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Have a question, idea, or feedback to share? We’re here to help. Connect with the FIRST in Texas team below.
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Use this form to connect directly with FIRST in Texas staff for quick assistance. We’ll respond within 24 hours on business days.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Teams based in Texas must complete two separate registrations:
- FIRST Headquarters through the FIRST HQ site.
- FIRST in Texas through the Coach Portal. This includes a one-time payment of $225, which covers advancing from the qualifier rounds to the Championship.
These registrations serve different purposes, but both are required for your team to participate in local events.
For Parents: Here is a step-by-step guide for express enrollment.
FIRST in Texas is committed to providing every student with a meaningful, engaging, and equitable competition experience. To strengthen the quality and consistency of that experience, we are transitioning to in-person judging for all FIRST LEGO League events.
Beginning in the 2025–2026 season, the State Championship and all Regional Events (except for South) will move to in-person judging. In addition, every effort will be made to transition as many Qualifier Events as possible to in-person formats, with the goal of achieving 100% in-person judging by the 2026–2027 season. Check the FIRST in Texas Coach Portal for event details including an agenda.
Teams form in local communities and recruit as needed. FIRST® does not match youth to existing teams due to our privacy policy. We encourage those looking for a team to contact local schools, libraries, or youth organizations that may have a team in place or an interest in starting one. An online search may also be helpful, as some teams share contact information through websites and social media pages.
If you contact a team regarding collaborating, mentoring, or accepting new team members, they are under no obligation to respond. Please do not contact FIRST Customer Service regarding your outreach to a FIRST team.
Lead Coach 1 and Lead Coach 2:
- Adult volunteers that lead the day-to-day activities of the team
- Have the authority to make leadership decisions for the team and are the primary contacts for the team.
- Each team must have two (2) adults in this role. One is recommended to be at least 25 years old.
- Leads can create new teams, manage team contacts, edit team information, make registration payments, register team participants, and view youth information
- Lead Coach 2 cannot invite Lead Coach 1 or Team Administrator.
Mentor:
- Individuals (18+) with technical or non-technical knowledge who teach and assist a team.
- Mentors provide valuable support and serve as a resource in their area of specialty.
- Regular relationship with the team but may not attend every meeting or event.
- This role is assigned on the FIRST Dashboard. It does not have administrative permissions.
Team Administrator:
- Individuals (18+) who do not collaborate directly with the team but have access to financial information to procure resources for the team
- Create a team
- Can invite/remove Lead Coaches only (no other rostered roles)
- Cannot invite parents/guardians, accept youth team members, or view youth team members in the Team Contacts page.
- The utilization of this role on a team roster is OPTIONAL.
Note: A Lead Coach 1 can do all the functions of a Team Administrator role and does not need to also be assigned to this role in addition to being a Lead Coach 1.
Youth Mentors:
- An individual, who could be a veteran team member, serving as youth mentor to a team with younger participants.
- These individuals are between the ages of 13-17 years old.
- The utilization of this role on a team roster is OPTIONAL
- This role is assigned on the FIRST Dashboard
- It does not have administrative permissions.
Team Volunteers:
- Individuals (18+) who regularly volunteer with and support the team, but they are not a mentor or the coach.
- The team may be chaperoned and/or supported in another way by this individual.
- The utilization of this role on a team roster is OPTIONAL
- Teams that have additional adult support could roster these individuals as “Team Volunteers” (ex. support logistics) or “mentors” (ex. teach/guide) whichever role is appropriate.
- This role is assigned on the FIRST Dashboard.
- It does not have administrative permissions.
Many people support teams. Here are some examples of other non-rostered roles:
Subject Matter Experts: This individual has infrequent or inconsistent interactions with a team. The individual may be a temporary consultant sharing expertise. (ex. An individual indirectly assists a team with something such as fabrication.) The role may be held by different individuals from season to season.
Supporters: Individuals who indirectly support the team and do not consistently or directly engage with the team. (ex. individuals who are parents or guardians.) If an individual directly and consistently engages with youth they should be rostered as “Team Volunteers” and take Youth Protection Program training and undergo Youth Protection Program screening.