FTC 5227 Achievements
2020-22 – Team temporarily inactive
2019-20
- Control Award – MO-KS State Championships
- Winning Alliance First Team Selected – MO-KS State Championships
- NW Regional Qualifier – Inspire Award Winner
2018-19
2017-18
2016-17
2015-16
From Coach Steve, Feb 2016 (TL;DR: Galactech rocks! Go Astromechs!)
This weekend we participated in the UMKC FTC Robotics. Winston (and my) team was #5227, Galactech. Also competing was our sister team #3409, the Astromechs.
For this second competition, both teams spent the last two months designing and building totally new robots. Galactech’s second robot incorporated the Astromech extending slider design along with a unique hinge and custom 3D printed cam they came up with to enhance hooking reliability. Additionally, the Galactech programming team took on the challenge of using image processing to identify the randomized color beacon and steer the robot. This image processing code was shared with the Astromechs, allowing both teams to perform one of the most challenging parts of the competition which few teams in the nation have been able to solve.
The qualifier matches were a little rough for Galactech with some close wins and last minute adjustments to account for differences between our practice field and the competition fields. But they played hard and smart and ended the qualifying rounds with 4 wins and one loss, earning the right to be the captain of the 4th Alliance in the division finals. (BTW, a data entry mistake originally had them 3-2, which they caught and politely got corrected.) In the best-of-three matches for semifinals, they handily defeated the #1 Alliance in two rounds. In the division finals they lost the third and deciding round after their partner-bot had a technical glitch and froze on the field 10 seconds in to the match, leaving the single Galactech robot playing nearly perfectly but ultimately coming up short against two other very capable robots.
The Astromechs won their division and the championship to advance to state. In other words, Galactech was just one round away from facing their sister team in the championship. This continued the proud 10-year tradition of excellent Astromech teams.
So Galactech ended their “rookie” season making it to finals rounds in both competitions they attended. They distinguished themselves by designing, building and programming one of the most technically advanced robots in the state and the country; graciously providing technical assistance to several other teams in their times of need; making unorthodox but wise strategic decisions during the competition; presenting themselves confidently to all; and maintaining their composure to overcome setbacks and problems.
It has been a pleasure and privilege to coach this outstanding group of kids. I am thrilled with the rapid uptake of new skills and hard work over the last few months. I look forward to bigger and better things as they build on this base — both as Galactech and as the next generation of leaders and innovators shaping our world.
TL;DR: Galactech rocks! Go Astromechs!