Joining the RatPack
Welcome! This page will walk you through the steps to officially join the RatPack for the 2024-2025 season.
We have several steps you need to complete to join the team. In total, these forms should take less than 20-30 minutes to complete. We’ve split them up by who should be completing them. If you get stuck on anything, contact us by email and we will do our best to help!
Deadline:
Steps 3, 4, and 5 are required before you can work in our shop.
All other steps are required by our registration deadline of November 3, 2024
Some things you will need to complete registration:
Contact information (for both students and parents)
Health and insurance information
Payment information or check
Returning team members: all of these steps are required for you as well. Some forms can be reused from last year - see below for details.
Looking for middle school robotics?
RatPack is for students in 9th-12th grade. For students in 6th-8th grade, check out our FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Team 7305, the GearCats! RatPack works very closely with the GearCats and it is a great first step into the FRC world. With mentors and student mentors from this team running the program, we do our best to educate FTC students on FIRST, robotics, STEAM, and engineering.
For Students:
1. Information Form
This helps us get to know you better so that we can match you with subteams and projects that you’re interested in, and make sure we have up-to-date contact information for you. (Also, it helps us make sure you get a team shirt!)
2. Slack
We use Slack for team communication. You’ll receive an invitation to Slack after filling out the information form above.
For Parents - required ASAP:
3. Team Consent & Release Form
This form is required before you will be allowed to work in our shop.
You can submit this form by:
turning in a copy at a team meeting
emailing a printed+scanned or electronically-completed version to us at 830ratpack@gmail.com. Note: the email needs to come from the adult who completed the form, not the student.
4. Emergency Contacts Form
This form is required before you will be allowed to work in our shop.
5. Medical Info Form
You will need health insurance information to complete this form.
This form is required before you will be allowed to work in our shop.
For Parents - due by the registration deadline:
6. Parent Participation Form
We depend on parent help to run our team. This helps us figure out how best to involve everyone.
At least one parent/guardian should fill out this form - ideally two.
We also maintain an email list for parent updates. If you’d like email updates, click the button below to join the list. Please mention your student’s name in the “reason for joining” field to help us keep track of who you are.
7. Register with FIRST
This is the registration process for FIRST, our parent organization. This is required to participate in FIRST competitions.
Who: in most cases, parents need to register their student(s) and complete two consent/release forms. Students 18 or older can complete these steps themselves.
When: by the team registration deadline
Important things to note when registering with FIRST:
You should join FIRST Robotics Competition Team 830, the RatPack. The button above should do this automatically.
Once you have joined the team, there will be a second consent and release form to fill out, specific to FIRST in Michigan. You need to sign both forms. See the last picture in the slideshow below. (FIRST’s PDF instructions only show one form.) This is necessary because we are a Michigan team.
See the screenshots provided below with important parts highlighted in red:
FIRST also has their own set of help pages, if needed:
8. Team Fee
Our team fee for the full 2024-2025 season is $250, which covers part of our operating costs. If this poses a problem for you, we have scholarships and other alternatives available. Nobody will be denied participation due to their financial situation. To apply for a need-based scholarship, fill out this form or contact us by email. If you have any other questions or concerns about this fee, get in touch with one of the head mentors directly.
The team fee is due by the team registration deadline unless other arrangements are made.
Payment will open by Sept 29. We intend to give everyone at least a few weeks to decide that they want to join the team first. Once payment is open, you will be able to pay online with credit/debit, or in-person with a check. If paying by check, checks should be made out to “RatPack Robotics Team 830” (note: this is different from last year). Contact us by email if you need an alternative (e.g. mailing address).
9. High Five
Wow! That was a lot of forms. That deserves a high five, wouldn't you think?
