The robotics team is headed to the state competition this week in Belton, Missouri after a successful season, placing near the top at multiple tournaments.

“At the past two competitions we placed second. I had a problem with my robot flipping over, so we added wheels to fix that,” sophomore Annika Fahs said.

Like any sport, robotics requires practice and a desire to improve. The 12 active members spend time designing, building and revising their machines. Teams consist of two to four people who work together in practice and at competition.

“We started on these robots last September. The first design never works out, you keep making constant changes to see what works and what doesn’t,” senior Shawn Roach said.

Participants receive points based off what their robot is able to accomplish. The premise for the competition changes annually. The goal for the current competition is to move a ball into a designated area. Robots entered into the competition are all meant to accomplish a specific task.

“My group’s robot picks up the ball then puts it in a pylon; that gets you five points. You get more for using a bigger ball, and you get less if your robot only pushes the ball into the scoring area, rather than picking it up and actually putting it in the pylon,” junior Onika Martin said.

Teams utilize various mechanisms to accomplish the tasks, as long as the robot itself fits the guidelines for size. Some even use pneumatics, pressurized cylinders of air, which can hit a ball with the push of a button.

“We’re a little nervous about facing teams like those. It really all depends who you get matched up against, and we are hoping for the best. It should all work out,” Martin said.

Teams can win awards in a variety of categories, including overall competition, design and sportsmanship.  Last year, Roach walked away with an award for good sportsmanship.

“It’s going to be great. This year, I’m expecting an overall win,” Roach said.