TCEA Robotics

Robotics Contests Team/General Rules:

Teams are led by at least ONE (1) team sponsor and are composed of at most FOUR (4) students. Students are not allowed to participate on more than one team.
Teams may only compete in ONE (1) division (Advanced Arena, Intermediate Arena, Advanced Inventions, or Intermediate Inventions).
The team sponsor must have an active TCEA membership for the duration of your contest season. (www.tcea.org/membership)
All teams are required to have a team name that meets common school standards.
Only registered students are allowed to touch the robot and the computer used to program it. The only exception is when technical problems with the computer occur. Live student problem solving is part of the spirit of this competition.
Only registered students will be allowed in the team’s work /competition area.
Each team must have its own robot.
Each robot, for both Arena and Inventions, should be a unique design for each team.
Students in third grade and below cannot compete in TCEA contests.
Students in grades 4-5 may ONLY compete in the Intermediate division.
Students in grades 6-8 may compete in either Intermediate or Advanced divisions.
Students in grades 9-12 may ONLY compete in the Advanced division.
Teams must compete in their designated Area unless there are not enough teams in that Area to hold a contest. Contact your Area Director with questions.
For the Area contests, each school may enter no more than THREE (3) teams per division without special permission from the Area Director. If space allows, the Area Director may allow schools to register more than THREE (3) teams.
Wildcard teams will be selected for remaining spaces at the State Competition. Wildcard teams are selected by comparing all Area results. The top scorers who did not place in the arena first place alliance or inventions first or second places may receive a wild card spot depending on the number of spaces available.
A maximum of TWO (2) Arena and/or Inventions teams from each school per division may advance to the State Competition.
No more than TWO (2) wildcard teams/alliances per division from each Area can advance to the State Competition.
If changes to the advancing team makeup need to be made due to conflicts with schedules or grades, the decision to fill the spot is up to the team sponsor and the school’s principal.
NO registrations past the deadline will be allowed at the Area or State Contests.
Every effort to provide wireless Internet access will be made, but it cannot be guaranteed; please plan accordingly.
Laser pointers are NOT allowed at contests.
Sponsors/parents may help transport heavy equipment before and after each contest, but they must immediately leave the pit or contest area after delivering the items. No lingering or further assistance from the sponsors/parents will be allowed. If further help is necessary, please communicate your needs to contest personnel.
Parents, sponsors, and spectators may not be on the Arena competition floor, the pit, or the Inventions Contest location during the competition. These areas will be clearly defined at the competition.
During the competition, students may not communicate with anyone except other registered students and competition staff; all forms of communication are prohibited, including, but not limited to, live and electronic communication (talking, texting, videos, etc.). Students should request assistance from competition staff if any communication with parents or sponsors is necessary.
Any filming of the competition must be done from the designated spectator area (Arena) or by a team member who is in the competition area (Arena/Inventions). Videos can not be used to dispute scoring.

Violations of these rules may result in the team’s disqualification and ejection from the competition. A point deduction may be taken in circumstances where the team is not totally eliminated for the violation.