After last year’s incredible season, Becker High School’s robotics team, FRC 4607, C.I.S., can hardly wait to see what this year will bring.

The team continued to stay hard at work during the off-season, taking 2nd place in Duluth at Gitchi-Gummi, winning a blue ribbon for electric engineering at the MN State Fair, and winning the MN Robotics Invitational.

Now revving up for its 8th year, the team wrapped up 2019 by winning the Minne Mini Regional on Nov. 23, the 20th award received by the team that season and the 70th award overall in the team’s seven year history.

Led by Coach Alex Jurek and Assistant Coach Mark Kolbinger, this year the team is comprised of 45 new and experienced members.

“As with any high school team, our greatest weakness is graduating strong leaders,” said Jurek. “To counter this, we’ve developed a team organization that utilizes our underclassman in other leadership roles throughout the season that allow for growth in confidence and ingenuity, as well as public speaking and skill development.”

A large group of mentors is on hand to support the team and help keep them on track. This year’s mentors include Ryan Swanson, Chris Roadfeldt, Roger Schmidt, Tom Murphy, Eric McCalla, Kris Fischbach, John Stitch, Kevin Kampa, Katy Cota, Jim Cota, Beth Soenneker, Paul Soenneker, Matt Cadden, Grant Silewski, Mitchell Sand, Logan Steffen and Todd Kruse.

“Our mentors also provide great support for the team’s other endeavors such as Trunk or Treat, STEM Day at the Twins and United, sponsor visits, the Veteran’s Day breakfast and other events,” said Jurek.

FIRST Robotics is actually comprised of four ‘seasons.’ Training season is from Nov. 14 – Dec. 18, and build season runs from Jan. 3 – Feb. 22. Their competition season follows from Feb. 26 – April 8, after which the championship season wraps up the year April 22 – May 16.

During training season, team members meet with their departments for weekly training sessions throughout the week; the entire team gets together on Wednesdays for their large group meetings.

During their build season weekly Saturday build days are added. Once competition season rolls around the departments meet nearly every day to practice and make adjustments to their robot.

“It will be difficult – but not impossible – to follow up the team’s recent successes,” said Jurek. “In light of this we’ve been coaching the ‘attitude of gratitude’ into our students. This team cannot be as successful as it has been without our incredible mentors.”

He stressed that the team’s ability to build the robots they design is because of the generosity of their sponsors, and also credits the incredible support the Becker community has shown since the team’s beginning.

“We keep close partnerships that we’ve forged over the last seven years and understand the importance of continuing events such as JUMPSTART Training at SCSU, Palmer Day, Becker Freedom Days and Celebrate Becker to name a few,” said Jurek. “We know that we represent one of the greatest communities in Minnesota and are proud to do so!”

The team is bringing back 11 seniors this year who have experience in six regionals, three World Championships, three State Tournaments and 12 off-season events. They are Diana Bellefuille, Avery Cox, Tristin Emholtz, Sam Hintermeister, Trenton Michels, Blake Soenneker, Michael Stich, Adam Thelen, Alex Wangerin, Alyssa Gruenes and Dylan Winter.

The team achieved a record number of accomplishments last season, which included Northern Lights Regional finalist, Hardhat Safety Award and Chairman’s Award,* 10,000 Lakes Regional finalist, Volunteer of the Year (Chris Roadfeldt), UL Safety Award, Team Spirit Award and Dean’s List finalist (Diana Bellefuille), ranked number one team in Minnesota throughout the competition season, Championship Detroit qualifier, Championships Detroit Carson-Tesla Division Quality Award, Championships Carson Sub Division Winner, Championships Einstein Field fifth place, MSHSL State Qualifier, State Tournament Engineering & Design Award by Dunwoody College**, and State Tournament fourth place. * The only team in FRC history to do so in consecutive years at different events. ** First team to receive award twice.

FRC 4607, C.I.S.’s first competition is the Great Northern Regional (GNR) in Grand Forks Feb. 26-29.