12 - Rules and Policies

Game Rules Update

We have adopted all the official Aerial Assist game rules for the MVRC, with no changes.

As for robot rules, a +5 pound robot weight allowance is permitted to accommodate teams that may have made slight modifications or additions to their bots over the summer. This is standard practice at most offseason competitions.

Also, please arrive FRC legal and ready to play! The honor system is in effect. The event staff may perform cursory inspections of competing robots, and they have the authority to require a weigh-in and/or corrective action taken for any robot that appears it is in violation of any rules. However, it is not our intention to require mandatory weigh-ins and inspections of all robots. Pre-rookie bots that have not gone through an official FRC inspection or veteran robots that have undergone major modifications since the regular season will be subject to a weigh-in and a more thorough inspection from event staff, in the interest of safety.

Visitor Safety and Waiver Policy

On Saturday September 20th, 2014, all Visitors to the Mahoning Valley Robotics Challenge consent to operate by the following Visitor Safety and Waiver Policy guidelines while they are on Austintown Local Schools’ property. Visitors who do not agree to adhere to all aspects of this policy must vacate the premises immediately.

All Visitors are bound by any and all safety and visitation guidelines issued by the Austintown Local School District. All Visitors to Austintown Fitch High School and the Mahoning Valley Robotics Challenge are personally responsible for their safety while on school grounds. Enter the event at your own risk.

Safety glasses MUST be worn by all people within the pit area and on the playing field carpet at all times, without exception. Safety glasses signage will be posted, and a Safety Glasses Table will be available at the pit entrance for Visitors to sign out glasses and then return them when finished visiting the pit. Those found not wearing safety glasses in required areas are subject to being dismissed from the area until the problem is rectified. Repeat offenders risk being banned from reentering safety glasses areas for the remaining duration of the event.

Safety glasses provided by the Safety Glasses Table are for Visitor use only. Each team is required to bring their own safety glasses to cover team needs.

In consideration for NEOFRA (Northeast Ohio FIRST Robotics Alliance), the Art Outreach Gallery, and Austintown Local Schools (henceforth referred to as the “MVRC Planning Partners”) allowing Visitors to participate in the Mahoning Valley Robotics Challenge, Visitor (and the Parent/Guardian of Visitor under 18 years of age for and on behalf of the Visitor and the Parent/Guardian) assumes all risk of such visitation and hereby releases the MVRC Planning Partners, and all of the MVRC Planning Partners’ directors, officers, employees, volunteers, and agents from any and all claims for any injury of any kind to the Visitor (and the Parent/Guardian) or other damages that may occur as a result of the Visitor's attendance at the Mahoning Valley Robotics Challenge, including without limitation any injuries or other damages that may be caused by the negligence of the the MVRC Planning Partners or negligence of any of the MVRC Planning Partners’ directors, officers, employees, volunteers, or agents (including without limitation negligently failing to adequately investigate or screen coaches, mentors, volunteers, etc.), and agrees not to file any lawsuit or otherwise make any claim against the MVRC Planning Partners or any of the MVRC Planning Partners’ directors, officers, employees, volunteers, or agents for any such injury or other damages. The Visitor (and the Parent/Guardian of a Visitor under 18 years of age) does not hereby release any claims against any individual person who intentionally causes injury to the Visitor.

Visitor (and the Parent/Guardian of Visitor under 18 years of age) understands that photographs, videotapes, and other recordings will be made of participants in and spectators at the Mahoning Valley Robotics Challenge. Visitor (and the Parent/Guardian of Visitor under 18 years of age) consents to those photographs, videotapes, and other recordings and the use thereof (i) as part of a record of the Mahoning Valley Robotics Challenge and (ii) to promote the MVRC Planning Partners and the Mahoning Valley Robotics Challenge.

Team Participation Waiver Policy

The MVRC will NOT require a signed consent/photo release form to be turned in for each team member.

In lieu of signed consent forms, however, please consider this official notice of the following policy in effect at the 2014 Mahoning Valley Robotics Challenge. This notice was emailed to all team primary and secondary leads on 9/8/14 and will be posted at the Team Registration Table and at Pit Admin. This language was extracted directly from the FIRST waiver/consent form and modified for MVRC use.

On Friday September 19th, 2014 and Saturday September 20th, 2014, your team and all constituent members and their families consent to operate by the guidelines spelled out below while any member of the team is on Austintown Local Schools’ property.

Teams are solely responsible for handling any team members or their families who may for whatever reason not wish to comply with this standard policy.

Participant (and the Parent/Guardian of a Participant under 18 years of age) understands that participation in the Program will expose Participant to risks of injury including, without limitation, injury from: building, lifting, and using electrical/mechanical robots and robot components; using tools; other participants; dancing and other associated activities. Participant (and the Parent/Guardian of a Participant under 18 years of age) understands that NEOFRA (Northeast Ohio FIRST Robotics Alliance), the Art Outreach Gallery, and Austintown Local Schools (henceforth referred to as the “MVRC Planning Partners”) do not select or otherwise exercise authority or control over the coaches, mentors, and other participants in the Mahoning Valley Robotics Challenge. Participant, if 18 years of age or older, acknowledges and agrees that he/she is primarily responsible for his/her safety. The Parent/Guardian of a Participant under 18 years of age acknowledges and agrees that the Parent/Guardian is primarily responsible for the Participant's safety and that the Parent/Guardian will monitor, as appropriate considering the age of the Participant and other factors, the Participant's participation in the Mahoning Valley Robotics Challenge.

In consideration for the MVRC Planning Partners allowing the Participant to participate in the Mahoning Valley Robotics Challenge, Participant (and the Parent/Guardian of a Participant under 18 years of age for and on behalf of the Participant and the Parent/Guardian) assumes all risk of such participation and hereby releases the MVRC Planning Partners, and all of the MVRC Planning Partners’ directors, officers, employees, volunteers, and agents from any and all claims for any injury of any kind to the Participant (and the Parent/Guardian) or other damages that may occur as a result of the Participant's participation in the Mahoning Valley Robotics Challenge, including without limitation any injuries or other damages that may be caused by the negligence of the MVRC Planning Partners or negligence of any of the MVRC Planning Partners’ directors, officers, employees, volunteers, or agents (including without limitation negligently failing to adequately investigate or screen coaches, mentors, volunteers, etc.), and agrees not to file any lawsuit or otherwise make any claim against the MVRC Planning Partners or any of the MVRC Planning Partners’ directors, officers, employees, volunteers, or agents for any such injury or other damages. The Participant (and the Parent/Guardian of a Participant under 18 years of age) does not hereby release any claims against any individual person who intentionally causes injury to the Participant.

Participant (and the Parent/Guardian of a Participant under 18 years of age) understands that photographs, videotapes, and other recordings will be made of participants in the Mahoning Valley Robotics Challenge, including the Participant. Participant (and the Parent/Guardian of a Participant under 18 years of age) consents to those photographs, videotapes, and other recordings and the use thereof (i) as part of a record of the Mahoning Valley Robotics Challenge and (ii) to promote the MVRC Planning Partners and the Mahoning Valley Robotics Challenge.