Welcome to the 2024/2025 FIRST Tech Challenge New Jersey Competition Season!
We are immensely grateful to the FIRST Tech Challenge New Jersey Planning Committee, and to our 300+ volunteers for generously giving of their time and talents to make the FIRST Tech Challenge New Jersey Program possible!
  
Registration is handled via google forms: Only the primary or alternate coach should enter registration.

Event Registration

Registration for the 2024/2025 Season will open at 12:00 noon, Monday, September 9th.
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Only the primary or alternate coach should enter registration, and changes to registration can be made by entering a new request.

Upcoming New Jersey FIRST Tech Challenge Events:

1. ​Teams must be fully registered and paid with FIRST and FTCNJ in order to compete.
   1. There is a $100 Season Fee, payable to FIRST Tech Challenge New Jersey, that must be received before a team can attend any competition event in New Jersey.
      1. ​We highly recommend that you process the FTCNJ payment at the same time you process the FIRST payment.
         Teams may not compete in the 2023/2024 season until FTCNJ registration is received.
      2. Please use this invoice​ to submit FTCNJ Season Fee
2. All Events requires prior registration (no "walk-in's);
3. Access for Spectators at Live Events will be determined based on the pandemic situation in effect at the time of the event.  Current restrictions will be posted for each event several weeks prior to the event date.
4. Please follow FIRST YPP Guidelines of (2) Adults present for every team.​
5. Reminder: a Team Roster is required at Team Check-in for every live event.
   Please bring a copy of your completed Team Roster, showing YPP status for at least (2) screened adults, and with the students/adults attending the event highlighted​

Competition Leagues in New Jersey

Competition Regions in New Jersey

​New Jersey is divided in 4 Leagues with 2 Conferences each, based on county and team population.
With the exception of their League Tournament, teams can compete in either Conference within their League.
 
Conference size is intended to be 25-30 teams.
Late registering teams may be placed in an adjacent Conference if their home Conference has already reached 30 teams.
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North East Edge League

• North East Conference: Hudson, Union, North Essex (Caldwell, Montclair, Nutley)
• South Essex Conference: Bloomfield, Livingston, Maplewood, Millburn, Newark, East Orange, South Orange, West Orange)

       Application Link for North East Edge NJ League Competition Events

Northern League

• Far North Conference: Warren, Sussex, Passaic, West Bergen (Fair Lawn, Glen Rock, Ramsey, Ridgewood, Saddle River, Township of Washington)
• East Bergen Conference: (Cliffside Park, Closter, Cresskill, Demarest, East Rutherford, Emerson, Englewood, Hackensack, Lodi, Oradell,
  Paramus, Park Ridge, Rutherford, Tenafly, Wood Ridge)

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       Application Link for Northern NJ League Competition Events
 
Upper Central League

• Central Conference: Hunterdon, Middlesex, …Lower Somerset (Hillsborough, Somerset)  
• Morris & Upper Somerset County Conference: Morris (All), …Upper Somerset (Basking Ridge, Watchung)

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      Application Link for Upper Central League Competition Events

Southern League

• Upper South Conference: Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean  
• Deep South Conference: Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem 

      Application Link for Southern League Competition Events

Verifying Application Status:

1. You will receive a google email showing a copy of your application choices; this will be notification that your application has been received. ​
2. Bonus Events:  A "Bonus" event is an extra competition opportunity, offered to teams if space is available, and based on priority ranking/time stamp.​
3. Please check the website for status; if your team is listed under "Registered Teams", you may consider a competition spot assured - and feel comfortable to order busing as needed.
4. HOWEVER: Please note that you will be required to reconfirm your attendance 2 weeks before the event, as we know that plans can change and need to verify attendance.
5. If your team is listed under "Waitlist Teams. this means that the event has reached capacity, and you will only be invited if competition spots become available. 

Event Registration Acceptance and Advancement Criteria

Meet Attendance Strategy:

1. It is our intent that each team have (3) opportunities to compete during the season.  In order to achieve this, we have divided the competition season into three periods:
   1. Early Season (October & Thanksgiving)
   2. Mid Season (November/ December)
   3. Late Season (January)
      1. Each League will have (1) Saturday and (1) Sunday event in each period.  Teams with religious or sports constraints should register early in the season to have the best chance of making it into the event of their preference.
2. It is the recommended that teams attend:
   1. (1) October Practice Day
   2. (1) Early Season Meet
   3. (1) Mid Season Meet
   4. (1) Late Season Meet
      1. This gives team the opportunity to have ~15 matches from which to pull the “Top 10” Match scores used in the League Tournaments.
   5. ​(1) The February League Tournament of their Conference​

Acceptance to New Jersey Meets
New Jersey Teams may compete in any of the Meets within their League.
Please make sure you have checked your 2022 League Assignment before registering for Meets.

Confirmation to all New Jersey Meets will be made in the following order until the event is filled/closed:

• New Jersey Teams "Preferred Choice" = Priority 1; Will be listed on the Website as Pre-Registered
• New Jersey Teams "CLOSED- Preferred Choice" = Priority 2; Will be placed on the Wait list
• New Jersey Teams "Bonus Choice" = Priority 3; Will be placed on the Wait list
• New Jersey Teams "CLOSED-Bonus Choice" = Priority 3; Will be placed on the Wait list

1. Each events registration will close 2 weeks prior to the event, teams will be formally invited and teams are required to confirm attendance.
   As spot become available, Waitlist invitations will be sent.

​Note: There will be no Out of State Teams accepted in New Jersey this year.

Acceptance to League Tournament (NJ Teams)

1. All FIRST Tech Challenge NJ teams will be invited to their League Tournament March.
   1. Teams who have already advanced to a FIRST Championship Tournament (aka "Worlds") will not be invited to a League Tournament.
2. All teams participating in a League Tournament will build upon their RP/TBP baseline (ten best Matches from official FTCNJ Meets) at the League Tournament.

Advancement to the FIRST Tech Challenge New Jersey State Championship

• Order of Advancement is published in the FIRST Game Manual, Part One
• Teams Advance to the State Championship:
  • League/Conference Tournaments (2 in each League) – each advancing ~6 Teams to the State Championship.
    Final allocation will be determined once League Tournament registration is complete.
    • Teams carry their best 10 Matches from all season Meets into the League Tournament, as a starting ranking position
    • Each League Tournament will have 5 Qualification matches
    • Final rankings for Elimination and Finals Matches will be based on the 5 Matches played, plus the 10 Matches carried in
• ​To be eligible to compete at the FIRST Tech Challenge New Jersey State Championship:
  • The team must have advanced via a New Jersey League/Conference Tournament
  • The team must not have already advanced to a FIRST Championship Tournament (aka "Worlds").​