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For a New Student: How to Join a Team

learnfrc.com
learnfrc.comAuthor
Veer Bajaj
Veer BajajMaintainer

You don’t need experience — you need to show up

Section titled “You don’t need experience — you need to show up”

The biggest myth in FRC is that you must already know engineering. You don’t. Teams are built to teach beginners. Here’s how to get on one.

Step 1: Find a team near you

Section titled “Step 1: Find a team near you”
  • Use the official FIRST ‘Find Local Programs’ / team-event search on firstinspires.org to see teams registered to your school or area.
  • Check with your school’s STEM/engineering teacher or counselor — many schools host a team.
  • Browse The Blue Alliance (thebluealliance.com) and search your city/state to find nearby teams and see how they’ve performed.
  • If your school has no team, look for a community or ‘open’ team that accepts students from multiple schools.

Step 2: Reach out the right way

Section titled “Step 2: Reach out the right way”
  • Email the team’s mentor or student captain (contact info is often on their website or social media). Be polite and specific: ‘I’m a 9th grader interested in joining; when do you meet?’
  • Mention any interest area — coding, building, art/media, business — so they know where you might fit. Remember: there’s a role for everyone.
  • Ask about meeting times, dues, and travel costs. Many teams offer financial assistance; don’t let cost stop you from asking.

Step 3: Show up prepared

Section titled “Step 3: Show up prepared”
  • Bring safety glasses if you have them (shops require ANSI Z87-rated eye protection) and closed-toe shoes.
  • Be ready to listen and help with small tasks first — sweeping, sorting hardware, holding parts. Reliability earns trust fast.
  • Start learning the vocabulary from this guide so you can follow conversations (auto, teleop, RP, drivetrain, roboRIO).

Step 4: Learn alongside the team

Section titled “Step 4: Learn alongside the team”

While you ramp up, study free resources:

Step 5: Can you join mid-season?

Section titled “Step 5: Can you join mid-season?”

Often, yes. Many teams welcome new members even after the season starts, especially for scouting, media, and pit-crew roles that don’t require months of prior training. If you missed the fall, ask anyway — and plan to join fully at the next recruiting cycle.

A note on cost and inclusion

Section titled “A note on cost and inclusion”

FIRST and many teams provide scholarships, grants, and need-based assistance. The community strongly values Inclusion (a core value). If money or transportation is a barrier, say so — teams routinely help solve it.

Learn more

Section titled “Learn more”

Key takeaways

Section titled “Key takeaways”
  • Find a team via the FIRST team-event search, your school’s STEM staff, or The Blue Alliance; community/open teams exist if your school has none.
  • Reach out specifically and politely, mention your interest area, and ask about meeting times and any cost assistance.
  • Show up reliable and prepared (Z87 safety glasses, closed-toe shoes, willingness to help) — you can often join mid-season for roles like scouting, media, or pit crew.

This lesson was adapted from learnfrc.com.