We had finally made it. After weeks of working in the MakerSpace during class and after school, both the 4100 robot and the 5100 robot were ready to compete in the FTC State tournament.
The entire tournament lasted all day, encompassing check-in, robot inspections, team interviews with the judges, 51 matches, a final round, and an award ceremony. Because many people do not know what a robotics competition is like, I’m here to give a layout of the day.
Check-in & Presentations
After checking in bright and early at Mt. Paran Christian School in Kennesaw, both teams worked to set up our posters, presentations of our robots, and tools for the day in the “pit.” The pit is where all teams come together to display their robots and highlight all the good things they are doing for their community. This is probably my favorite part of the competition. Some teams wear elaborate costumes, while other teams have flashing lights and videos for their presentations. Also because the tournament was on Valentine’s Day, some teams were handing out candy and cards to others. It was great to see a bunch of people with a common interest come together to share ideas about engineering and ingenuity.
Inspection & Interview
As a part of the competition, teams turn in their engineering notebook and talk with the judges in a team interview. During the interview, the teams present their robots to the judges, talk about using engineering for community service, and answer any questions the judges may have. This showcase allows teams to highlight their teamwork, skills, and gracious professionalism.
Matches
The majority of the tournament is dedicated to matches that last less than 5 minutes each. During each match, teams program their robots to score points in a particular “game” set up by the FTC program. This year, the game is called the “cascade effect” where robots collect plastic balls and score them in tubes scattered throughout the small arena. Both of the Darlington teams did extremely well, and the DarBots 4100 ended up breaking the state record of 591 points. In the final round, the 4100 ended up winning the competition as the number one ally. Needless to say, it was an exciting day for the DarBots.
Awards Ceremony
After the matches, the FTC leaders give out awards to the top teams. The DarBots received the Rockwell Collins award, third place Inspire award, and the first place Alliance award. After much success during the tournament, we are going to be working super hard for the next few weeks getting ready for the next challenge: the Super Regional Tournament in San Antonio.
Although it was a tiring day, I can’t wait to see what is in store for the DarBots during the last few months of school. Hopefully, the DarBots 4100 will advance to the World's tournament in St. Louis after San Antonio, and both teams will continue to actively help the Darlington Community using engineering skills.
