Robotics Team Advances to World Championship

ROBBIN PENNELL, Editor

VAN WERT and Cleveland - "In three, two, one ... GO!" (Trumpet blast 'Rump-ah-tah- tump-tah-tah!')

"The match number 80 begins. With robots leaving the tarmac, that's called taxiing..." describes the announcer over the loudspeaker as two alliances of three teams each battle for points with their specially designed robots from high school teams of inspired robotics students in the 2022 Buckeye Regional FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) this past weekend.

Red team 8037, the Van Wert High School Robotics Club teamed up with two other teams to toss inflated balls into a central corral with specially designed robots. Student-controlled robots bombarded balls in cooperation with each other to capture the balls under their carriage and into their 'arms' to then shoot them into the corral. In two and a half minutes, the red team alliance scored 68 points to beat the blue team's 66 in the first qualifying round with Van Wert's team ranking a cool 6 while its alliance teams ranked 4 and 5, and the blue alliance teams ranked 28, 29, and 30.

In the second round, team 8037 and its alliance was blue. By the end of the round, the blue alliance had pummeled the red team a mean 60 to 40. Van Wert team 8037 ranked 26 overall of 59. The Van Wert team missed the chance for the finals with its final ranking, but they had every right to be proud of their finish because this was their first-ever FRC event. In the 3-day event, they had succeeded in their initial robotic event despite the odds of being newcomers.

After all, the students had to overcome disappointment in 2020 as they prepared to enter their first FRC competition. The nation was shut down for COVID two weeks before the team left for the event. Even the state championship event for smaller robots was canceled. The 2020-2021 season went totally remote with only scrimmages to hold in-person. Regardless of the disappointing news, the students worked to qualify their larger robot for the in-person FRC tournament.

All of the student members put in countless hours splitting into several specific teams to get this far in the competition. The scout team, public relations team, pit crew, and drive team made the whole effort a success because they qualified for the World Championships in Houston, TX, April 20-23 where teams from 30 plus countries and 400 FRC robotics teams will compete. Team 8037 won the prestigious top judged award in FRC, the Engineering Inspiration Award which 'celebrates outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering within a team's school or organization and community.' Just take a look at the faces of all of the team members. Those faces tell it all.

Said VWHS Robotics coach Zane McElroy, "Our students have had to overcome a lot over these past two years, and to say we are proud of them is an understatement. We are very proud of them and beyond blessed to be able to compete one more time with them at the world championships in Houston, TX.

In addition, thanks to all of our sponsors, parents, community, Vantage carer Center, and Van Wert City Schools for all of your support because without you this would not be possible. The Van Wert HS Robotics Team is thankful for the donations from all their sponsors including Van Wert County Foundation, NASA, Central Insurance, Alliance Automation, Van Wert Federal, 1st Federal of Van Wert, StateWide Ford Lincoln, Citizens National Bank, Tenneco, Walmart, Vancrest, Honda, UNOH, Advanced Biological Marketing, and Danfoss."

The VWHS Robotics club is planning a t-shirt fundraiser for the Houston competition. Details are forthcoming and will be posted on the VWHS Robotics Club Facebook page.

Videos of the competition are posted at https://www.facebook.com/VWHSROBOTICSCLUB.