenses:
Team registration - $175 - $200
Current-season game elements - $180 - $1200
Extra parts and replacement pieces - $300
Two competition registrations - $300 - $500
Competition-day food and snacks - $250
Team shirts - $240
Engineering notebook and supplies - $75
Contingency fund - $200
6. Introducing Families to Robotics
Resources coaches can share with parents who are new to robotics.
These resources help explain:
What students do on a robotics team
Whether previous experience is necessary
Skills students develop
Available team roles
Practice commitments
What happens at competitions
The overall value and impact of robotics
Whether you’re a first-year coach or an experienced robotics educator, TechPoint Youth’s Robot Resources page provides the tools and support you need throughout the season. Explore training videos, team registration guidance, current-season game materials, building and programming resources, competition preparation, troubleshooting assistance, classroom curriculum, and more.