I-League Coaches Packet
FIRST® Tech Challenge · 2026–2027 BIOBUZZ™ Season, presented by RTX
Download PDFCalendar
| Event | Date | Event code |
|---|---|---|
| I-League Meet 1 | Saturday 31 October 2026 | USTXNONIM1 |
| I-League Meet 2 | Saturday 5 December 2026 | USTXNONIM3 |
| I-League Meet 3 | Saturday 16 January 2027 | USTXNONIM5 |
| I-League Tournament | Saturday 23 January 2027 | USTXNONILT |
Meet 1: Brighter Horizons Academy (BHA), 3145 Medical Plaza Dr, Garland, TX 75044.
Meet 2, Meet 3 and the Tournament: ITKAN Innovation Hub, 1701 10th St Ste 100, Plano, TX 75074.
Important Contacts
- Regional Program Administrator of North Texaslcherryholmes@firstinspires.org
- I-League Commissionerasma2awad@gmail.com
- ITKAN Chief of Staffosama@itkan.one
- ITKAN Founder and Chairmsebeida@gmail.com
League Meet Schedule
- 7:30 AMITKAN staff and key volunteers arrive
- 8:00 AMDoors open for teams
- 8:30 AMInspection commences
- 10:00 AMTeam check-in deadline
- 10:15 AMMatch schedule printed and distributed
- 10:30 AMDrivers’ meeting with the head referee
- 10:45 AMQualification matches begin
- 12:00 PMLunch
- 12:40 PMMatches resume
- 1:30 PMShort break for Dhuhr الظهر
- 2:00 PMMatches resume
- 4:00 PMEstimated end
Site, Floor Plan and Pit Maps
Meet 1 · Brighter Horizons Academy (BHA)
Pit layout to follow.
Meet 2, Meet 3 and the Tournament · ITKAN Innovation Hub
Pit maps on FTC Events
- I-League Meet 1ftc-events.firstinspires.org/2026/USTXNONIM1/pitMap
- I-League Meet 2ftc-events.firstinspires.org/2026/USTXNONIM3/pitMap
- I-League Meet 3ftc-events.firstinspires.org/2026/USTXNONIM5/pitMap
- I-League Tournamentftc-events.firstinspires.org/2026/USTXNONILT/pitMap
Food & Concession Stand
Snacks and drinks are available at the concession stand, with halal and vegetarian options. We take cash, Zelle or credit.
Before a meet, while pre-orders are open, teams can order pizza ahead and pick it up at the concession stand: itkan.one/i-league/lunch.
If you order food from off-site, please do not bring any pork products (pepperoni, ham, bacon and so on) onto the premises, out of respect for the religious sensitivities of our gracious hosts.
Clothing
Please remind your students to wear attire appropriate for a robotics competition E101 section d. Clothing usually considered appropriate for a typical school or church setting suffices. Closed-toe shoes are important for foot safety.
BIOBUZZ: Event Readiness Checklist
Has your team paid its fees and completed youth rosters?
- Is your team roster complete with FIRST?
- Have you paid the $350 FIRST team registration in the FIRST Dashboard?
- Have you paid the $325 FIRST Texas event fee in the FIRST Dashboard?
Will your robot pass inspection? Section 3
- Note: the match schedule will be printed based on the teams that check in. I102
- There is only one inspection this year: check this inspection checklist to see if your team will pass.
- Accessible power switch R603. Legal power switches: REV-31-1387, am-4969, Studica 70182, Tetrix W39129, goBILDA Floodgate.
- Does your robot meet the new 18” × 24” maximum horizontal expansion limit? R105
Is your robot updated? (Not required, but recommended)
- Version 12.0.0 or later on the Robot Controller (use the REV Hardware Client)
- Version 12.0.0 or later on the Driver Stations
Robot identification requirements Section 12.4 ROBOT SIGN Rules
- Two 6.5” × 2.5” red ROBOT SIGNS, 2” minimum white numbers, at least 90° apart on the ROBOT.
- Two 6.5” × 2.5” blue ROBOT SIGNS, 2” minimum white numbers, at least 90° apart on the ROBOT.
- The opposite color is not visible to field staff: blue, for example, is not visible when the robot is on the red alliance.
- Free ROBOT SIGNS are available at swyftrobotics.com/products/swyft-ftc-robot-sign-free, or you can color print your own at ftc-resources.firstinspires.org/ftc/archive/2026/team/robotsign-us.
Safety and legality E101, for everyone in the pits or arena, or near a robot
- ANSI-approved, UL Listed, CE EN166 rated, AS/NZS certified, or CSA rated eye protection.
- Closed-toe shoes.
- No Crocs.
- Monitoring and controlling entanglement risks is strongly encouraged: bring hair ties, avoid hoodie strings and the like.
Read the resources and game rules
- Visit ftc.game, a one-stop page of useful BIOBUZZ resources.
- A printout of the latest Competition Manual for BIOBUZZ (optional).
- A printout of the latest Team Updates (optional).
Upload a team avatar (optional, and it must be done at least three days in advance)
- This is the third year these avatars are available. Why does your team not have one yet?!