Robots Rumble in Ballston Spa

BALLSTON SPA — Students stood safely behind glass panes as the robots began to rumble. The bots moved with remarkable speed, fetching purple cubes and sometimes colliding with one another. Teams of judges and referees watched the mayhem from a safe distance outside the steel enclosure. For some, emotions ran high.

“The hardest part of a competition is probably the struggle of coping with failure,” said Alaina Bottisti, a member of the Ballston Spa High School robotics team. “You will get down on yourself or even shed a few tears, but in the end…the only thing failure can do is make you grow.” 

The Robot Rumble Off-Season Robotics Competition occurred at Ballston Spa High School on Saturday, Nov. 4.

Fourteen teams from New York, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Massachusetts participated in the event. Regional participants hailed from Ballston Spa, Albany, and Lake Placid.

“I love the variety of teams that participate and enjoy the event more than anything,” said Ballston Spa robotics team member Gavin Lafountain. “Seeing so many different teams in one place outside of regionals, and at our school of all places is really awesome and rewarding.” 

The off-season battle allowed teams to recruit members, mentors, and sponsors in preparation for the FIRST Robotics Regional Competition in March 2024. MVP Arena in Albany will host the event.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics competitions challenge participants with strict rules and limited resources. Teams must raise funds, design a brand, and build robots that can accomplish tasks such as quickly grabbing objects and dropping them into a bin.

The competitions give students practical engineering experience that can lead to continued interest in the field.

BSpa robotics team member Julia Cressman said she plans to pursue engineering in the future and has “already visited several colleges in the region.”

“I’ve chosen robotics because I aspire to be an engineer, and robotics is a great start to getting into a STEM pathway,” she said. “FIRST robotics competitions are competitive, but friendly, and are a great way to develop your STEM experience.”

For additional information about the program, contact Ballston Spa Science Coordinator Diane Irwin at dirwin@bscsd.org or 518-884-7150 ext. 2317.