Dive into These Tips for Preparing for Your SUBMERGED Event

Getting ready to compete at a tournament and not sure what to expect? With all the time you’ve spent preparing for the big day, it’s natural to feel like you’re in uncharted waters. Continue reading for some suggestions to help navigate your SUBMERGED^SM event!  

The main goal of an event is for your team to have fun and to feel that their work is valued. There’s a checklist to help your team prepare for their event in the Team Meeting Guide.  

Make sure to watch the Preparing for your SUBMERGED Event video. FIRST^® LEGO^® League is more than just the Robot Game - don’t forget about Robot Design, Core Values, and the Innovation Project! This video will walk you through what to expect, from presenting your Innovation Project in your judging session to how your Gracious Professionalism^® can shine. What you learn together is more important than what you win! 

Judging sessions at events are the time for your team’s Core Values to shine! Here are more tips to help you:  

• Get your team ready for the judging session by reviewing the Judging Session Flowchart and the Rubrics. 

• Teams should demonstrate Core Values in everything they do. Judges will be excited to see how teams used teamwork, discovery, inclusion, innovation, impact, and fun throughout their Innovation Project and Robot Design work. 

• Can’t get enough of your Core Values? Help the judges complete the rubrics by incorporating the Core Values key words into your team’s presentations. The team might share what they discovered about their Innovation Project topic, how the team came up with creative ideas, how they showed persistence in testing the robot, and what they found challenging and how they overcame it. 

• Gracious Professionalism is scored at the game table, too! Referees will award points for Core Values as part of every official match. 

• For more guidance on helping your team embrace Core Values, review the Team Meeting Guide. 

Not sure what extras you should bring to your tournament? We asked veteran coaches for some suggestions: 

• Tournament days can be long - it’s important to stay fueled for all the excitement. Check with your local tournament director to see if snacks and/or lunch will be available for purchase or if you need to bring your own. 

• It’s a good idea to bring a toolbox filled with extra LEGO^® elements for your robot. Don’t forget to make sure that your team’s equipment meets the requirements explained in the Robot Game Rulebook. 

• Bring a battery pack for an extra power source.  

• Think about how you will move your robot and attachments around the venue and ask your tournament director what is recommended. 
• Bring your team spirit! Teams can bring giveaways to hand out to other teams to showcase their team pride, such as buttons, pins, stickers, etc.
  

Coaching a FIRST^® LEGO^® League Explore team? Make sure to review the Team Meeting Guide for helpful guidance on using Core Values throughout the season and how to demonstrate them at a festival. Be sure to also review the Preparing for Your Festival checklist in the Team Meeting Guide. 

For more helpful tips for your SUBMERGED season, check out our recent FAQ’s blog post. 

Calling all coaches! Do you have any tips to share to help teams prepare for their first festival or tournament? Let us know on social media using #SUBMERGED and be sure to tag @FIRSTLEGOLeague!