These Young Innovators Inspire Us All 

Not much time has passed since our last RoboBlazers update, but we couldn’t wait to share some big news. The team is headed to the FIRST® World Championship in Houston, April 16-19! 

The World Championship will host more than 50,000 attendees and students from around the globe in this ultimate battle for bragging rights. There are three ways teams can qualify:

• Being part of a winning alliance at State
• Winning one of three awards that automatically qualify teams
• Earning enough points throughout the season

We’re pleased to celebrate with the team, who earned enough points to compete in Houston based on their impressive performance. Here’s a quick recap of how they got there.

FIRST Indiana State Championship: Earning Points and Respect 

Photos courtesy of the RoboBlazers.

In some ways, this tournament was like the others — 12 qualifying matches, then playoffs to determine the winner. However, the stakes were a bit higher, as the teams who would go on to compete at the World Championship in Houston were also determined.

• The team continued to give it their all while having a good time. Despite some challenges with an alliance partner’s robot malfunctioning, they finished 9th out of 39 teams. 
  
  
• The RoboBlazers were the first pick of Alliance 5, and went on to be eliminated after three playoff matches (with enough points to make it to the World Championship).

• Wear and tear on the robots over time is normal, causing them to die or break down during games. Besides some minor tweaks to the autonomous program, the team didn’t have to make any mechanical, electric, or software updates to the robot, which is a huge achievement. In fact, the RoboBlazers’ robot was one of the top performers at State!  

• How the RoboBlazers have come so far with a smaller team and fewer resources than competitors is just as impressive. Some teams have access to shops complete with water jets and CNC machines, plus larger numbers to share the workload. The RoboBlazers have quite the opposite, so the quality of work and what they’ve been able to accomplish has caught the attention of many throughout the FIRST community. One team affectionately referred to the RoboBlazers' robot as “a top 5 robot built in a one-car garage.” These young innovators took it as a compliment, adding greater confidence to what they can achieve when they work together.

We’re so proud of these students for their determination and ability to excel using limited resources. Join us in cheering on the RoboBlazers in the World Championship and track their progress here.