Library offers robot soccer camp for spring break

During the week of spring break, students will have the opportunity to get off the couch and into the local library to combine robots and soccer.

Starting last Saturday, the Little Elm Public Library opened registration for Robot Soccer Camp, a program that allows teams of children from ages 8-18 to build robots and pit them against each other on an artificial field.

Space is limited in the free program, and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

"The camp takes a giant step beyond Wii, Xbox and other static games, giving students an active and involved role in developing a couple of fully articulated robots and competing on an artificial field of play against a team of students from their own age group," said Lynn Gaillard, youth services librarian, in a press release. "It's an incredible opportunity to both learn and contribute at the same time."

The program will last from 2-5:30 p.m. March 11 through March 16, except for Friday when the library is closed. Students who have signed up can meet as a team or individually to work on their robots during that time. Parents must remain at the library with children 13 years and under.

The robot soccer tournament will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 16, at the library on a small artificial soccer field. Prizes will be given out to tournament winners.

Each team will have eight members and at least one adult coach to offer guidance from start to finish. Parents can volunteer or the library will provide a volunteer coach for teams who need one. The library anticipates having six teams that will each create two robots, remote controls and team paraphernalia such as a mascot, team colors, uniform designs, game strategy and team fight song.

"The only limits are the imaginations of the team members," Gaillard said in the release.

The library will draft individual students into teams if need be. Materials, work space and storage for the robots will be provided by the library during the camp.

The library is not new to technology programs. Every other week, it offers the Circuits Circus program.

"We have a circuitry program that has been going on for several years," Gaillard said. "This is kind of thing that we can do to extend it. It takes the circuitry side of building things, but goes farther with it."

Students can register for the camp at the library, located on the first floor of Town Hall, 100 West Eldorado Parkway.

"We hope to definitely have more robotic things in the future," Gaillard said.

For information on the library, visit www.littleelmlibrary.org.

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