15-week season planner — the rhythm coaches learn the hard way.
Week-by-week focus for FLL Challenge and FTC coaches. Pre-kickoff through post-qualifier. Print it for the coach binder or bookmark it and check off weeks as you go.
Part of the Coaches hub. Not season-specific — adjust the dates in the customize band below to match your kickoff. The rhythm is FLL Challenge–flavored; FTC coaches will find inline notes where the details differ (kit design, League Meet cadence, field vs mat). Heads up: LEGO SPIKE Prime is retiring June 30, 2026 — the 2026–27 FLL season is the last one on SPIKE. If you're planning ahead, watch LEGO Education for the successor platform.
Customize: Team: [team name] · Program: [FLL Challenge / FTC] · Kickoff week starts: [date] · Weekly meeting: [day, time, place]
Pre-kickoff · 2–3 weeks before Week 1
Week −2Team registered, coaches background-checked.Admin
- Register the team on firstinspires.org (both Lead Coach 1 & 2 accounts).
- Start Sterling background checks — email arrives in 5–7 days.
- Start LCPS volunteer registration if you'll meet at a school.
- Apply for a Loudoun Robotics team grant if your budget doesn't pencil out.
Watch out: If background checks aren't cleared before kids arrive, you can't legally supervise. Start them now, not "in a couple weeks."
Week −1Venue locked, kit arriving, parents oriented.Setup
- Confirm the venue with the school / library / makerspace and reserve the room for the whole season.
- Order the season's mission kit (FLL) or game elements (FTC) if not already.
- Send the Parent Expectations 1-pager to families. Customize the meeting day, costs, and your name first.
- Recruit a second adult per meeting (parent volunteers, 1 meeting per family per month).
Sunday text: "We're a week from kickoff! Check the 1-pager I sent for what your kid is signing up for. Reply with conflicts."
Kickoff · Weeks 1–2
Week 1Kickoff. Excitement is the fuel — use it.Culture
- Watch FIRST's season reveal video with the kids. Cheer at the reveal.
- Unbox the kit together — every kid touches every part.
- Set the meeting cadence, snack rotation, "second adult" schedule.
- Introduce Core Values (FLL) or Gracious Professionalism (FTC) as team rules.
Watch out: Don't over-explain the season. Ride the wave. If they're excited, that IS the plan.
Week 2First drive. Everyone runs the base program.Robot
- FLL: build the standard SPIKE Prime driving base from LEGO's instructions. FTC: kids sketch a chassis on paper (that's the whole point — design it, don't follow a recipe).
- Write "drive 1 meter" and "turn 90 degrees" — every kid runs it once.
- Coach spread-test: quietly note who's confident, who's stuck. Adjust pairs for next week.
Basics · Weeks 3–5
Week 3Sensors on. Robot reacts to something.Sensors
- Mount a distance sensor and program "stop before the wall." FLL: ultrasonic on SPIKE. FTC: 2m distance sensor on REV Control Hub.
- Introduce Innovation Project (FLL) / Engineering Notebook (FTC) — 20 minutes at the end of every meeting from here on.
- Innovation Project: pick a real-world problem in the season's theme. Just pick one; refine later.
Week 4Color sensor + first mission run.Robot
- Color/line sensor mounted. Follow a taped line for 30 cm.
- Pick the team's easiest scoring task from the FLL season mat (or the FTC playing field). Start with a single element, not the full run.
- Set up mock judging: parent volunteer asks 5 questions in 5 minutes. Kids get used to answering.
Sunday text: "Week 4. Every robot has sensors and does something. Send us pictures of your kid explaining what they built — that IS the Innovation Project prep."
Week 5Second mission attempted. Habits are set.Robot
- Add a second task (FLL: from the mat / FTC: from the field). Chain two: complete the first, drive to the second.
- FTC coaches: Weeks 5–8 usually include League Meets in this region — treat them as low-stakes scrimmages. Your Week 12 "qualifier" moves to Week 13–15 accordingly.
- Confirm role rotation: every kid has built AND coded by now, not just one specialist.
- Judging prep continues: this week's mock question is "tell us about your team."
Mid-season · Weeks 6–9
Week 6Mid-season slump alert. Break the pattern.Culture
- Motivation drops around week 6–8. Plan for it: scrimmage with another Loudoun team, movie night, or parts swap.
- Email us to find another Loudoun team to scrimmage — we'll match you.
- Innovation Project: kids start their solution research. Guest expert visit if you can arrange one.
Watch out: The strongest builder's family may complain about their kid doing "all the work" around here. See the
Hard Conversations scripts.
Week 7Add the third mission. Sponsor asks go out.Money
- Third mission attempted. You should have 3–4 clean mission runs by now.
- Sponsor pitch template — send to 5 personal contacts this week. See Funding.
- Innovation Project: kids can describe their problem in one sentence AND their solution in one sentence.
Week 8Full run on the mat, 2-minute timer.Robot
- First timed 2-minute run of the full mission strategy. Coach starts the timer.
- Kids see what "not enough time" feels like. That's the point.
- Innovation Project draft pitch — 5-min presentation, kids alternate speaking.
Week 9Fix the biggest bug. Then fix it again.Robot
- Whatever went wrong in Week 8's timed run: that's this week's whole focus.
- Judging mock: full 5 minutes, parent volunteers plays "hard judge." Kids learn to redirect.
- Order replacement parts NOW for anything you've noticed breaking.
Competition prep · Weeks 10–11
Week 10Qualifier registration confirmed. Pit bag prepped.Logistics
- Confirm qualifier registration on firstinspires.org. Know the date, venue, arrival time.
- Assign a designated robot driver (parent) for tournament day.
- Pit bag: spare battery, USB cable, extra parts, tape, sharpies, snacks, first-aid, phone charger. Pack it Friday night, not tournament morning.
- Innovation Project pitch: memorized-enough. Every kid has a role in the presentation.
Week 11Two full runs, back to back. Dress rehearsal.Prep
- Two 2-minute runs with a 30-min "pit turnaround" between them.
- Judging mock: real 3 judges (recruit parents), real 10-minute interview.
- Tournament-day parent email — arrival time, what to bring, dress code, when to cheer.
Qualifier weekend · Week 12
Week 12Tournament day. Cheer for everyone.Show up
- Arrival: 30 min before pit opens. Robot in the tub, program on the brick, batteries fresh.
- 3 robot runs, 1 judging interview, ~20 min per session. Coaches: hydrate the kids between rounds.
- Cheer for every team, not just yours. That's Gracious Professionalism in action.
- Awards ceremony: whatever you win or don't, every kid gets to say what they're proud of on the ride home.
Sunday text (that night): "We qualified [or didn't advance] and every kid ran their robot on a real mat in front of real judges. Photos below. Thank you all for showing up."
Post-qualifier · Weeks 13–15
Week 13Debrief. Party. Decide next steps.Reflect
- Team debrief with the kids: 3 things that worked, 3 things to fix.
- Sponsor thank-you letters — kids sign.
- If advancing: strategize what to change before Regional. If not: this week is a party.
Week 14Advancement prep OR season retrospective.Wrap
- Advancing: refine the mission strategy based on qualifier scores.
- Not advancing: robot garage sale prep (sell unused parts, ~$100–$300).
- Ask families: is your kid coming back next year? Get soft commitments now.
Week 15Season closes. Coach retro.Reset
- Final meeting: team photo, coach thank-you, snack party.
- Update your Skills matrix one last time — who moved up, who's ready to lead next year.
- Coach retro (privately): what was harder than expected? What would you do differently? Write it down while it's fresh.
- If you're heading to Regional: keep going. If not: rest, then think about whether next year is a yes.
