Gearing Up at R5: Achieve Scrimmage

Welcome to Gearing Up at R5: Achieve Scrimmage!

This early-season scrimmage is designed to give students and coaches a chance to get familiar with an RECF Achieve event while learning and practicing this season’s game, Pinnacle.

Please note: This is a scrimmage only. It is not a qualifying event and does not advance teams to the State Championship. The purpose of this event is practice, learning, and helping teams get comfortable with the competition process before the regular season gets underway.

Don't stress if your robot isn't perfect yet. It isn't supposed to be! This is an opportunity to test your robot, learn the event process, ask questions, meet other teams, and figure out what you want to improve before the season gets into full swing.

Teams will have an opportunity to become familiar with event check-in, robot inspection, Alliance Matches, Solo Driving Matches, Solo Coding Matches, field procedures, and the general flow of an RECF Achieve competition.

Team Registration

To give as many schools and organizations as possible an opportunity to participate, organizations may register multiple teams; however, we are initially limiting each organization to two competing teams. Additional teams may be placed on the waitlist and moved into the event as space becomes available after registration closes.

Before the Event

Teams and coaches are encouraged to review the current Pinnacle Game Manual, Official Q&A, robot inspection requirements, and applicable RECF policies before attending.

Since this is an early-season scrimmage, don't worry if you don't have everything figured out yet. The goal of Gearing Up at R5 is to give students and coaches an opportunity to learn the event process, ask questions, test their robots, and get ready for the season.

Helpful RECF Achieve Resources

Most of the resources below can also be found through the RECF Library. They are linked here for convenience and to make it easier for teams, coaches, and families to find commonly needed information before the event.

Pinnacle Game & Competition Resources

• Pinnacle Game Manual – Achieve v1.2
• Pinnacle Official Q&A
• Pinnacle Score Calculator
• Pinnacle Solo Match Field Layout
• Pinnacle Alliance Match Field Layout
• Pinnacle Quick Reference Guide

Robot Resources

• RECF Achieve Robot Inspection Checklist
• RECF Achieve Legal Parts Reference
• RECF Achieve Legal Electronics Reference

Participant Forms & Accommodations

All participants should have the appropriate RECF participant release completed for the current season.

• Participant Release Form Information
• Printable Participant Release Form – English
• Printable Participant Release Form – Spanish
• Needs-based Special Accommodations
• Accommodation Request Form

Coach, Team & Event Expectations

RECF events are intended to provide a safe, positive, and student-centered experience. Coaches, team adults, students, and volunteers are encouraged to review:

• Commitment to Coach Excellence
• RECF Code of Conduct
• Student-Centered Policy
• RECF Youth Protection Policy
• Important Behavior Guidelines for Team Adults

What to Bring

Please remember your:

• Robot and controller
• Charged batteries and chargers
• Spare parts and basic tools
• Laptop or programming device and any needed cables
• Power strip or extension cord if needed
• Engineering notebook, if your team is keeping one
• Team signage or pit decorations, if desired

Teams are responsible for keeping track of their own equipment and maintaining a safe, clean pit area throughout the event.

Most importantly, come ready to learn and have fun! Gearing Up at R5 is intended to help both new and returning teams get comfortable with Pinnacle and get the 2026–27 RECF Achieve season started.

Tentative Event Agenda

Saturday, September 26, 2026

• 7:00 AM – Volunteers arrive
• 7:30 AM – Doors open to teams, coaches, and spectators
• 7:30–8:45 AM – Team Check-In & Robot Inspection
• 8:45 AM – Drivers & Coaches Meeting / Pinnacle Rules Review
• 9:00 AM – Welcome & Opening Remarks
• 9:15 AM – Alliance Matches begin
• 9:15 AM – Solo Driving & Solo Coding Matches open
• 12:00–1:00 PM – Lunch Break
• 1:00 PM – Alliance and Solo Matches resume
• 2:30 PM – Solo Driving & Solo Coding Matches close
• 3:00 PM – Alliance Matches conclude
• 3:15 PM – Alliance Selection
• 3:30 PM – Elimination Matches / Finals
• 4:15 PM – Closing Remarks / Recognition
• 4:30 PM – Team cleanup and load-out
• 5:00 PM – Venue closes

Please note: This schedule is tentative and may be adjusted based on the final number of registered teams. Because this is an early-season scrimmage, our goal is to provide teams with as much useful field time and competition experience as possible.

Achieve Pinnacle includes Solo Driving, Solo Coding, and Alliance Matches, and qualifying-style Achieve tournaments use Alliance Selection followed by a single-elimination bracket. 

Tentative Digital Notebook Review / In-Person Team Interviews

Because Gearing Up at R5 is an early-season scrimmage, formal judging and judged awards are not guaranteed.

If judging volunteers are available, we plan to give teams the opportunity to participate in in-person team interviews and have their digital Engineering Notebooks reviewed. This is intended primarily as a learning opportunity so students can become familiar with the judging process and better prepare for future qualifying events.

Teams wishing to participate should have their digital Engineering Notebook submitted through the appropriate RECF event submission process by the deadline listed for the event.

Judged awards or other recognitions may be offered depending on volunteer availability and the final event format. Any awards or recognition presented at this scrimmage are for this event only and do not qualify teams for the State Championship.

Notebooks do not need to be perfect or complete to participate. Since this is early in the season, teams are encouraged to submit what they have and use the opportunity to practice, receive feedback, and improve.

Venue Address:
Lake Charles Boston Academy / Region 5 STEM Center
1509 Enterprise Blvd.
Lake Charles, LA

For GPS/navigation, please use 1509 Enterprise Blvd., Lake Charles, LA.

Parking & Campus Access

Parking is available in several areas around the campus. Please refer to the campus map for the primary parking locations.

• The Big Gym parking area may be accessed from Enterprise Blvd. or 5th Street.
• The circle drive/central parking area may be accessed from Enterprise Blvd.
• Additional street parking may be available along 7th Street and 1st Avenue if the main parking areas are full. These areas are within walking distance, but will require a slightly longer walk to the event.

Parking can become limited during larger events, so please allow a little extra time when arriving.

Please help us take care of the campus grounds. If parking areas become crowded, please avoid driving or parking on soft grass whenever possible. We know parking space is limited, but please use extra care not to leave ruts or damage the lawn.

Event Areas

Our current plan is for the competition fields and team pits for both Engage and Achieve to be located in the Big Gym.

Locations for Solo Driving and Solo Coding Matches are still being finalized. Depending on available space and the number of teams, Solo Matches may also be located in the Big Gym or in another nearby campus space such as the Cafeteria/Esports area or Library. Final locations will be communicated at the event.

Construction on the new STEM Gym is expected to begin soon. Teams and spectators should plan for the STEM Gym/construction area to be off limits and should follow all posted signs, barriers, and directions from event staff.

In the event of severe weather, an emergency, or another situation that makes it unsafe to hold the event, the event may be delayed, postponed, or cancelled.

If there is a change to the event schedule, registered teams will be contacted as soon as possible using the contact information associated with their team registration. Coaches should make sure their contact information is current and includes a phone number and email address that can be reached outside of normal school hours.

Please check your email the evening before the event and again the morning of the event before leaving, especially if severe weather is expected.

During the event, teams and spectators should follow all instructions from event staff and venue personnel regarding emergency procedures, severe weather, evacuation, or shelter-in-place situations.

Because weather conditions can change quickly, the Event Partner may make schedule adjustments when necessary to help keep students, volunteers, coaches, and spectators safe.

There is no registration fee for this scrimmage, so no refunds are applicable.

If your team is unable to attend after registering, please let us know as soon as possible. This helps us adjust the team list, match schedule, and offer any available space to teams on the waitlist.

If the event must be cancelled or postponed, registered teams will be notified as soon as possible.