Coach and Mentor Checklist

Review these descriptions and resources to learn more about mentor roles on a team and FIRST Programs.  

1. Lead Coach 1 and Lead Coach 2 are adult volunteers that lead the day-to-day activities of the team.
   
2. Mentors provide valuable support and serve as a resource to the team in their area of specialty.
3. Youth Mentors are between 13-17 years old and mentor a team with younger participants.
4. Team Volunteers are adults who regularly support the team as chaperones or with other tasks that have them in regular contact with the team.
5. Team Administrators do not collaborate directly with the team but can create a team and have access to financial information to procure resources.  

Create an online profile on the FIRST Dashboard. Here, you can create and manage your teams.  

1. At FIRST, student safety is always a priority. Every adult must become familiar with our Youth Protection Program. Take the time to watch our videos and read our Youth Protection materials.  
2. All Lead Coaches 18 and over from the U.S. and Canada must complete background screening for the safety of all FIRST team members (Mentors are highly encouraged to complete the screening): 
   1. U.S. Screening Process Step by Step  
   2. Canadian Screening Process Video  
   3. Youth Protection Screening Frequently Asked Questions  
3. All FIRST teams cross-program are required to have two screened lead coaches for the entire season. These should be the two individuals who direct a team’s day-to-day activities.
4. Coach Age Requirements:
   1. Coaches must be 18 years or older.
   2. It is recommended that one be at least 25 years old. 
5. Youth Mentor Age Requirement:
   1. FIRST  encourages veteran team members to serve as Youth Mentors to teams with younger participants. 
   2. Youth mentors can be 13-17 years of age. 
   3. To minimize safety risks, teams with Youth Mentors are still required to have two adult lead coaches that are 18 or older.  A minor must have a parent or guardian give written permission to volunteer. 
   4. In addition, the  FIRST  Consent and Release Forms will need to be signed by a parent or guardian in the Volunteer Registration system for any volunteer under age 18. 
      1. How to add a youth mentor to a team: Follow the steps that a lead coach takes to invite parents. Instead of selecting "Parent/Guardian" as the contact type, select "Youth Mentor."   
6. Mentor, Team Volunteer, and Team Administrator Age Requirement:
   1. All must be 18 years or older. 
7. Complete your Consent and Release form on the  FIRST Dashboard. This needs to be completed each season. 
8. Questions? Refer to our  FIRST Volunteer Handbook.

Login or create an account on the FIRST Dashboard.

1. Fill out your profile and volunteer information.  
2. Complete the free youth protection screening (U.S. & Canada). 
3. Complete the Consent and Release forms. This form is updated annually.
4. Click on Find FIRST Near You on the top right of the FIRST website. 
   1. Search for teams near you
   2. Teams may have their team email address posted
   3. Teams may have areas where they are seeking support posted
   4. Email teams to connect.

Login to the FIRST Dashboard.

1. Click the blue “Create New Team(s)" button under the “My Teams” tab to create your team.  

2. Select your role on the team (Lead Coach 1 or Team Administrator). 

3. Select program registration. 

4. Enter team name (this can be changed at any time). 

5. Add Lead Coach 2 (if information is readily available) or elect to add later. 

6. Add product to your “Team Shopping Cart”. 

7. New teams are provided with a temporary team number. Once registration is secured, a new permanent team number is assigned. 

8. Secure registration and product (secure registration = pay registration and product fee). 

9. Waiting for grant funding? Please wait until the grant monies have been applied to your FIRST Dashboard before completing your order. Once available, the grant monies will be reflected on the "Review Order" page before checkout and payment. 

10. Allow 7-10 business days to receive product. (FIRST^® LEGO League / FIRST^® Tech Challenge).  

You will need to add Lead Coach 2 and/or Team Administrator when inviting contacts to your team if not done in previous step. 

1. Login to your FIRST account.   
2. Click your team’s name to display its information. 
3. Under the “Team Roster/Contacts” column, click the blue “Contact Options” button and select “Manage Contacts” from the drop-down menu. 
4. At the top of the “Team Contacts/Roster” page click the blue “Invite Contacts” page. 
5. Under “Contact Type” select the role (e.g. Lead Coach 2, Team Administrator, Mentor, Team Volunteer). 
6. Enter the contact’s name and email address. 
7. Click the box to the left of “I’m not a robot” and wait for the green arrow to confirm completion. 
8. Select the blue “Send Invitation” button.  

Add students to a new or existing team.   

1. You do not need to have all participants yet to start registering your team’s participants. 
2. Invite parent/guardian or student (if over age 13) to register with your team. 
   1. Visit our Youth Registration System Overview page for steps.
3. Parents/Guardians or students can use this invitation to register with your team.  
   1. Ask parent/guardian to call FIRST, if they have difficulty registering youth. 
   2. Phone: (603) 666-3906 or (800) 871-8326 Monday - Friday 8:30 - 5:00 EST/EDT. 
   3. The Youth Registration System Guide for Parents is a step-by-step guide to assist parents with the registration process. Express Enrollment is available in the U.S. and Canada.
   4. Consent and Release forms are signed electronically by clicking the blue “Accept” button at the bottom of the form. 
   5. This form is accessible via the “Youth Options” button under the “Parent/Guardian-Youth” tab. 

Mentors will have access to FIRST Training, our online learning platform, after you are assigned a team role. You will access FIRST Training through the Dashboard.  

• Volunteer Ready- At FIRST, student safety is always a priority. Every adult must become familiar with our Core Values, Ethos, and Youth Protection Program. Take the time to become Volunteer Ready by taking this optional training path in FIRST Training after you are assigned a team role.  

• Mentor Ready – In this training path, mentors will learn more about the role of a mentor and their responsibility to Data Protection. The completion of the Mentor Ready training path will culminate in receiving a Mentor Ready badge.  

• Inspiring Success Training is for coaches, mentors, volunteers, partners, and other key stakeholders who work directly with students and are committed to creating diverse, inclusive, and equitable teams and are committed to creating a sense of belonging for students. This training is delivered in three modules. We recommend completing each module in one sitting.   

• Remote Mentoring with FIRST explores the fundamentals of remote meetings for mentors and coaches.  

• Subscribe to the FIRST Volunteer Newsletter - Stay up to date on the latest news for FIRST volunteers, including resources and exciting opportunities for volunteering.  
• FIRST  Volunteer Handbook - This handbook is full of everything you ever wanted to know about volunteering with FIRST!  
• FIRST Team Volunteer Roles – Tip sheet to review team roles and responsibilities. 
• Tips for Interacting with Teams - Best practices for mentors and volunteers when interacting with teams. 
• Volunteer Experience Digital Content - Exclusive digital swag for FIRST volunteers. 
• FIRST  Coach Mentor Season Certificate- a season-specific coach or mentor certificate can be accessed from your dashboard account: 
  • Log in to the Dashboard 
  • Click on My Dashboard in the upper right corner 
  • Click on "Hello, Your Name" and select "Mentor/Coach Certificate" from the drop-down menu 
  • Download the certificate, fill in your name, and print.

Contact your local partner for info on how to register to compete in a local FIRST event.

• FIRST® LEGO® League
• FIRST^® Tech Challenge
• FIRST^®Robotics Competition