NEW MEMBER INFORMATION · 2026–2027 SEASON

Welcome to Tie Dye Samurai

We are excited to have you joining us for the 2026–2027 FIRST Robotics Competition season. Here is everything you need to get started.

We meet

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday

Season dues

$215/mo × 10

Our goal

Houston Championship

About the Tie Dye Family

Although Tie Dye Samurai completed its rookie FRC season in 2026, we are not new to student robotics. The 2026–2027 season marks our 12th season in competitive robotics. We began with FIRST LEGO League in 2015, expanded into FIRST Tech Challenge in 2018, and reached the highest level of FIRST competition when FRC Team 10933 launched in 2026.

We are also launching Tie Dye Jedi, our FIRST Tech Challenge team for grades 6–9. Tie Dye Jedi gives younger students a place to build engineering, programming, teamwork, and leadership skills — and creates a pathway into Tie Dye Samurai.

Both teams are programs of STEM+C, a Gilbert-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit developing the next generation of engineers, innovators, and leaders through hands-on projects and mentorship from industry professionals.

Our Rookie Season, and What Comes Next

Tie Dye Samurai finished as the highest-ranked rookie FRC team in Arizona and 8th overall among 43 Arizona teams. We also:

  • Earned the Rookie All-Star Award at the Arizona North Regional
  • Earned the Creativity Award at the Utah Regional
  • Were selected for playoff alliances at both events

Those results were exciting, but what mattered most was the culture our students created — built on learning, teamwork, outreach, perseverance, and a willingness to take on hard problems.

Our focus this season

We are no longer a rookie team. Expectations are higher, the competition is tougher, and other teams know who we are. Our goal for 2026–2027 is to qualify for the FIRST Championship in Houston and represent Arizona on the world stage.

Getting there takes discipline, consistent participation, stronger preparation, effective outreach, and continued growth. Students do not need prior robotics experience — but they do need to be willing to learn, contribute, communicate, and support their teammates.

Last year we built a team. This year we build a contender.

Meetings & Our Shop

Tie Dye Samurai currently meets on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Our shop

21325 S 154th St
Gilbert, AZ 85298

Near Val Vista Drive and Queen Creek Road

Enter through the gate — please be mindful of dogs and close it behind you. Use the side garage entrance.

Parents are always welcome, anytime.

Because the shop is located at a private residence, we ask students and families to respect the property, our neighbors, the equipment, and all designated work and parking areas.

Attending for the first time? Contact your coach beforehand to confirm meeting hours and location — they shift with the season.

Season Timeline & Time Commitment

Our program runs year-round, not only during the official competition season.

Summer & Fall

Training, offseason projects, outreach, fundraising, and Arizona Robotics League events.

January — Kickoff

The new FRC game is released, and the season begins in earnest.

Most intensive

January & February

Design, manufacturing, programming, and testing. Meeting frequency and hours increase, and weekend workdays are common.

March & April

Primary competition months. Qualifying for the FIRST Championship adds a multi-day trip to Houston in April.

We understand students have school, family, work, and other commitments. We ask only that students communicate conflicts early and take responsibility for keeping up with their work.

Where Students Can Plug In

No previous experience in robotics, engineering, or programming is required. Explore several areas before specializing — curiosity, reliability, and teamwork matter more than arriving with technical skills.

Software & Autonomous

Robot code, autonomous routines, vision, and controls.

Electrical

Wiring, power distribution, sensors, and reliability.

CAD & Mechanical Design

Designing mechanisms and the full robot in CAD.

Manufacturing & Fabrication

Machining, assembly, and building real parts.

Rapid Prototyping

Fast iteration — build it, break it, improve it.

Strategy & Scouting

Match strategy, data collection, alliance selection.

Business & Sponsorship

Sponsor outreach, proposals, and partnerships.

Fundraising & Grants

Grant research, applications, and campaigns.

Marketing & Media

Photography, video, social media, and storytelling.

Project Management

Schedules, task tracking, and team operations.

Mentoring Tie Dye Jedi

Teaching our FTC students — and learning by teaching.

Community Outreach

Demonstrations, volunteering, and events.

Mentoring Tie Dye Jedi is a big part of our program. It gives Samurai students a way to deepen their own knowledge, practice leadership, and help younger students grow into future FRC members.

Shop Expectations & Safety

Students should arrive ready to participate, in closed-toe shoes and clothing appropriate for a workshop, with long hair tied back. Safety glasses and other protective equipment are required whenever appropriate, and students must complete safety training before independently using tools or equipment.

Every team member is expected to:

  • Treat teammates and mentors with respect
  • Follow all safety requirements
  • Take care of tools, equipment, and the workspace
  • Clean up after working
  • Communicate when they need help
  • Follow through on assigned responsibilities
  • Help create an environment where everyone can learn

Our program is student-led and mentor-guided. Students make decisions, solve problems, and do the work; mentors provide instruction, experience, and supervision.

The full expectations both students and parents agree to are in the STEM+C Student & Family Team Agreement.

Your Laptop

Every student brings a laptop to meetings. It is how the team designs the robot in Autodesk Fusion and writes its code in IntelliJ IDEA, so it needs to run both. Before buying, check that it meets all of these:

Windows
Windows 11 on an Intel or AMD processor. Windows on ARM laptops (Snapdragon / "Copilot+") will not work — WPILib does not support them.
Mac
macOS 15 Sequoia or newer. Apple Silicon and Intel Macs both work.
Memory
16 GB of RAM. 8 GB is the bare minimum and struggles to run CAD and code at the same time.
Storage
An SSD with at least 50 GB free.
Processor
4 or more cores.
Graphics
Built-in graphics are fine. A dedicated graphics card helps with large CAD models but is not required.

Will not work: Chromebooks, iPads, and Linux laptops — Fusion does not run on them.

Based on the official requirements for Autodesk Fusion, IntelliJ IDEA, and WPILib, checked September 2026.

Is a laptop a barrier for your family? Talk to your coach privately. We never want the cost of a laptop to keep a student from participating.

Team Budget & Dues

Operating an FRC team is a significant financial commitment. Last season's total operating cost was roughly $55,000. For 2026–2027 we project $58,000–$60,000, driven by increases in registration, materials, electronics, manufacturing supplies, equipment, travel, and competition expenses.

Family dues cover only part of that. The rest comes from sponsorships, grants, fundraising, matching gifts, and contributions from mentors and community supporters.

Monthly

$215

× 10 payments, covering July 1, 2026 through April 1, 2027

Paid in full

$2,150

Paying ahead or in full helps us cover large upfront costs like registration and electronics.

Pay Season Fees

Joining mid-season, or dues are a hardship? Contact us privately. Payment plans and financial assistance are available. We never want a lack of communication — or finances alone — to keep a student from participating.

Communication

Once a student is officially added to the team, the student and family receive access to our Slack workspace — our primary channel for schedules, announcements, project discussions, volunteer needs, and competition information.

Please make sure we have accurate contact information for the student and at least one parent or guardian. Students and parents are both responsible for monitoring team communications and responding when asked.

How Parents & Community Members Can Help

Our success has depended on parents, mentors, sponsors, and volunteers. As Samurai grows and Jedi begins, that support matters even more. We welcome help with:

  • Industry contacts and sponsor introductions
  • Engineering and technical mentorship
  • Mentoring Tie Dye Jedi students
  • Event staffing and volunteer support
  • Competition travel, meals, and logistics
  • Fundraising and grant opportunities
  • Photography, video, marketing, and social media
  • Community demonstrations and outreach events
  • Shop organization and improvement projects

You do not need an engineering background to contribute meaningfully. If you have a skill, connection, or resource that could help either team, we would love to hear from you.

Next Steps for New Families

  1. 1 Confirm we have preferred contact information for the student and a parent or guardian.
  2. 2 Contact your coach before your first meeting to confirm time and location.
  3. 3 Review the meeting schedule and tell us about any recurring conflicts.
  4. 4 Make sure your student has a laptop that meets the requirements above — or talk to your coach if that is a barrier.
  5. 5 Complete registration, emergency contact, medical, waiver, media, and travel forms when provided.
  6. 6 Visit the payment portal, or reach out to discuss payment timing.
  7. 7 Accept your invitation to the team Slack workspace.
  8. 8 Let us know which areas interest your student — technical, creative, business, or outreach.

Paperwork

Both teams use the same STEM+C paperwork — a Team Agreement signed by student and parent, and a Consent & Release signed by a parent or guardian.

Review policies & forms

We are proud of what our students have built over more than a decade — and more excited about what is ahead.

Welcome to the Tie Dye family.

Last year we built a team.

This year we build a contender — and the next generation.

Questions? Get in touch