Photos by Sam McIntosh.

Though they face off during competition season, nine robotics teams from across the state came together in Riverside for a day of friendly battling during Trekfest.

The Highland High School robotics team the Finger Tightans hosted the competition for Trekfest attendees and community members to experience what a robotics competition is like. Finger Tightan Makala Cox says they held this event to thank their sponsors such as the Riverside Area Community Club for their support. Cox adds, “What we’re trying to do is educate and interest other people around us and see if, ‘Hey, this is really cool, this is a lot of fun.’ And perhaps maybe involve them later into other teams.”

Ethan Doak, member of the Recharged Green team from Pella, says his team and the Finger Tightans have formed a bond from competing alongside each other at FIRST Tech Challenge competitions, including Worlds, “I really love the interaction between FTC teams and it’s kind of unique to FIRST and robotics where you may be against a team in a match, but if you’re broken down a lot of times you’ll go help them fix it or you’ll offer parts or whatever and they call it ‘cooperatition.’ It’s cooperation and competition and caring more about the people instead of necessarily winning.”

The Finger Tightans hope to host the tournament again next year, to grow closer to other teams and inform the community about the experience FTC can provide.

Teams that competed:
4177, The Finger Tightans – Riverside
5143, The Xavier Xcentrics – Cedar Rapids
6222, Recharged Purple – Pella
7236, Recharged Green – Pella
9052, Recharged Orange – Pella
9950, The Tachyon Travelers – Mt. Vernon
10435, The Circuit Breakers – Waukee
11316, The Weapons of Mass Construction – Indianola
13532, The Eaglebots – Washington