Girard robotics team looks forward after defeat at world championship

Staff report

ST. LOUIS

With teams from all over the world, the RoboCats of Girard High School achieved their goal at the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) World Robotics Championship.

The robotics team made it into the quarterfinals — the finals for its division — during the competition Wednesday through Saturday, its best showing ever, according to coach Judy Barber.

“They did an amazing job,” Barber said. “Our goal was to get into the divisional finals, and that’s what we did.”

At the world championships, conducted at the Edward Jones Dome, the 4,000 teams were split up into alliances of three that competed to get to the finals.

The RoboCats team worked with teams from Wilmington, Del., and Windham, N.H., competing in their divisional final with teams from Auburn Hills, Mich.; Milford, N.H.; and Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

The RoboBees from Auburn Hills ended up as world championship runner-ups after their alliance defeated the RoboCats’ alliance.

Now that the RoboCats have returned home, they get two days off before recruiting and preparations start anew. Recruiting will start next week, and the team will have a summer camp in June for new and continuing members.

“The kids are pumped up to go back, and [at the camp] they are going to get training, and we’ll be exposing the kids to everything that goes into the team,” Barber said.

At the camp, the team members will pick their specializations, anything from welding and mechanics to public relations and graphic design.

“There’s a place for everybody,” Barber said.

Another local team competed in the world championship: Canfield’s Circuit Birds received the Rookie Inspiration Award for their division at the competition. This follows their receiving the highest rookie seed and the Rookie All Star Award at the Pittsburgh regional competition.

Results for Canfield were not posted on the FIRST competition website.