I am the last person I though would coach a First Lego League team! I have never been particularly science or math oriented. Yet, somehow, I found myself heading a team of 10 boys for the 2010 FLL season: Body Forward. Our team has been through lots of ups and downs. We have lost members, gained members, and graduated members. Through these four seasons, I have learned so much (and am continuing to learn all the time) and have come to love this organization a great deal. I hope a few things I have learned can help you, too!
Tips for New Coaches
- It is totally normal to watch your team go through different phases in a season - forming, storming, and norming. First, they are excited and get along. Then comes a time when nothing seems to go right, or there is bickering, or arguments break out. Keep them focused on the positive during the stormy times, ALWAYS expect respect, and they will eventually work their way out of the tough times to be a stronger, bonded team.
- As a coach, be sure to schedule times to work on things other than the robot game or project presentation.
How to Work on Core Values:
play board games as a group (Pictionary is a great example) play group video games (a Party game, a dance game, etc . . . ) find some good team-building exercises on the internet. Do one of these per meeting. Have the team members practice affirmation of one another. Practice the affirmation you want your team to practice! |
How to Work on Team Spirit:
Make a posterboard or tri-fold highlighting facts and pictures of your team. Teams often display these on their tables in the team area. Parents and friends cannot see them, but it is a great way for teams to learn about other teams. Make a fun mascot or inspirational posterboard to take out to the robot game with you. Create a fun team-identifying trait - a fun hat, team shirts (these can be fancy printed shirts, or simple white t's the team decorates themselves), cool gloves - anything! |
What to Expect at Competition
- If you get to see your schedule before the competition, make an easy-to-read timeline for your team - know when and where you have to be!
- Scope out where all the rooms are as soon as you get to the competition - it will help everyone if your team knows where it is going. I often send two of our members out to find the rooms, and they lead us when it is time to go.
- Do not be intimidated by things other teams are doing that perhaps you did not think of. Our first year, we did not know that teams often made small things to exchange with other teams. We came empty-handed, and received a lot of candy, messages, pamphlets and other things like that from other, experienced teams. We felt like fish out of water! Just learn from your experience and tuck it under "Now I Know" for next time!
- On that note, teams often bring a small something to exchange with other teams - candy attached to a "Good Luck from team________" message; encouraging notes; something to advertise your project. If you have time, have your team plan a little something to bring. It is NOT required, but it is a fun way to go around and meet new teams and get to know them.
- Most teams make a tri-fold or presentation board to display at their team pit tables. Only other teams can see them, but it is a good way to see what other teams are doing. They might have info about the project, about your team, or both! Make it colorful and exciting.
- Almost all the other teams you meet will be very nice. This is a competition than values networking and getting to know and respect others. However, we have occasionally run into less-than-friendly teams, and on one memorable occasion - a very rude coach. Prepare your team to meet everyone with positive attitudes, even those that do not "play by the rules". In other words, if you encounter a team that is not upholding Gracious Professionalism, make sure your team understands that they cannot respond in kind. Sadly, it does happen - but not often!
- Competition day is long, loud, and full of all kinds of stimuli! Know the limits of your team, and if you have time to take a break, find somewhere relatively peaceful and take a five-minute team quiet time. This is a good time to have a snack - maybe assign a parent to have snacks ready at different points in the day (but remember - no food or drink in the pit area!)
- Lunch is a great time to relax! Our team has found it helpful to assign a parent or two to be in charge of lunch - if we bring our lunches, those parents arrange to meet the team with the cooler at lunchtime. If we are ordering pizza, those parents get it while we finish up our morning rounds, and then when we meet them, the food is all ready!
- There can be a lot of downtime in the afternoon. Bring cards or simple board games to pass the time. This is another excellent time for teams to get together and spend some time together.
- Be sure to watch the weather. One year, we had to move all our project and design elements in pouring rain. Have tarps or some kind of protective covering ready in case the weather is bad.