Processing Event Registration Requests


While we wish every team could participate in any event they wanted, there are a limited number of slots available at our events. In an effort to equitably allocate these slots, we use use the method described below.

Registered List and Waitlists

Each event has one Registered List and optionally multiple Waitlists. The Waitlists are named Priority 1 Waitlist, Priority 2 Waitlist, Priority 3 Waitlist, etc, but most often you will see them by their shorthand name P1 Waitlist, P2 Waitlist, P3 Waitlist, and so on.

Teams are placed and remain on the Registered List as long as they meet eligibility requirements for that event. 

A Waitlist is ordered by the timestamp of Team Event Registration submissions, from the earliest date to the most recent date.

When there is an open slot at an event ready to be offered to a team, the P1 Waitlist is used first to find a team until it is fully processed (top to bottom), then the P2 Waitlist is processed, and so on.

The primary and secondary contacts of a Team are notified when an open slot becomes available. The contacts will have 3 business days to respond to an offer to attend. If a response is not received by the due date, the offer is rescinded without notice and the team is removed from the Waitlist. If there are two or less weeks until the event, the response window drops to 2 consecutive days. If there is less than one week until the event, the window drops to 1 day.

Kickoffs

Participation

Kickoffs are open to all FTC teams and to any potential new FTC teams up to the team limit set for the event.

Registration

Advanced registration is requested, but not required.

Workshops

Participation

Workshops are open to all FTC teams and any potential new FTC teams up to the team limit set for the event.

Registration

Advanced registration is required.

Registration request processing

Slots at workshops are allocated on a first come, first serve basis. If the workshop fills up, teams are added to the P2 Waitlist. The primary and secondary contacts of a waitlisted team will be notified if a slot becomes available. The contacts will have 3 business days to respond to an offer to attend. If a response is not received within business days, the offer is rescinded without notice.

Scrimmages

Participation

Scrimmages are open to all FTC teams who are in good standing with Pennsylvania FIRST Robotics and with FIRST (team registration fee paid, two identified coached, both coaches completed the FIRST Youth Protection Program training and background screening), up to the team limit set for the event.

Registration

Advanced registration is required.

Registration request processing

Slots at scrimmages are allocated as follows.  A team is added to the Registered List for their 1st Preference choice if a slot is available. If the event is full the team is placed on the P1 waitlist. The team’s 2nd Preference choice is added to the P2 Waitlist, their 3rd Preference choice is added to the P3 waitlist, etc. All Waitlists are ordered by the registration submission timestamp, earliest to latest. 
Any open slots are offered to teams on Waitlists starting 3 weeks before the Scrimmage date. The Priority 1 Waitlist is processed first, then the Priority 2 Waitlist, and so on until all slots at the event are filled.

Qualifiers

Participation

Qualifiers are open to all FTC teams who are in good standing with Pennsylvania FIRST Robotics and with FIRST (team registration fee paid, two identified coached, both coaches completed the FIRST Youth Protection Program training and background screening), up to the team limit set for the event.

FTC Game Manual 1 states that teams have the opportunity to advance from the Qualifier level to the State/Region Championship level only in their first three attempts across all states/regions. In Pennsylvania, FTC Teams are eligible to participate in a Qualifier (1) if they are eligible to advance to the State/Region Championship level and (2) they have not already advanced to a FIRST Championship Tournament (aka “Worlds”).

Registration

Advanced registration is required.

Registration request processing

In an effort to ensure participation opportunities for Pennsylvania Teams while also offering opportunities for out-of-state Teams, Qualifier registration request processing is performed as follows.

Pennsylvania FTC Teams

For your first Qualifier, your team will be added to the Registered List of the Qualifier with space available according to your Preferences. If all selected Qualifiers are full, your team will be placed on the Priority 1 Waitlist for all selected Qualifiers. Once your team is added to the Registered List for your first Qualifier, your team will be removed from Priority 1 Waitlists of all Qualifiers and reassigned to other Waitlists as appropriate. For all other Qualifiers, your team will be added to the Waitlists according to your Preferences (2nd Preference > Priority 2 Waitlist, 3rd Preference > Priority 3 Waitlist, etc.). All Waitlists are ordered by the registration submission timestamp, earliest to latest. Once your team has competed in or is Registered for the desired number of Qualifiers (3 max), your team will be removed from all remaining Qualifier Waitlists. 

Out-of-State Teams

For all Qualifiers, your team will be added to the Waitlists according to your Preferences offset by TWO (1st Preference > Priority 3 Waitlist, 2nd Preference > Priority 4 Waitlist, etc.). All Waitlists are ordered by the registration submission timestamp, earliest to latest. Once your team has competed in the lower of (a) your team’s desired number of Qualifiers or (b) the maximum number of Qualifiers that an out-of-state team may participate in (as defined in the Event Participation Policy), your team will be removed from all remaining Qualifier Waitlists.

All Teams

If the team has been approved for a Qualifier Withdrawal six (6) weeks or less before the Qualifier date and the team requests to re-register for that same Qualifier, then team will be added to the Priority 10 Waitlist (P10 Waitlist) of that Qualifier regardless of the Preference used. Note that this applies whether the Withdrawal and re-register requests are part of a single change request or resulting from multiple removal/change requests. See the Event Participation Policy for details.

Any open slots are offered to teams on Waitlists starting 6 weeks before the Qualifier date. The Priority 1 Waitlist is processed first, then the Priority 2 Waitlist, and so on until all slots at the event are filled.

Championship

Participation

Participation in the Pennsylvania FTC Championship Tournament is by invitation only. Teams are invited to participate based on their performance at Pennsylvania FTC Qualifiers as laid out in FTC Game Manual 1. Teams must be in good standing with both Pennsylvania FIRST Robotics and with FIRST.

Registration

Advanced registration is required.

Revision History

  • 2021-08-27 Updated Out of State Teams section to eliminate conflict with Event Participation Policy.
  • 2021-07-31 Ported web page to new website.
  • 2019-08-04 Under Qualifiers section, updated Registration request processing.
  • 2018-09-03 Under Qualifiers section, updated advancement to FIRST Championship.
  • 2017-11-19: Initial Revision
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