The Kentucky Derby isn’t the only thing off and running this weekend! The 2009 season of the FIRST Tech Challenge competition has just been announced and officially opens for team registration on  Monday, May 4, 2009. To register a team go to https://my.usfirst.org/ftc/tims and follow the directions below:

• Go to our registration web site:
• If you are a returning team, log in and select the team you would like to register.
• If you are a new team, follow the instructions to create a login.
  • A login and password will be emailed to you
  • Use login and password to access registration site
  • Create a new team
  • Complete all the required fields.

The 2008 season provided some interesting challenges to overcome, and Florida proved key in helping overcome them, resulting in a State Championship that ran so smoothly it finished three minutes early and inspired the same system of operation at the World Championship event.

We had a great season in the Sunshine State, with 49 registered teams, three Qualifying Competitions, one scrimmage and a great State Championship that sent a half dozen teams to the World event. Plans for 2009 call for all that and more, with extra qualifying competitions, workshops and scrimmages.

To that end, Florida FTC Affliate Partner Michael Coleman—recognized as FIRST National Volunteer of the Year at the World Championship, by the way! — has issued a call for teams that are interested in hosting a state qualifying competition or scrimmage or workshop to file the appropriate paperwork with their school or host site and lock-in the date prior to the end of this school year (which is fast approaching!). Interested teams should coordinate with Mr. Coleman (michael.coleman@flfirst.org) to ensure no overlapping competitions or conflicting dates (with things like SAT testing).

Host FTC teams (one per event) receive an automatic invitation to attend the State Championship. Contact Mr. Coleman for additional details. The FTC Season Kickoff will be in mid-September, with qualifying competitions expected to run through the weekend of February 6.

To help keep up with national season developments and important dates, you can now follow FIRST Tech Challenge on Twitter – we’ve added the feed on our site.

So stay tuned, and get ready to roll with Team Duct Tape!