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Building a Practice Field for a Maryland FIRST Team

A practice field gives a Maryland FIRST team a reliable place to test mechanisms, rehearse match strategy and build confidence before competition day. It does not need to be a permanent, competition-sized installation. A well-planned modular field can support driver practice, autonomous routines, alliance communication and safe experimentation in a school, garage, community hall or clubroom.

The right design depends on the FIRST program, the current game manual and the space available. A FIRST Robotics Competition team will need a robust floor and substantial game elements, while FIRST Tech Challenge teams can usually work with lighter materials. FIRST LEGO League teams need a compact, easily reset area that encourages creative problem-solving and careful robot control.

Programme Typical practice need Practical construction approach
FIRST Robotics Competition Large robot, field barriers, scoring elements Modular timber or aluminium frame with replaceable surfaces
FIRST Tech Challenge Smaller robot, precise field elements Lightweight panels, foam board and reusable fixtures
FIRST LEGO League Tabletop mat and mission models Folding table, printed mat and simple model stands
Jr.FLL-style learning Open activity area and basic challenges Low-cost materials, loose parts and marked floor zones

Begin With the Current Game Manual

Start by downloading the official game documentation and identifying the field perimeter, scoring zones, protected areas, game pieces and critical measurements. Rules change from season to season, so avoid building permanent structures until your team has checked the latest dimensions. Mark the locations that affect robot alignment, driver visibility and autonomous navigation first.

Create a scaled drawing before buying materials. Include the field, control station, audience or waiting area, power points and a clear route around the outside. A simple CAD model or a hand-drawn plan on graph paper can reveal problems early, especially when a school hall has narrow doors or fixed furniture.

For teams working with younger students, simplify the first version. The practical engineering activities in these Jr.FLL teaching tips can be adapted into short field-building tasks, such as measuring a boundary, testing a ramp or designing a stable mission model.

Select a Floor That Can Be Reset

The floor should be level, firm and easy to repair. Interlocking gym tiles, carpet tiles, vinyl rolls or sealed plywood can work well, depending on the game. Avoid surfaces with deep joints or loose edges, since wheels may catch on them and small changes in traction can affect autonomous driving.

A modular base is usually more useful than a single oversized sheet. Divide the field into panels that two adults can carry through a doorway. Add alignment marks, numbered edges and simple joining hardware so students can assemble the surface consistently. If the team travels to events, record the packed dimensions and weight before committing to a design.

Protect the floor beneath the practice area with builder’s film, rubber underlay or a sacrificial sheet. This matters in multipurpose venues where tape, wheels and dropped tools can damage polished timber or sports flooring. Store each panel vertically or on a wheeled rack, with labels showing its position.

Build Boundaries and Game Elements

Field walls should be stable enough to stay square when a robot contacts them, but light enough for safe handling. Plywood, laminated board, aluminium extrusion and rigid plastic sheet are common choices. Round or cover exposed corners, countersink screws and remove splinters before students begin driving.

Game elements should match the important physical behaviours of the official field without creating unnecessary expense. Use pool noodles, foam blocks, PVC pipe, cardboard tubes, timber offcuts and 3D-printed brackets where appropriate. Mark substitute pieces clearly so students understand which features are representative and which are simplified.

For a Maryland team, dimensional accuracy matters most at the locations used for alignment, scoring and autonomous routines. A full replica of every official component may be unnecessary. Build accurate reference points, then make less critical objects lighter, cheaper and easier to replace. Keep spare pieces available because practice equipment receives far more contact than competition equipment.

Use colour coding and written labels to make resetting faster. A small storage crate for each game element prevents parts from disappearing between meetings. Photograph the completed field from above and attach the image to the reset kit so new volunteers can restore the layout without relying on one experienced builder.

Plan Power, Electronics and Safety

Keep the practice field separate from the robot charging area. Batteries, chargers, laptops and tools should sit on a stable bench outside the drive zone, with cables routed along walls or protected by approved cable covers. Never run loose extension leads across a walkway, and inspect plugs, leads and power boards before each session.

For Australian teams or visiting mentors, electrical work must follow applicable state or territory Work Health and Safety requirements. A standard household supply is generally 230–240 volts, and damaged equipment should be removed from service rather than repaired casually. Use a licensed electrician for fixed wiring, new outlets or alterations to a venue’s electrical system.

Add a clearly marked emergency stop process even if the practice setup is informal. Students should know who may enter the field, where the robot disable control is located and how to report a damaged wall or loose game element. Eye protection, closed footwear and a defined spectator line are sensible basics for every build and driving session.

Adapt the Setup to Australian Conditions

Australian teams often work in school technology rooms, scout halls, council spaces or garages rather than dedicated robotics facilities. A Sydney or Melbourne team may need a field that can be packed away after every meeting, while a regional team may prioritise transport in a trailer and storage that resists dust. Measure doors, lifts and vehicle bays before ordering long timber or oversized panels.

Heat can affect both people and equipment. In Brisbane, Perth or Adelaide, avoid leaving batteries, laptops, adhesives or 3D-printing materials in a hot shed or car. Schedule intensive build work during cooler parts of the day, provide drinking water and allow ventilation around charging stations. Wet weather also makes outdoor loading risky, so use waterproof tubs and protect cardboard components.

The local hardware market can keep costs under control. Bunnings, community men’s sheds, school workshops and local plastics suppliers may provide offcuts, fasteners or advice. Ask businesses for material donations with a clear list of sizes and quantities. When setting fundraising expectations, treat any external online guide as something to evaluate carefully rather than as an official FIRST, school or charitable resource.

Teams should also consider Australian child-safety and venue requirements. Obtain permission before modifying a school or council facility, maintain sign-in procedures for volunteers and store tools securely. State rules differ, so the adult responsible for the venue should check the organisation’s insurance, supervision and risk-management policies before construction begins.

Turn Practice Into Measurable Learning

A field becomes valuable when students use it to answer specific questions. Begin with a simple test: can the robot cross the boundary reliably, align with a target, complete an autonomous path or deliver a game piece without human intervention? Record the result, change one variable and test again.

Divide the practice area into stations when the team has limited time. One group can tune drivetrain control, another can inspect mechanisms and a third can reset game pieces. This keeps students active while reducing collisions. A whiteboard beside the field can show the current test, observed fault, next change and person responsible.

Use the following routine to keep meetings organised:

Then build a repeatable match simulation. Assign drive team roles, announce a start time, enforce the same reset rules and review performance afterwards. Include communication practice, pit-style repairs and time limits so students learn to operate under conditions closer to a real event.

Useful review prompts include:

Involve mentors as coaches rather than permanent operators. Ask students to measure, assemble, diagnose and explain their decisions. That approach develops engineering judgment, programming confidence, teamwork and the ability to transfer lessons from a practice field to an official competition field.

Download the current game manual, sketch the available space and assign students to measure the first panel this week. Build the smallest safe version that supports meaningful testing, then improve it as the team learns which field features matter most.