Graveyard Rise Above, In-person, No Judging, Teamwork and Skills

Agenda

Saturday, October 31

8:00-9:30 AM  VEX IQ Event Check-In/Registration/Compliance Check
8:30  Skills Challenges Open (must sign up for times)
9:00  Driver's meeting recording (may be available prior to start of event)
9:30-12:00  Qualification Matches
12:00-1:30 Lunch Break
1:30-3:30  Qualification Matches
4:00 Finals matches
4:30 Awards

Volunteer

All teams are encouraged to have one volunteer.  As parents will not be allowed into the event as spectators, this is a way for a parent to be at the event.

Emergency/Bad Weather Policy

This will be an outdoor event.  In the event of bad weather, there is an backup, indoor plan.  If the weather is severe enough to warrant cancellation of the event, notices will be sent to all participants as soon as possible.

Refund and Payment Policies

No refunds.  In the case that the event is cancelled, refunds will be provided to those who have already paid, minus the $5 processing fee.

Health and Safety Policies

Valor Vex IQ Halloween Robotics Tournament Health and Safety Plan:

We are following recommendations from the REC restart guide.

General safety measures:

1. All participants will wear masks whenever they are outside of the pit room and will maintain social distancing throughout all aspects of the tournament. All volunteers will wear masks.

2. Temperatures will be checked with no touch thermometers and we will screen participants with COVID screening questions at check-in.

3. Teams will need to register names of participants and coaches and only those registered will be able to enter into the tournament area and pit rooms. Volunteers must also be registered. Each team should plan on sending at least 1 parent volunteer. 

4. All participants will need to sign the REC COVID-19 event waiver and the Valor ACE COVID-19 waiver prior to arriving at the event. Forms can be submitted electronically.

5. Family members and other supporters can tailgate in the Valor parking lot and set up a break tent and bring snacks and lunch for their teams. Concessions will not be sold at the tournament. There are many restaurant options near Valor including a Pizza Hut, Chick-fil-A, Sonic, McDonalds, and numerous locally owned and ethnic restaurants.

6. Weather permitting, the tournament will be held outside on a paved recreational area on the Valor campus. We will also have an indoor plan in case of inclement weather that will allow for adequate social distancing. We will restrict access inside the building and only those needing to use bathrooms or teams and coaches needing to access pit rooms for robot repairs and charging stations.

7. We will wipe down field elements and commonly touched surfaces regularly with CDC recommended disinfectants.

Check In: We will do contactless check-in: coaches will check in on the list, leave payment in the box and pick up packets from the table. A masked volunteer will be at the check in desk to help answer questions.

Inspection: One team member will bring the robot to the inspection table and place the robot on the table and then back away to a distance of 6 ft to stand by and answer questions while the robot is inspected. 

Pit rooms: Pit rooms are for the designated teams ONLY. No participants or coaches from other teams should enter into another team’s pit room to visit.

Within the pit room, the school/organization rules for social distancing and wearing masks for that team(s) should be followed.

We will assign no more than 2 teams per classroom for a pit room - and when 2, both teams must be from the same school/organization.

Event meeting/tournament opening will be prerecorded for teams to watch and we will reinforce health and safety protocols.

Practice fields: We will not set up a practice field. Teams are welcome to bring a field to set up in the pit room.

Queuing: We will mark 6 ft spacing in the queuing area. Only 2 drivers from each team should queue.

Matches: Teams will compete in a reduced number of matches (8-10) and we will allow extra turn around time to help maintain social distancing. We will have only essential volunteers in the match area (1 ref,1 field resetter, software operator, and tournament director) and will have a designated field resetter to help minimize the number of people touching game elements and the field surface.Teammates who are not driving and coaches can stand at a 6 ft distance near the match fields to watch.

Skills fields: Skills fields will be in a separate area at a safe distance from tournament matches. Teams will sign up for time slots and will be instructed to maintain social distancing while waiting for their turn. We will allow only 2 teams in the area at a time: 1 team running skills and 1 team waiting at a 6 foot distance.

Awards will be distributed after the event at an awards table. Spectators can stand at a safe distance to briefly take photos.