Most FIRST Lego League coaches and mentors are volunteers who want to inspire kids in STEM. However, as in programs like Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts many of the coaches have children on the team and have been drawn to coach and mentor for that reason. Other coaches may be program leaders such as girl scout leaders, 4Hclub leaders or teachers from schools. If you are having trouble finding an excisting team, consider running your own team. Coaches don't need to have all the answers but be willing to guide the team in researching answers and practicing alternatives. Resources are available on our resource page and on the FIRST website. Feel free to contact us with any questions.
Who can be a coach: Anyone over the age of 18 who is interested in working with children 9-14 years of age.
A coach or mentor should be present at most if not all practices.
A coach should be enthusiastic about science and technology.
A coach should have an adventurous spirit.
A coach should allow kids to do the work but be willing to guide, teach and introduce new ideas.
A coach should remember to have fun and be silly with the kids.
A coach should be prepared to learn from the kids.
A coach should have good organizational skills or be willing to ask for help!
A coach should remember that the season usually ends in December, (LA Region) but can be extended thru April. Regional Championship winners can be promoted to the World Festival or other international invitational opens.
FLL teams are made up of 2-10 team members between the ages of 9 and 14 years. Teams can be organized as Community teams, school teams, Girl Scout or Boy Scout troops, Churches, and clubs such as 4H or Boys and Girls clubs. Each team must have 2 coaches who have registered with FIRST through VIMs. Coaches are responsible for choosing their practice schedule and where teams will meet.
Coach / Mentor To meet FIRST standards each team must have 2 adult coaches who are willing to register through the FIRST Volunteer Information Management System. Each team will require two adult coaches or mentors. There is no expertise needed to manage a team, just the willingness to dedicate time to guide a group of students through the experience. To effectively manage a team, Coaches will need to manage a practice schedule, be willing to learn with students and want to work with kids ages 9-14 years of age.
Parents FIRST Robotics is a volunteer run organization. Partners, coaches and mentors all volunteer their time to run teams. We equate this experience to that of Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. Many scout leaders are parents who act as leaders of troops for their children. In FLL their are many community teams started for the same reason. If there is not a established school team in your area to join. You might consider starting a community or neighborhood team. There are many resources and local coaches who would be willing to help you get started. Contacting the FIRST affiliate partner in your area can get you names of coaches willing to talk with you. Area partners can be found at http://www.usfirst.org/regional-contacts . We would be happy to answer any questions you might have about FLL and starting a team. We can be reached at ftc8496@outlook.com or by using our contact page. You can also find information on the FLL page at http://www.firstlegoleague.org/challenge/startateam.
