The Rockhurst robotics team is in Texas competing at the FIRST Championship, a competition better known as Worlds that brings high school-level robotics teams from around the planet to Houston. The Jesubots advanced after their alliance won the Greater Kansas City Regional. This is nothing new for the robotics team as they have qualified for Worlds three years in a row.
While the Jesubots have been there and done that with regard to Worlds, this year, they have a different mindset as they approach the competition.
“This is the most competitive team that we have ever had,” assistant coach Andy Wilcox said. “We are mildly confident that we will have a strong showing.”
In FIRST robotics, each competition features dozens of games. Each game includes a total of six teams, split evenly into two alliances. The alliances change randomly with each respective qualification round. In the previous two seasons, the Jesubots advanced to Worlds as what coaches describe as more of a “supporting” role in their respective alliance. This year, however, they went 12-3 in qualifications and the semifinals at the Greater Kansas City Regional, leading to being a first pick for the finals, meaning they were a leader of their alliance.
Coaches say the team’s bot, named “fulcrum,” has performed well all season, but they’ve made tweaks to it that has made it more capable of a successful showing at Worlds. Team members are excited about the possibilities.
“I’m confident in our robot right now,” freshman team member Brian Gillcrist said. “We have changed it a lot from the beginning and improved it a lot.”
Heading into the world championships, the Jesubots ranked 207th out of 3474 teams worldwide.
At Worlds, the team will compete over the course of the next three days. If they perform well enough, they will position themselves to compete in the semifinals late Saturday morning. If their alliance were to win their semifinal matches, they would compete in the finals Saturday afternoon.
“It’s going to be fun, and I hope we do good,” Gillcrist said.
