The Becker Robotics team (#4607 C.I.S.) competed in the final tournament of the 2014 season at the Minne-Mini Regional at Prior Lake Regional last weekend, with 36 teams from across the state and North Dakota on hand as the Becker team faced off in their last event with the 2014 competition robot, known as “'Gumdrop.”   Becker also hosted a new rookie team from Buffalo (#5542  Roboherd) in this event.  

 

 After six rounds the Becker team was in first place, but a bad pairing and a bad showing from the alliance dropped it to fourth place. "It was weird,” said Coach Alex Jurek, in that “most robots degrade over the course of the season, (but) our Gumdrop became stronger.  It is a testament to our PIT Mentor Roger Niday and his crew.  The PIT was a well-oiled machine and kept Gumdrop firing on all cylinders over the last two tournaments," Jurek said.

 

 And fire it did, three times breaking the field apparatus with the force of its shots.  "One of the field judges came up to me the second time we broke (it) and stated that he never saw such a thing,” according to Jacob Charbonneau, coach of the drive team.  The Becker team finished strong but lost in the semifinals to the eventual champions.

 

 Success in state-level competition over the past two years has brought in the numbers for the Becker team.  In 2013 they had 24 members; 2014 they had 30; now in 2015 the Robotics team has almost 60 kids registered, with six weeks before the deadline. “There is room for all.  Of the 60 kids that are registered, 35 of them are 9th and 10th graders.  We aren't peaking, we are still climbing,” said Coach Mark Kolbinger.

 

 The 2015 season starts with the 4607 Alum Pancake Kick-off which is set for Sat., Jan 3rd.  The cost is $5 per person and $20 per family.