|
|
Last year was a great one for Team 61. The Shifters competed in two regional competitions. We traveled to Boston, Massachusetts for the regional competition at the Agganis Arena, where we waited outside, undiscouraged, in the frigid weather with all our team members and robot. As soon as we arrived in the pit, we went into competition mode and never looked back. Our record for the regional was 13-1-0, and we took home a trophy and the gold medal. The Shifters also traveled to Hartford, Connecticut for the Connecticut Regional. We played well and our record was 7-4-0, but we lost in the semifinal rounds. |
Our team was lucky enough to compete in the championship in Atlanta, Georgia. Imagine a large crowd of people in yellow t-shirts attempting to get through Logan Airport's security checkpoints with laptops, wires, and hidden food in our carry-on luggage, and you'll have an idea of what the first day of our trip was like. Besides competing in the championship, the trip was also an exciting opportunity to visit local landmarks. Our team toured CNN studios and got an inside look at what it takes to make a broadcast. The Coca-Cola Factory was an interesting experience, and our team loved trying soda flavors from all around the world. We highly recommend Beverly! We also visited the Georgia Aquarium, which was an exciting experience for all of us.
In Atlanta, we competed in the Archimedes division. Out of 87 teams, we ended up in 16th place. Not bad, but we were not picked for the final rounds. Throughout the year, we grew as a team and learned a lot about programming, design, and competition.
2008 - Overdrive
In 2008, Team 61 had a complete reorganization. We even changed our name- older teams may remember us as The Intimidators. Throughout the 2008 season, we competed robustly and were selected for the semifinals at the Boston Regional. Our robot that year lifted and tossed the game piece from Overdrive with accuracy and an advanced design. This was a big year for custom-made parts and student-led design teams.
