FRC History
The FIRST Robotics Competition was first held in a high school gymnasium in Manchester, New Hampshire. Since then, the 20 teams have grown to over 1,100 teams with 30 regional competitions on three continents and a Championship in Atlanta's Georgia Dome.
Each season, in early January, teams around the world receive their kit of parts and the annual challenge on Kickoff, traditionally the first Saturday of January. From there, teams 
receive only six weeks to design, build, and test their 120-pound robot before shipping it to competition.
After the much-feared ship deadline, teams compete in three-day regional competitions with 30-60 teams. The teams compete on the field, but help each other with tools, materials, and wisdom in the pits. Judges watch and talk with teams to determine the recipients of several awards, including the competition's top prize, the Chairman's Award given to a role model team that embodies the goals of FIRST.
Following the conclusion of the regional competitions, some 300 FRC teams combine with FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Vex Challenge teams at the FIRST Championship Event in Atlanta's Georgia Dome. The Championship, broadcast on NASA TV and covered by media from all over, brings thousands together for the culminating event of the season for all three competitions. Teams compete in one of four divisions, each with about 80 teams, then vie for the Championship on Einstein Field during the awards ceremony.
In the off-season, teams rest and recover from the competition season. Many participate in community outreach efforts, both technical and non-technical. Some travel to off-season events and demonstrations, where teams put a few more miles on the robots for fun. Almost all undertake fundraising efforts to get the money required to compete well in the next season.
