Both Goodrich Martian Robotics teams 494 and 70 competed in the Robotics World Championships at Cobo Convention Center on April 26-28. More than 40,000 spectators and 400 high school teams attended the three day event divided into six divisional competitions.
The top two alliances moved to Ford Field for the best two out of three to determine the final winner. Goodrich “Martians Team 494”, was ranked sixth out of 67 teams in their division. The Goodrich “More Martians Team 70” was ranked 13th out of 67 teams, won their division and the right to compete in the round robin eliminations.
In the eliminations each alliance plays each others alliance once or 15 matches. Ultimately, the Goodrich team alliances would face each other. When the round robin matches were over “More Martians Team 70” alliance was tied for first place with three other teams all having the same win/loss record, when ties occur there is a hierarchy of tie breaking rules that are followed, when those were sorted out Team 70 was fourth. Team 494 was ranked sixth.
“To have both teams win their divisions at the World Championship and be ranked fourth and sixth is like a dream come true for students and mentors, in the end hard work and determination paid off,” said coach Pat Major. “FIRST call these competitions the hardest fun you will ever have. The skills that are developed through the process are skills the can be translated into future careers from, design, programming, electrical engineering, computer aided design, pneumatics, mill and lathe operations, marketing, website design, animation, autonomous vehicles, and management.”
Both Goodrich teams are just two of 11 teams in the state out of 504 that have qualified for the state champion every year since its inception 10 years ago.
“With over $50 million in scholarship available to student team members lots of opportunities are opened, Goodrich students have taken advantage of this and received hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships.”