On Thursday, March 9, the Iron Panthers attended the Central Valley Regional (CVR) robotics competition for the first time since 2019, competing against many top-tier teams and reaching the semifinals.

“[2019] was the year we qualified to attend world [competition],” team coach Christina Wade said. “So we were really hoping to qualify this time. It’s kind of a special competition for our team, but we didn’t [qualify] and that’s okay.”

The first competition was structured like a one-person relay race. Each robot had to pick up a cube and then drop it back off to their starting position. The goal was to get as many cubes as possible. After that, the robots did an activity to see which one could drive up to a ramp and maintain balance on it for the longest period of time. 

During the first few rounds, the Panthers ran into technical difficulties that proved fatal. With unfinished bumpers (a required element for the robot), they scrambled to have something to compete with. Despite the rushed end result, the team was proud of their efforts and quick thinking.

“I would say our ability to adapt to different situations [was a strength],” freshman Serena Koopmans said. “We had some ups and downs, but by the end of the competition, we were in a good spot and a spot that we had wanted to be in.”

Ultimately, the team’s errors stemmed from a lack of communication. With responsibilities getting mixed up, the Panthers quickly lost track of what was done and what wasn’t. Many members agreed that the team needs more transparency in order to work cohesively and present the best possible product.

“Everybody is spread so thin,” Wade said. “So things don’t get done the way they should sometimes. There were a lot of things that fell through the cracks that we didn’t realize until we got there. So just better communication, and better organization for packing for our trips. That way, we have everything we need.” 

Despite some setbacks, the Panthers left CVR with their heads held high. They were competing against many nationally and internationally-ranked teams, and their semifinal loss came against Madtown Robotics — an ex-world champion team. 

“Every competition in California is like a mini-world championship,” Wade said. “[Madtown] is so good and hard to beat. We lost that match, but not by much. We were so proud, and it was such a highlight for us that just with two robots, we could almost beat an amazing team with the world champion robots on it.”

For freshmen, such as Koopmans, their first on-season competition proved to be an invigorating experience that got them excited for future events.

“It made me really look forward to the next few years and think about potential leadership roles or potential different sub-teams that I might want to join,” Koopmans said. “It helped me think about, in the grand scheme of things, what I want to be doing for robotics.”

The team is excited for the rest of their season, with the Monterey Bay Regionals coming up on Wednesday, March 29. For now, the Panthers are focused on staying competitive without sacrificing their love for the club.

“I know for some people, it was a little tough not to win any awards or qualify for worlds, but I think the underclassmen really enjoyed being together and having that experience, which is what I really care about,” senior and co-captain Kristen Tran said.