FIRST in Texas Supports Growing Robotics Programs with New Coach Training in Laredo

FIRST® in Texas spent the weekend in Laredo leading a hands-on training session for new FIRST® LEGO® League coaches as the district prepares to launch additional teams for the upcoming season. The turnout was strong, demonstrating the growing enthusiasm for robotics and STEM opportunities across the region.

Coaches received step-by-step guidance on the full journey of starting a team, including registration through both FIRST HQ and FIRST in Texas, robot game fundamentals, judging expectations, and an introduction to basic coding using Spike Prime. The focus was not only on how to begin, but how to help students thrive once the season is underway.

Students support also played a key role in the training experience. Two members of FIRST Robotics Competition Team 8573 Rogue Rangers joined the trip to assist with set up, demonstrations, and one-on-one help for coaches learning Spike Prime programming. Additionally, FIRST Tech Challenge Team 12313 Hotdogs joined the event to share insights from their own experiences and encourage schools to create a full pathway by offering FIRST LEGO League at the foundational level. They also offered mentorship support as a local Laredo team committed to helping the community grow.

District leaders expressed excitement about the success of this training and are already planning to expand it into an annual summer program. Their goal is to equip even more educators to launch teams and bring meaningful STEM experiences to students across Laredo.

This session marks an important milestone as FIRST in Texas continues strengthening access and support in the South region. By empowering coaches with the resources they need, we are helping build sustainable robotics programs and creating new opportunities for students to discover confidence, creativity, and the joy of learning.