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Resources for Current Coaches

Is your team registered with FIRST as part of the Iowa Region?*

This page is where you will find more details about the season theme and events in Iowa throughout the season, so you may want to bookmark this page for easy reference. Upon receipt of your paid team registration with FIRST, you will be added to the bi-weekly Iowa Team Blast email list. Please read these carefully, as they will contain tips, event information, and rule changes.

*The materials on this page are specifically for FIRST LEGO League Challenge and Explore Teams in the Iowa Region. Other regions may have different instructions and policies for their FIRST LEGO League Teams, so it is always best to check with your region’s Program Delivery Partner.

 

 

Education and Support

This group was created to enable easy communication among the FIRST LEGO League coaches of Iowa. This forum is meant to share key information and FLL knowledge with coaches across Iowa. Gracious professionalism is expected, and only Iowa FIRST LEGO League coaches will be permitted to join this group.

Join Facebook Group

We host regular Zoom meetings to support coaches for the FIRST LEGO League season. Half the meeting will include announcements, tips, and other items to help your season. The second half will be an open discussion where coaches can share and learn from each other. Recordings are linked below when available.

The dates for the Coach Calls are:

This is the link for the Coach Calls: https://iastate.zoom.us/j/93185224062?pwd=bktRZU1wMzJnZEFJRFpzSkhMcHluUT09

From event preparation and budgets to working with online tools, this page contains instructions on how to administer your team.

FIRST Team Management Resources for Challenge

FIRST Team Season Resources for Explore 

The primary mode of communication with coaches are the regular Team Blast emails. Coaches are added to this email list automatically when registering their team with FIRST. Please note, it may take up to 4-5 business days to be added to list once registered.

 

All of our previous Team Blasts for the SUBMERGED Season can be found on Mailchimp.

Event Information

Once you complete your team’s registration with FIRST, you will receive a welcome email from our office. By the end of August, you will receive a separate email with the specific information and link to register for Iowa Qualifiers and Expos. You will designate your top three choices for an event to attend. Event registration is not first come, first served.

Registration opens in August and will have a “soft close” on October 7 for Challenge Teams. At that time, teams that have registered will receive an email informing them of their assigned qualifier or expo.

We will continue to accept qualifier and expo registrations up to the week before the event as long as there is space available.

Explore Expos for the 2024-2025 season will take place from December to April.

  • 12/7 Webster City
  • 2/1 Ames
  • 3/1 Coralville
  • 3/29 Cedar Falls

See our events calendar for details.

Every youth and coach on a team who attends a qualifier or expo will need to have a completed consent and release form for Iowa State University. Youth will need to have a parent or guardian fill out the ISU Youth Consent Form on their behalf.

Adult coaches and volunteers at qualifiers and expos will need to complete an online ISU Volunteer Service Agreement.

Our office will reach out to teams prior to their scheduled qualifier or expo to alert them if they still need to submit these forms.

One coach should check in the entire team upon arrival. You will need to provide the following items:

  • Team roster printed from your FIRST Dashboard
  • Payment for your Iowa qualifier registration (if not paid  online)
  • If needed, any FIRST Consent & Release forms that were not submitted via the FIRST Dashboard

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