On the first weekend in March, the Bobcat Robotics team traveled to Hartford for their first competition of the year. The team brought home the first-place prize and were ecstatic over the big win.
“Being in the pits at a competition is always stressful because of the limited time we have to fix things, senior Captain Devin Hazelton said, when asked about what challenges he faced during his time on the team. “Having to go out and learn things on my own is also challenging sometimes but also fun.”
Robotics is a great team to join because of the people you meet on the team or at competitions. Becoming a team member assists students who wish to be future engineers and serves as a fun after-school activity for the student body.
“It’s enjoyable and you make industry connections while still in high school. You also learn many real-world skills that aren’t offered through any class at the high school,” Hazelton told The Prowl.
The Robotics team is an underrated spectacle at SWHS, considering the team travels quite often to compete against other teams.
The team members cherish their time with the SWHS Robotics team.
“My favorite part is going on the world competition field trip each year because you get to meet so many people from different countries and you are just around thousands of curious future engineers like yourself, and that’s pretty cool,” senior Brian Murdoch commented.
You also learn many real-world skills that aren’t offered through any class at the high school.
— senior captain, Devin Hazelton
The Robotics team has been forced to overcome various challenges during this season.
The metal shop was renovated early on, and there was a change in leadership.
Despite these challenges, the Robotics team is an asset to the high school and many students are encouraged to join the team.
“I think people should do robotics because you get to be part of such a huge world hidden to most. Robotics is one of the largest clubs in the school, and we are even recognized as a sport by the CIAC,” Murdoch explained. “When you go to the competitions thousands of people don’t know about this hidden world. I am a team lead for manufacturing the robot so all the metal manufacturing and robot assembly but some people code and wire the robot, make t-shirts and do game strategy.”
The Robotics team was quick on their feet this season and has adapted to becoming an official sports team, according to the CIAC. The Robotics team has a bright future ahead of themselves, and South Windsor watches anticipation of how much further they can bring the program.
