Category: FLL CHALLENGE

Register for a Qualifying Tournament

Luana
  1. Registration for qualifying tournaments will go from Saturday, September 12th – Thursday, October 1st. 
  2. Make sure you have done your national registration and payment on your FIRST Inspired dashboard
  3. Sign up for the Hawaii events here: https://forms.gle/ZUsMUJFbEyfFCTQy6
    1. Placement in qualifying tournaments will be done once payment is received.
    2. Be sure to include your 2nd and 3rd choices.
  4. Make payment for the Hawaii 2026 events ($200 per team –  Please note this is NOT the fee for the ** national FIRST program and field kit ** )
    1. Cash or Check – Written to Hawaii FIRST Robotic (PO Box 240083, Honolulu, HI 96824)
    2. PayPal – Hawai’i FIRST Robotics
    3. SAF Purchase Order (for my HIDOE people)
  5. Every team will be required to provide 2 event volunteers.  At least 1 must be a referee or judge.  The other can be assigned to anywhere that is needed.  Coaches start recruiting your volunteers now.
    1.  If 2 volunteers  are not provided (or alternate arrangements made with your district tournament coordinator) the team will not be eligible for awards or advancing to the State Championship.
    2. Volunteers must register with FIRST and be over 18 years of age. Without volunteers, none of this is possible, so it’s very important!
    3. The roles of judge and referee require 1 training prior to the event:
    4. Please respond to your district tournament coordinator regarding volunteers (or alternate arrangements).

FTC 26-27 Kickoff Info (Sep. 12) & Zoom Link

Peter Tan

Aloha FTC Teams, Mentors, and Community! 

Hawaiʻi FIRST Robotics (HFR) is excited to welcome you to the start of the 2026–2027 FIRST Tech Challenge season, BIOBUZZ!

Join us on Saturday, September 12 at Le Jardin Academy as we kick off another exciting season of innovation, teamwork, and engineering. Whether you’re a returning team or brand new to FTC, this event is the perfect opportunity to learn about this year’s game, connect with the Hawaii FTC community, and get your season off to a great start.

Event Details

📅 Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026
🕣 Time: 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM
📍 Location: Le Jardin Academy – Wang Auditorium
📍 Address: 917 Kalanianaʻole Hwy, Kailua, HI 96734

➡️ Zoom link: (for neighbor island teams, coaches, mentors, and students!)
Zoom Link: here
Backup Link: here (In case the link above does not work or the room looks empty)

Kickoff Schedule

8:30–9:00 AM — Game Reveal & Local Season Information
9:00–9:30 AM — Deadlines, awards, advancement points, etc.
9:30–10:00 AM — Field Walkthrough & Measurements (If applicable)
10:00–11:00 AM — Breakout Sessions hosted by veteran teams (Oahu only)

FTC Mini Breakout Sessions (10 AM – 11 AM)

We have some experienced FTC teams leading mini breakout sessions and sharing helpful tips with newer teams! Topics are:

Team 5159 – Intro to CAD
Team 14825 – Odometry setup and uses (Software)
Team 20059 – Team Organization and Strategy
Team 20423 – Award tips (portfolio & presentation) & Starting outreach events

All breakout sessions are 15-20 minutes long. Once you are done with 1 session, feel free to visit another session to learn something else!

What to Expect

  • 🎉 Welcome to the 2026–2027 FTC Season
  • 🐝 Full reveal of the BIOBUZZ challenge
  • 🤖 Live walkthrough of the official game field
  • 🎁 Giveaways and door prizes
  • 🤝 Meet and network with Hawaii FTC teams and coaches
  • 🎓 Breakout sessions led by experienced teams
  • ❓ Q&A with the Hawaii FTC Program Delivery Partners

Please see the attached campus map for directions and parking information.

If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected].

We look forward to seeing everyone at Kickoff and wish you the best of luck in the BIOBUZZ season!

Aaron, Blake, and Peter
Hawaii FIRST Robotics – FIRST Tech Challenge