A couple of years ago, we noticed that 40% of first-year teams join our league only to disband after just 1 or 2 seasons. This year we’re aiming for as many of the new Texas teams as possible to return, allowing them to experience FIRST’s opportunities. We’re doing this through the Rookie Invitational, which we’ve hosted for the past 3 years. To make the event conducive to rookie success, we level the playing field by only inviting first and second year teams, having veteran teams ready to answer any questions, and by partnering with a local business called HOT robotics to provide $3,000 in funding for participants. All in all, the event is made to help rookie teams thrive.