By Jesse Frost

Conference President

The Northern Minnesota Robotics Conference (NMRC) is pleased to announce that several of our member teams will be competing at the upcoming FIRST Robotics World Championship in Houston, Texas.

The FIRST Robotics Competition World Championships got under way in Houston, Texas this week. On Wednesday, April 16, teams loaded and prepared for the four day long competition which will conclude Saturday night.

There are approximately 3,250 high school teams worldwide representing 27 countries. About 600 of these teams have qualified for this event by winning or receiving judged awards at regional robotics events this past winter. These qualifiers will come together to compete at a single event in order to crown a new world champion.

If you would like to follow the teams and watch the event from home the web site “The Blue Alliance” is the best destination. All of their World Championship information can be found at https://www.thebluealliance.com/events

The NMRC is excited to have seven teams from our region competing at championships. For a number of these teams they will be continuing a rich tradition of excellence for their programs while one team is just beginning their story in the limelight of the world stage.

Team 876 – Thunder 

Robotics

Community Represented: Hatton-Northwood, ND

Event Qualified At: Great Northern Regional in Grand Forks, ND

Number of times qualifying for Championships: 11th Time Qualifying

Head Coach: Mike Voglewede

Team 2883 – F.R.E.D

(FIRST Robotics 

Engineering and Design)

Community Represented: Warroad, MN

Event Qualified At: Granite City Regional in St. Cloud, MN

Number of times qualifying for Championships: 7th Time Qualifying

Head Coach: Jeremy Culleton

Team 3297 – Full 

Metal Jackets

Community Represented: Perham, MN

Event Qualified At: Global Pool Selection Qualifier

Number of times qualifying for Championships: 1st Time Qualifying

Head Coach: Andrew Paulson

Team 3313 – Mechatronics

Community Represented: Alexandria, MN

Event Qualified At: Great Northern Regional in Grand Forks, ND

Number of times qualifying for Championships: 3rd Time Qualifying

Head Coach: Jennie Engle

Team 5653 – Iron 

Mosquitos

Community Represented: Babbitt, MN

Event Qualified At: Global Pool Selection Qualifier

Number of times qualifying for Championships: 5th Time Qualifying

Head Coach: Ryan Lindsay

Team 5913 – Patriotics

Community Represented: Pequot Lakes, MN

Event Qualified At: Northern Lights Regional in Duluth, MN

Number of times qualifying for Championships: 2nd Time Qualifying

Head Coach: Ryan Lindsay

Team 7048 – Red 

River Rage

Community Represented: Fargo, ND

Event Qualified At: Northern Lights Regional in Duluth, MN

Number of times qualifying for Championships: 4rd Time Qualifying

Head Coach: Tim Ryan

Best of luck to these teams as they represent all of us in North Dakota & Northern Minnesota.