ALT-F4’s first regional competition in the Reefscape season was from March 6th to 8th at Centennial College; we competed with twenty-eight other teams. It was a huge success, as we took home the title of district event winner as well as an Industrial Design Award. But across the board, our team agrees that it was the result of collaboration within the team and with the FIRST community.
Despite getting to Centennial each day at seven in the morning, we were buzzing as we prepared. Everyone had a crucial role, whether fixing up the bot with the pit crew, snapping shots for media, or scouting for potential alliance members. At our drive team’s appearance for the first qualification match, emphatic cheers from the stands greeted them. Seeing our 2025 bot Vision in action on the playing field was a culmination of weeks of frantic effort from our programmers, designers, and mechanical subteams. The judges made their admiration clear when they bestowed on us the prestigious Industrial Design Award.
The excitement in the air was palpable. Some of our newer members had never been to an event before, and their determination to make their first event go smoothly paid off — arriving Rank 1 was a result of this resolve.
Competitions can be grueling, especially when hopes are high. But as we discuss the tense atmosphere, Lukas Rubenyan in 10th grade retorts that we knew we’d pull through. “The team was pretty ready,” he says as we chat in the lab. “We were confident throughout the whole competition, and that didn’t really wane even when we lost. That was when we kept our spirits high. It’s all about keeping your morale up.” After all, each match lost is also a learning experience. We’re proud that, through this growth mindset and irrepressible optimism, we carried on as an alliance captain and eventual event winner.
Our belief in FIRST’s tenet of Gracious Professionalism is major during competitions. It means we see our fellow competitors as part of the robotics community, not rivals. Meeting and befriending students from other teams from around the Ontario district allowed us to gain perspective on diverse bot designs, all tackling a unique game like Reefscape. “George, our bear mascot, was a great conversation starter,” Lukas remarks wryly, and I have to agree.
Furthermore, this collaborative spirit allowed us to work dynamically with our alliances for each match — part of our ability to perform so well. We can’t emphasize enough our appreciation for the strength of our alliance partners, whether in quals matches or final alliance selections. Each competing robot often has its specialized strengths, whether with its auto, coral, or barge mechanisms, and it was eye-opening to see the robots in sync on the field. Their inspiring performances often pushed us to do our best. Through our dynamic collaboration with our alliance partners, team Blizzard #188 and Arctos #6135, we pulled through the strong competition of the final matches. We’re excited to continue learning, growing, and contributing to the FIRST community in the upcoming events.
Isabella Io
Grade 12 Student