– FIRST Tech Challenge DECODE Season Guide

#horizontalrule

Overview
Roles Covered:Queuer, Pit Runner, Lead Queuer

Job Description
A Queuer’s main responsibility at events is to help inform teams when their match will start soon and
help them get from the pit area to the competition fields as needed.
Requirements
Technical
Low
Physical
High
Administrative
Medium
Communication
High
Pre-event Training
Low
Time Commitment
Queuers should expect to spend 6-8 hours at a full day event and 3-4 hours at a league meet.
Attire
• Comfortable closed-toe, closed-heel shoes, most of the day will be spent moving between the
pit and competition areas.
• ANSI Z87.1 certified safety glasses are required in the competition and pit areas.
Training and Certification
Read and complete all tasks listed in thePre-Event Trainingsection.
Any volunteer who applies to a role will be able to get into the Learning Management System (LMS)
using the 'FIRSTTraining' button. Roles with the training required will appear in the 'roles missing
certification' area. For more help, you can read moreabout how to access your training.
If you have applied for a role but have not received access to the training, please email
training@firstinspires.org. A separate confirmation of the role assignment will come later.
Queuers should speak to the Event Director to find out if there are additional requirements, such as
meetings before the event or run-throughs of the queuing path before the event. The approximate
training time is one hour.
Roles and Responsibilities
FIRSTis fun for all.The most important role of a volunteer is to provide a
safe, fun, and welcoming environment for all FIRST^® participants. When
executing the duties of your role, always make decisions with the team
experience in mind. Ask for help from event leadership if you feel your
required duties conflict with the best team experience.
Queuer
Responsible for facilitating team traffic to and from the playing field to help ensure the event stays on
schedule. Queuer responsibilities include:
V25-26.1
Lead Queuer Volunteer Manual
2 of 11

#horizontalrule

Responsibilities
Ensure teams know their match times are coming up
Stage teams when they arrive at the queuing area to be ready to load in for their next match
Ensure a safe and orderly competition arena by confirming that all personnel in the queuing
area are drive team members or authorized event personnel
Maintain an uninterrupted flow of teams to the field by ensuring teams are in the queuing
area ahead of their match
Direct teams to the field and help teams depart from the field

Pit Runner
A Pit Runner is a type of Queuer that focuses on going to the pit area to inform teams that they need to
report for their upcoming match. The key responsibility of the Runner is to interface with the Queuers
and Lead Queuer to bring teams to the competition area. However, Runners should be aware of the key
responsibilities and event day information for Queuers to successfully perform their role.
Lead Queuer
Lead Queuers manage the flow of teams to and from the competition arena by working with the Event
Director, FIRST Technical Advisor (FTA), and Queuers. The Lead Queuer is one of the primary leads that
works to make the flow of event traffic to and from the pit area and competition fields is safe, orderly,
and timely. Key responsibilities of the Lead Queuer include:
Responsibilities
Work with the Event Director and the FIRST Technical Advisor (FTA) to create unrestricted
paths to and from the pit area to the competition field
Ensure safe, orderly, and timely flow of robots and teams to and from the competition area
Manage the staging of teams in the queuing area
Maintain a proper number of teams in the queuing area
Direct the Queuers as needed to ensure that there is an uninterrupted flow of teams to the
field

The Lead Queuer may also opt to assign some of the Queuers as Runners, depending on the size of the
event and the distance from the pit area to the competition area.
Prerequisites for Lead Queuer Role
To serve as a Lead Queuer, previous experience as a Queuer or equivalent experience is required.
Before the Event
Lead Queuers are sometimes part of the event planning committee and help with event traffic flow
planning for teams and robots. Unless you are specifically asked to do pre-event planning there are no
pre-event planning activities outside of training.
Pre-Event Training
Pit Runners and Queuers do not require any Pre-Event training.
V25-26.1
Lead Queuer Volunteer Manual
3 of 11

#horizontalrule

Lead Queuers must complete the required reading in this section and pass a certification test before
serving in this role.
Resources for training and certification:
Lead Queuer Pre-event Training List
Requirement
Resource
Required
Welcome to FIRST
Required
TheLead Queuer Volunteer Manual(this document)
The Competition Manual – specifically:
Required
• Section 13 - Tournament
Required
Review the Volunteer Handbook
Field Operations Guide,which contains training and advice for
Required
managing the fields and related volunteers
Competition Manual – specifically:
Encouraged
• Section 5 - Event Rules
Encouraged
Complete Strategies for Inspiring Success for All modules.
Watch the game animation videofor a general understanding of the
Optional
game
Complete theLead Queuer CertificationTest in the FIRST^® Learning
System
Required
(For volunteers outside of North America without a FIRST^® Dashboard
Account use the PDF to self-certify)

Event Day
Report Time
Your Event Director or Volunteer Coordinator will confirm the time you should arrive typically via email
the week before the event. In most cases, arriving at least 1 hour before matches begin is sufficient.
When you arrive onsite, check-in with the Volunteer Coordinator and report to the Lead Queuer. The
Lead Queuer should check-in with the Volunteer Coordinator and report to the Event Director and/or the
FIRST Technical Advisor (FTA) to see if there is any already established team traffic flow pattern from
the pits to the queuing area and competition fields.
Match Flow and Timing
Many events use colored tape on the floor to indicate traffic patterns on the floor and/or folding tables
to create staging areas near the competition field(s). Confirm with your leadership what is expected of
your role at this event.
Consider the following when designing traffic flow patterns:
• Minimize crossing robot traffic
• Prioritize teams coming to the field over those departing the field
• Avoid mixing audience traffic flow with team traffic flow
The queueing staging area is where teams report with their robot ready to play before their scheduled
matches. Typically, this consists of one or more tables that are identified as the next match up (Current
V25-26.1
Lead Queuer Volunteer Manual
4 of 11

#horizontalrule

Match +1) and two matches out (Current Match +2) and indicate where the Red or Blue Alliance should
stand.
Queuing Depth Scales with Event Size
It is not a good experience for teams to always be required to be in queue so the depth of the queue (1
or more tables) should be based on the size of the events and the number of fields. The queuing depth
should be as shallow as possible while still ensuring that the teams are ready and available before their
match start time.
Match Participation
It is your responsibility to ensure the teams are aware of the match schedule, but it is the team’s
responsibility to show up for their matches in a timely manner which does not impede match flow. It is
also the team’s right to decline to participate in a match. The Competition Manualis the only
authoritative source for specific rules.
If a team says they do not plan to attend the match they are being queued for:
• Let the team know they will not receive any more reminders.
• Remind the team that they should send a single drive team member as a representative or they
will be ineligible to earn credit for the match.
• Inform the Lead Queuer that the team stated they will not play in the match.
• The Lead Queuer will work with the field staff to start the match appropriately.
• If they are not delaying the match, a team may show up to play the match even after they have
told queuing they will not attend the match
Team Interaction and Support
When interacting with teams please always consider the team’s perspective. The teams have put
significant time and effort into this robot and want everything to be perfect before they show up to play
a match. Trying to make a last-minute improvement or repair is a very stressful time for a team, and
this can sometimes cause teams to push back on the match schedule.
Work with your Lead Queuer and the Head Referee if a team is consistently late to the queuing area to
ask for more guidance. Only the Head Referee may issue any official warnings. The Competition
Manualis the authoritative source for specific rules.

V25-26.1
Lead Queuer Volunteer Manual
5 of 11

#horizontalrule

Important Tools
Public Schedule
The Program Delivery Partner or the Event Director should publish the public schedule of events before
the event. This schedule will have a high-level overview of all the activities for the event. It is important
that everyone at the event does their best to stay true to the public schedule so that teams and
volunteers who have planned their day around these times have a good experience.

Time
Agenda
7:15 am
Doors Open for Staff & Key Volunteers
7:30 am
Judges and Inspectors Report
8:00 am
Doors Open for Teams
8:30 am
Judging & Inspection Commences
10:15 am Team Check-in Hard Deadline (Check the Competition Manual)
Match schedule is generated and distributed to teams.(Check the Competition Manual)
10:30 am Note to Scorekeeper: 6 Matchestotal (Check the Competition Manual)
10:40 am Drivers’ Meeting with Head Referee & Opening Ceremony
Qualification Matches 1 - 8
11:00 am Note to Scorekeeper: 7-minute cycle-time
12:00 pm Lunch
Qualification Matches 9 - 45
12:45 pm Note to Scorekeeper: 5-minute cycle-times
3:50 pm
Qualification Matches Projected End
4:00 pm
Alliance Selection
4:20 pm
Double Elimination Rounds 1 - 4
5:10 pm
Award Ceremonies Start & Double Eliminations Round 5
6:20 pm
Projected End of Event
7:00 pm
Doors Close
Occasionally things that happen out of the event’s control may impact the schedule. In these cases,
work closely with the Event Director to understand the updated agenda.
Figure 1: Example Schedule for a 30 Team Event

V25-26.1
Lead Queuer Volunteer Manual
6 of 11

#horizontalrule

Registered Teams List
The Program Delivery Partner may provide a list of teams registered for the event or the scorekeeper
can export a report of all the registered teams for the event. Sometimes this list may change the day of
the event based on which teams show up. The Scorekeeper report will have the most accurate
information about who is competing at an event. Notes that teams may be competing only in the
judging portion of the event and not have a robot present.
Figure 2: Competing Team Report

V25-26.1
Lead Queuer Volunteer Manual
7 of 11

#horizontalrule

Event Layout/Map
The Program Delivery Partner and Event Director should publish a map of the venue before the event. In
some cases, details on the map might not be available until the day of the event.
The Event Layout / Map should detail the following:
• Load-In Path
• Parking for Personal Vehicles and Busses
• Team Check-in
• Volunteer Check-in
• Competition Area
• Pit Area (May include thePit Map)
• Judging Room Locations (if applicable)
• Safety Details as available (Emergency Exits, AED, Shelter in Place Locations)

Figure 3: Example Event Map
V25-26.1
Lead Queuer Volunteer Manual
8 of 11

#horizontalrule

Judging Schedule

Figure 4: Example Judging Schedule
Match Schedule
The match list will be generated on the day of the event after the teams have been confirmed. This
schedule will list which teams will play in which alliance (Red or Blue) and it will also list a match start
times. Some events will have more than one competition field and/or more than one division, and each
division will have its own schedule.

Figure 5: Example Match Schedule

V25-26.1
Lead Queuer Volunteer Manual
9 of 11

#horizontalrule

Pit Map
Pit maps are typically provided by either the Event Director or by the Scorekeeper. Having a map of
where each team is in the pit is key, as teams, parents or Queuers might need to find. Pit Maps created
in FTC Scoring will appear on the FTC-Eventspage.

Figure 6: Example Pit Map for a small12-team Qualifier Event

Figure 7: Example Pit Map for a Typical Regional Championship Event Match

V25-26.1
Lead Queuer Volunteer Manual
10 of 11

#horizontalrule

Useful Links and Information
On-Call Support Numbers
On-Call Support
These numbers are for volunteer support only. Teams should not use these numbers
to call about rulings or technical assistance.

Administrative, Judge, Referee and Non-Technical Issues:
(603)206-2412

Scoring System (FTC Live) or other Technical Issues:

(603)206-2450
Call or use the built-in chat feature on FTC Live available for events with internet
access

Pre-Event Support
Mon – Fri
8:30am – 5:00pm Eastern Time (UTC-4 or UTC-5)
Contact Supportincluding live chat or emailcustomerservice@firstinspires.org

Program Resources
FIRST^® Tech Challenge Website
Event Search

Game and Season Resources
FIRST^® Tech Challenge Blog

Volunteer Resources
Team Email Blasts

Feedback
We strive to create support materials that are the best they can be. If you have feedback about this
manual, please emailcustomerservice@firstinspires.orgor bycontacting support. Thank you!
V25-26.1
Lead Queuer Volunteer Manual
11 of 11

#horizontalrule

Document Outline

#horizontalrule