Getting Involved

So you are interested in the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) and want to get involved, but aren't sure where to start or what to do? FIRST has designed this pageto help you make the right choice.

Please read below to learn about the options, and how to contact us for further information. We look forward to having you with us!

1) How do I start a team?
2) How do I become a Team or Event Sponsor, or a Supplier?
3) How do I mentor a Team?
4) How do I volunteer?

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1) Start a Team!

"The secret of building a successful team is not to assemble the largest team possible, but rather to assemble a team that can work well together." Dean Kamen, Founder of FIRST.

We feel it is important that you learn all you can about FIRST and the robotics competition before committing to forming a team. The single best way to do this is to find a local team or two, and follow their progress through a competition season. Attending a regional competition will allow you to guage the impact of the competition for yourself. You can meet with the team leaders and students, speak with their sponsors, and see the robots first-hand.

Once you are ready to start an FRC team at your school, your job is to form the partnerships you will need with team mentors and sponsors. Local manufacturing and technology companies are ideal candidates for mentors and sponsorship, as are local colleges, universities and technical schools. Many local chapters of professional organizations support FIRST through volunteer help from their engineers, scientists and technologists. If you are unsure where to start, please Contact Us.

Starting a Team
We recommend you download this ASME "Guide to Starting a FIRST Team." It will take you from deciding to participate through competition preparation. You will also learn how you can become an ASME member.

If you still have questions, please check out the FIRST Robotics Frequently asked questions about starting a team
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2) Become a Team or Event Sponsor, or a Supplier!

We recommend visiting our Event Schedule to learn the date and location of a nearby FIRST Robotics Competition. Attend this event with one or more of the decision makers from your company before deciding what level of involvement with FIRST is appropriate for your organization. Watch the event, and decide for yourself that this is a program your company should back. To view a listing of our current sponsors and suppliers please visit Supporters of FIRST.

Companies that support FIRST reap many benefits, including stocking the talent pool, building community relations and corporate awareness, and providing team building and training opportunities for employees. Please read about Why Companies Help FIRST to learn in detail about these benefits (article prepared by ASME.)

If you are a university interested in sponsoring a team, please download the 2004 edition ASME Guide on University Involvement in FIRST. The earlier edition ASME Guide on FIRST and Universities is also of interest.

If you are interested in becoming a Team Sponsor and would like to know the teams in your area, please visit our Interactive Map located in the upper right hand corner of this page. You can click on your state and search under "Who are the teams from this state?" If there isn't a team nearby, we recommend contacting your local high school principal and math and science teachers to raise their interest in forming a team. We can also put you in touch with the local regional director who works with the teams.

For additional information please Contact Us. We will be happy to assist you further.
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3) Mentor a Team!

If you are interested in becoming a FIRST mentor, we recommend you visit our Event Schedule to find a regional competition in your area. Attendance is free, and you will be able to see a competition first-hand.

We also recommend you introduce yourself to mentors in the area and ask how to get in touch with the FIRST regional director closest to you. These people are likely to know about new teams forming in the area, and rookie teams especially benefit from strong professional mentoring.

To find mentors in your area, visit our Interactive Map located in the upper right hand corner of this page. You can click on your state and then then search under "Which teams from this state are willing to be mentors?" and also view "Which teams in this state would like mentoring?"

We have prepared the FIRST Mentoring Guide that will introduce you to our mentoring philosophy, goals, process, and discuss the tools you will need to be a successful mentor.
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4) Volunteer!

Each competition event depends on an abundance of volunteers with a broad spectrum of talents to support operating needs and competition demands. We will be working over the coming months to revise the FIRST Volunteer Information and Matching System (VIMS) and will notify volunteers when they may sign up for new events. If you have already signed up in VIMS and would like to update your contact information, click here.