What is a FRC Competition?
FRC competitions are structured events where teams compete in alliances to score points by completing specific tasks with their robots. Each match typically lasts around 2.5 minutes and consists of an autonomous period followed by a teleoperated period, with various scoring opportunities throughout.
Every team on the field has strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies. A well-run scouting operation turns those observations into structured data, and that data into competitive advantage.
FRC competitions are as much about strategy and adaptability as they are about engineering. The best scouts aren't just data recorders — they're pattern spotters, trend analyzers, and storytellers who can turn raw numbers into actionable insights.
Season Structure
there are 6 primary stages in the FRc season, Kickoff, Build, Week 0, Regionals/Districts, Championships, and Offseason events. Each stage has unique scouting opportunities and challenges:
kick off
Kickoff is the season's starting point, where the new game is revealed. Scouting during kickoff focuses on understanding the game rules, identifying key scoring opportunities, and analyzing the initial design concepts teams share. This early information can help shape your scouting strategy for the rest of the season.
Build Season
During the build season, scouting focuses on tracking team progress, design choices, and testing outcomes. This early insight can help predict which teams will be strong competitors and identify potential alliance partners before the season even starts.
Week 0
Week 0 events are unofficial competitions that allow teams to test their robots in a real match environment. Scouting at Week 0 is crucial for gathering baseline performance data, identifying early strengths and weaknesses, and refining your scouting process before the official season begins.
Regionals/Districts
Regionals and districts are official competitions where teams compete for advancement to the Championship event. Scouting at these events is critical for evaluating team performance under pressure and identifying potential alliance partners for the Championship.
Championships
The Championship event are district events where top teams around the district (commonly the top 3rd of the teams) compete for the title of district champion. Scouting at these events is crucial for evaluating team performance under pressure and identifying potential alliance partners for the Championship.
World Championships
The World Championships are the pinnacle of FRC competition, where the best teams from around the world compete for the title of world champion. Scouting at these events is crucial for evaluating team performance under pressure and identifying potential alliance partners for the Championship.
Offseason
The offseason is a period after the official season ends, where teams often participate in less formal competitions and events. Scouting during the offseason can provide insights into team development, new strategies, and emerging trends that may carry over into the next season.
Tracking too many metrics per match leads to missed entries and fatigued scouts. Limit your form to the 5–8 metrics that actually influence alliance selection.
Example: Simple Match Form
Below is a minimal example of a match scouting data structure in JSON format — the same data a digital scouting app might produce after each match:
{
"match": 14,
"team": 4321,
"scout": "Alex M.",
"auto": {
"mobility": true,
"scoredHigh": 2,
"scoredLow": 0
},
"teleop": {
"cycles": 8,
"avgCycleTime": 22.4
},
"endgame": "climbed",
"defense": false,
"notes": "Very consistent auto, struggled with defense late game"
}
Next Steps
Once you understand the basics of scouting, explore the following topics to build toward a full scouting system:
- Data Standardization — Ensure every scout records data the same way
- Form Design — Build input forms that are fast and error-resistant
- Statistics & Analytics — Turn raw data into meaningful team comparisons
- Picklist Generation — Use your data to drive alliance selection decisions