Hello again to PA FIRST Tech Challenge Teams and volunteers,
Referencing our last email blast, we have two important things to communicate again, but in different order. As we at Pennsylvania FIRST Robotics gear up and plan for the upcoming First Forward Freight Frenzy Season, please be cognizant of the following:
On August 1st we sent out an email entitled https://preview.ftcpenn.org/ – Preview of our new website! In this email was a request from Dave Hackett for all team mentors, coaches and volunteers to preview and provide feedback with regards to the website upgrades that will be released at the end of this month.
We have taken input from many of you (THANK YOU!) and have now realized the final product.
As such, next Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 18 and 19 the PREVIEW website will be down as well as our existing site so that the transformation can be completed. By Friday, August 20th, and when you log in to http://www.ftcpenn.org/ your view will be the new website content only.
Please be aware that we continue to populate this site with archived team information and results so team and program history is not lost, just taking more time to transform, so no worries there. Please be sure to provide any additional feedback between now and next Tuesday however we will lock it down by next Friday.
As a reminder and request, we continue to track and update primary FTC Team registration through FIRST HQ however it has been difficult for us to predict this year how many teams we may ultimately have competing in Pennsylvania. This is somewhat due to the continued uncertainties from last season and the pandemic as well the fact we are in the summer time vacation months with many of you getting out into the world since last year’s restrictions. As we wrote in previous blasts, we intend on holding live, in person competitions this year with at least one remote competition which, of course, is dependent on any new or revised CDC and PA guidelines and the public health situation.
So, if you have not responded already, we have a simple ask; For those team leads that have not yet had an opportunity to register or re-register you team with FIRST Inspires please let us know by return email of your intentions.
- We have full intention to register and compete in the PA FTC Program this coming season.
- Maybe, still in consideration
- No, we will not be participating this season
The registration link follows as well:
https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/ftc/cost-and-registration
If you have already registered then no response is necessary, we already have your registrations logged in. Please respond by Friday August 20th if at all feasible and thank you.
Thanks to all of you for your time and feedback. We will be sending additional emails throughout this month to keep you all up to date as our season plans unfold.
All the best,
Tom Zawislak and Dave Hackett
Pennsylvania FIRST® Robotics
FIRST Tech Challenge® Program Delivery Partner
phone: (302) 383-9925
email: ftc@pennfirst.org
Website: www.FTCPenn.org