An in-person FTC Coach/Mentor Professional Development. This is a requirement of the Scale-Up Program.

Agenda:

• Day 1: Sample Agenda  
• Day 2: Sample Agenda
• Day 3: Sample Agenda
  Day 3 includes two "Veteran Coach Topics". Local veteran coaches will have the opportunity to submit an idea about a topic they would like to present to rookie coaches.
• Note: All Prof. Development sessions are tentative until the Iowa legislature approves the 2026-2027 budget.

Where:

Registration:

• PD Registration Opens on April 24, 2026
• PD Registration Closes on May 7, 2026 at 11:59pm CST.
• Scale-Up recipients will receive an direct email to register for the PD.
• Note: This Prof. Development will also be open to current non-Scale-Up educators, but the top priority will be given to Scale-Up recipients and second priority will be to those coaches who were rookies during the 2025-2026 DECODE season.

Items to be brought the PD:

• Organization's Tax Exempt Certificate
• Laptop with access to a web browser
• Safety glasses & closed-toe/closed-heels shoes
• Food and drink for breakfast and lunch. Snacks will be provided.

Items to do before the PD:

• Create an account with FIRST.
  • Once an account has been created, log into the FIRST Dashboard.
    • In the upper right corner, in the pulldown menu, click on "Acknowledgement Forms" and review and approve the information.
    • In the upper right corner, in the pulldown menu, click on "Youth Protection Screening". Provide information for a background check. This is required.
    • No need to do anything additional.
• Make hotel reservations. (TBD)

Goals of the PD:

• Equip participants with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively mentor and coach FTC teams.
• Foster connections among coaches and mentors for ongoing support and collaboration in FTC-related activities.
• Educate attendees on updates to the FTC program.
• Broaden the perspectives of coaches, encouraging innovative thinking in their coaching and mentoring strategies.
• Provide hands-on experience through a mini-season simulation, covering elements such as build season, tournaments, judges' interviews, and alliance selection.
• Communicate the expectations and guidelines set by the Iowa leadership for effective coaching and mentoring.
• Ensure most sessions are interactive and engaging to maximize learning and retention.

Expectations from the attendees:

• Actively participate in all sessions and activities.
• Engagement and collaboration with fellow participants to enhance the learning experience.
• Openness to learning and applying new coaching methods and strategies.
• Providing constructive feedback to help improve future PD sessions.
• Commitment to implementing the knowledge and skills gained within their educational environments and FTC teams.
• Meeting all the requirements.