Code of Conduct

The REC Foundation considers the positive, respectful, and ethical conduct of teams to be an essential component of the competition. Participants are expected to behave in a respectful and professional manner, and to operate as student-centered teams with limited adult assistance. This includes all students, teachers, coaches, mentors, parents, and spectators associated with a team.

For more details, please refer to the REC Foundation Code of Conduct and Student-Centered Policy. If you have concerns about compliance with the Code of Conduct, please speak to the Event Partner during the event.

Agenda

7:00 AM - Doors, Registration, and Practice Fields Open

7:15 AM - Check In and Inspection Open

7:30 AM - Hospitality Suite Opens (Coffee and Donuts for Judges); Concessions Sales Open

7:30 AM   Skills Opens

8:30 AM - Opening Ceremony

8:45 AM   Event Meeting

9:00 AM - Judging Interviews Begin

9:00 AM - Qualification Matches Begin

11:00 AM   Pre-Arranged Lunch Orders Service Begins

12:00 PM - Lunch - Hospitality Suite: Lunch for Volunteers.

12:45 PM - Qualification Matches Resume (end at 3:20PM) 

2:00 PM - Skills Close

3:45 PM - Alliance Selection

4:15 PM - Elimination Matches

5:30 PM - Closing Ceremony / Awards

Volunteer

The VRC tournaments are possible based on volunteerism in judging and tournament operations.  Parents and teachers interested in supporting the event can contact the primary event partner at [email protected] and indicate your interest to collaborate.  A signup geniius will be set up to allow volunteers to select positions/time blocks available to sipport the event.  As we mutually support each other in running these events, we guarantee a high-quality experience for all.  For those with no experience, we will teach you what you need to do and will support you in your tasks. 

Emergency/Bad Weather Policy

In case of a predictable extreme weather/emergency alert, we will notify all parties of a postponement, so that they stay safe and not expose themselves to personal danger/harm.  In such a rare and unforeseen circumstance, should a decision to postpone be warranted, the event will be moved to a new date within the season, if arrangements can be made with the facilities and judging staff to support the event   Registration fees paid will be moved to the new date, with at least two (2) weeks notice.  If a registered team cannot commit to the new date, the event coordinators need to know ten (10) days before the event, so that registration fees can be reimbursed and a team from the waiting list be given the opportunity to participate.  The reimbursement policy applies for decisions to withdraw made within ten (10) days of the new date.  In the event that circumstances force a cancellation for the season, all team registration fees will be reimbursed.  

Refund and Payment Policies

If the Event Partner cancels the event: 

We accept event registration fees and will reserve spots until Wednesday, January 31, 2024, at 3:00 PM (CDST). At that moment we will transfer teams that have not completed their registration to the waiting list and give the teams on the waiting list an opportunity to register. 

If the Event Partner cancels the event: 

•  Registration Fees will be reimbursed under two circumstances:
  • The tournament cannot be rescheduled, in which case every team will be refunded in full.
  • The tournament is rescheduled but a team is unable to attend on the new date.  In this case, a full refund will be given to the teams that cannot attend and their slot will be given other regional teams that are waitlisted listed for the original date and are interested in participating in the new date.  In the event the tournament is rescheduled, Coaches/Mentors must provide their intention to attend or release of the slot not later than Friday, February 16, 2024, at midnight.  At that time, waitlisted teams will be assigned the released slots at the new date.

If a Coach/Mentor completes registration for the event then chooses to withdraw or not attend: 

• If a team decides to withdraw with no substitution, the portion of the paid event partner's registration fee is reimbursable up to the Wednesday, January 31, 2024, at 10:59 PM EST. 
• Beyond that point in time, the event fees are not reimbursable. 

If an organization's team(s) are wait-listed, swaps of organization's teams are possible and will be accommodated  against paid fees up to the day before the event, Friday, February 16, 2024.

In the spirit of good sportsmanship, we believe that no-show situations are possible do to emergency situations.  In most cases, no-show situations are avoidable and good communication with event partners can maximize success in last minute calls to bring in participant teams in the Waiting List that are eager for a chance to compete.  

Judging Format

• All In-Person Judging - The Team Interviews and Engineering Notebooks will be judged in-person the day of the event. Teams should bring a physical copy of their notebook to submit to the judges.
•  Engineering Notebook Submissions / In Person Team Interviews: Team interviews will be conducted in-person at the event. Engineering notebooks with up-to-date documentation will be submitted in hard copy for evaluation as you register for the event.  It is recommended that you submit an electronic version via a link found within the "My Account" panel of the team contact on RobotEvents. An online submission deadline that may be scheduled ahead of the event date.