FIRST Tech Challenge teams in Florida are organized in to “Leagues” throughout the state, and managed by dedicated teams of volunteers who invest hundreds (and hundreds!) of hours each year organizing, staffing and supervising competition experiences for teams each season. Here in the Tampa area, we partner with the local ROBOT League to showcase FIRST Tech Challenge in the Tampa Bay area. ROBOT League chair, Alison Roth, tells us more about the local league here.
R.O.B.O.T. League was one of the first leagues formed when FIRST tested 
the FIRST Tech Challenge league system in 2012/2013. Robotic Organized Builders Of Tampa originally consisted of Hillsborough County students organized in public school, private school, and community based teams, and now includes teams from Citrus, Pasco, Polk, and Sumter counties.
FIRST Tech Challenge Affiliate Partner Hans Wolf managed this league first two years of the pilot program, and passed responsibilities on to a league leadership group when he assumed the role of state affiliate partner in 2014. R.O.B.O.T. League is organized as a nonprofit 501(c ) 3 under the Tampa Bay Robotics Foundation in the state of Florida.
R.O.B.O.T. League grew to 26 teams in 2017/2018 and teams have represented the league at every FIRST Tech Challenge State Championship, Super Regional, and World Championship since league system inception. Hillsborough County’s Plant High School Team 7203 KNO3 came in 2nd at the World Championship in 2016.
FIRST Tech Challenge teams participate in two and a half minute qualifying matches each season on a 144 square foot field, 
including an initial 30 second autonomous period, followed by a two minute driver controlled period. Teams are paired randomly throughout the event competing against other team pairs. All robots have a weight limit of 42 pounds and must fit within an 18” cube at the beginning of each match, but may expand beyond that once the matches start. Several years ago, a team from the league was able to reach 12 feet into the air!
Visit the Florida FIRST Tech Challenge website to learn more, and to see how to get involved, and you can follow along with the local ROBOT League here.
You can see ROBOT League teams and other FIRST Tech Challenge teams from around the state in action at ROBOTICON on September 29! Get your FREE tickets at Eventbrite!
Click image to secure your free tickets to ROBOTICON