FIRST Competitions

After six weeks of the blood, sweat, and tears that goes into the fabrication of the robot, here is where it all pays off. The competitions run from early to late March each year, with the FIRST Championships in April. On the playing field, you are out to win, but gracious professionally. Off the field, you cooperate with the other teams. FIRST does not have long-standing rivalries like other sports, as a team may be your partner one match, but your opponent the next. And that is what gracious professionalism is. Learning to compete, but not violently, but then cooperate the rest of the time, to openly share ideas and concepts, to synergize together. This may should new and unique to rookies and newcomers, but this is what will fuel the industry of the future, competing while cooperating in an open and friendly environment.

BattleCry6 @ WPI (2005)

BattleCry6, the latest of the 2005 season competitions for Gus Robotics can be accurately described as a bittersweet competition. Despite ranking fourth in the qualification rounds, including scoring the second highest score ever this year with 129 points (thanks to teams 40 and 121). However, during the quarter finals, Gus was tipped over. While we were trying to right ourselves, another robot rammed us shattering the sprocket that powers our arm. For most offensive teams, the loss of their arm could spell disaster. But not for Gus. In less than five minutes between the matches, we totally dismantled the arm assembly and became a defensive robot. The lack of our arm did not stop our alliance from making it into the semifinals. Thanks Buzz Team 175 and Chaos Team 131 for your great job during the elimination rounds!

‹‹ Go back to the 2005 FIRST Competitions page.