2013 Team Entry Rules

Team Entry Rules

Updated 10/15/12

General Provisions

1. The 2013 National SeaPerch Challenge will be held in Indianapolis, IN on the campus of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) in the Natatorium's Olympic pool and gymnasium, and will be limited to a maximum of 100 Middle School and High School teams on Competition Day, Saturday, May 18, 2013. The official Team hotel will be the J W Marriott Hotel in Indianapolis.

2. Established SeaPerch Regions may register up to two top winning middle school teams and two top winning high school teams, a total four (4) teams, for the National Challenge from their Regional Competition, which must have been held prior to the cut-off date for registration. A team is comprised of a minimum of one (1) student and one (1) adult leader. No team substitutions may be made, i.e., three or four middle school teams only, or three or four high school teams only, will not be accepted. This supports the program's goals of level development of the SeaPerch program at the middle school level as well as at the high school level. Open Class entries count as either a middle school or a high school for this registration allowance.
   

   To encourage the further growth of SeaPerch Regions specifically, and of the SeaPerch Program in general, the following revision to the number of teams to qualify for the 2013 National SeaPerch Challenge will apply as follows:

   a. Regions that hold a one-to-two day regional competition with a total of up to 80 teams may send the top four (4) winning teams, equally divided between middle and high school teams,

   b. Regions that hold a one-to-two day regional competition with a total of 81-to-120 teams may send the top six (6) winning teams, equally divided between middle and high school teams and

   c. Regions that hold a one-to-two day regional competition with a total of 121 or more teams may send the top eight (8) winning teams, equally divided between middle and high school teams.

3. Forming SeaPerch Regions may register up to one middle school team and one high school team, a total of two (2) teams, for the National Challenge provided they can successfully document their plans to hold a Regional Competition in the 2012-13. A team is comprised of a minimum of one (1) student and one (1) adult leader. No team substitutions may be made, i.e., two middle school teams only, or two high school teams only will not be accepted. Open Class entries count as either a middle school or a high school for this registration allowance.

4. Established and Forming Regions may declare their intent to participate by pre-registering the appropriate number of teams. Once qualified through the Regional Competition Team leaders may register their teams and pay the registration fees. A team registration will be considered incomplete until payment has been received.

5. Should the limit of 100 teams not be reached by December 1, 2012, registration will then be opened to Unaffiliated Team Entries consisting of only one (1) middle school team, or only one (1) high school team. "Open" class entries count as either a middle school or high school for this registration allowance.

6. Established or Forming Regions interested in sending additional teams will be placed on a waiting list from December 1 through January 10, and should the limit of 100 teams not have been reached by that date, registration will be re-opened to these regions based on their standing on the waiting list. A limit of two (2) additional teams per region will allowed until the limit of 100 teams has been reached.

7. The official Intent form for Existing and Forming Regions is available. (see right column) Additional registration forms for teams, Judges/Volunteers and Spectators will be posted following appropriate notification. All registrations must be completed and fees paid by the COB on Friday, April 26, 2013. No registrations, or updates to existing registrations, will be accepted after the final cut-off date of April 26, 2013.

8. Registrations that fail to be completed by the deadline of Monday, April 26, 2013 will be rejected with no exceptions.

9. At the time of registration responsible adult team leaders and student competitors will be required to sign a statement that their team has completed their build; that they have tested, balanced and operated their SeaPerches; that they are familiar with the rules and the competition events and that they are fully prepared for the National SeaPerch Challenge.

    

Entry Fees

1. A registration fee of $100 will be charged for a team's SeaPerch ROV entry into the competition. Only one (1) SeaPerch ROV will be allowed to be used throughout the competition, and once the Compliance Check has been completed on that vehicle, only repairs to that vehicle may be made during the competition. No vehicle substitutions will be allowed.

2. A registration fee of $40 will be charged for each student team member and each adult attending the National Challenge Competition Day. This registration fee includes light refreshments on Friday night, a box lunch on Saturday and the Awards Dinner on Saturday night. Any persons (student team members, classmates, teachers, mentors, advisors, parents and friends) may register as a spectator to attend the National Challenge and be eligible for the same light refreshments on Friday night, a box lunch on Saturday and the Awards Dinner on Saturday night for $40 per person. Any person interested in attending the National Challenge as an spectator is welcome, but that person is not eligible for any of the food functions listed above, unless registered as a participant. A wristband or stamp will be required for admittance to all food functions.

3. Payment may be made by credit card on the SeaPerch website at the time of registration. If you prefer, you may request to be invoiced by uploading a purchase order on the SeaPerch website at time of registration. An invoice will be emailed to you and you can then pay by check. The check may be made payable to "AUVSIF" and mailed to the address on the invoice. A registration will be considered incomplete until payment has been received.

4. In order for the Planning Committee to plan for food service, an accurate count of all attendees by name must be provided on the registration form along with payment. The registration cut-off date of April 26 will be final with no exceptions.

Definitions

Established SeaPerch Region

An Established Region is defined as 20 or more active middle and high school-level in school, after school and out-of-school SeaPerch programs in which the Region has organized and held at least one Regional Competition within the 2011-12 season.

 

Forming SeaPerch Region

A Forming Region is defined as 20 or more developing middle and high school-level in-school, after school and out-of-school SeaPerch programs. The Forming Region, must demonstrate that it has made plans to organize and hold a Regional Competition sometime during the 2012-13 season.

 

Unaffiliated Team Entries

Unafilliated Teams consist of in-school students, after school clubs, and out-of-school groups such as 4H, Boy and Girl Scouts, charter and home schooled students, and are those that are not covered by existing or forming regions. Teams not granted entry into a regional competition may apply begining December 1, 2012.

 

Middle School

Middle School is defined as less than and including eighth (8th) grade.

 

High School

High School is defined as ninth through twelfth (9th-12th) grades.