A Robotic Day At Ramp Riot!

   This past Saturday, Nemesis 2590 entered the arena for Ramp Riot with excitement in the air. Hosted at Wissahickon High School in Ambler, Pennsylvania, Ramp Riot is one of the signature off-season events for the FIRST Robotics Competition, attracting teams eager to test their robots, refine strategies, and train new team members. For Nemesis 2590, Ramp Riot was not only a competitive experience but a chance for team building and skill development. 

   The day began with the opening ceremony, where each team was introduced with energy. As Nemesis saw its opponents up close, the intensity of the competition set in. Teams wore their vibrant gear, rallying behind their robots as they prepared for their first matches. Ramp Riot, while smaller than regional events, still maintained the adrenaline and camaraderie of a full-fledged FRC tournament, with alliances working to score points through autonomous routines, shooting game pieces into goals, and climbing platforms.

   In the early rounds, Nemesis’s robot, Kronos, took the field with strength, scoring points for our alliance. But in the midst of the excitement, the team faced unexpected technical challenges. During a critical match, Kronos experienced a breakdown, putting the drive team under pressure as they worked to troubleshoot the issues. Moments like these are never easy, but they are a fundamental part of FIRST Robotics, where adapting to setbacks and solving problems under stress are essential skills.

   In between matches, the pit crew worked tirelessly to diagnose and repair the robot, tackling mechanical and technical issues with teamwork and resilience. 
   Meanwhile, other team members had focused on pit scouting. Pit scouting is an opportunity to not only gather data on other teams’ robots by observing their mechanisms, strategies, and strengths in the pit area but also to build effective alliances and understand the competition landscape. For Nemesis’s rookies, it was an eye-opening experience as they practiced note-taking and interviewing members from other teams. Though initially daunting, they quickly adapted, gathering insights into how each robot operated and using these notes to help shape match strategy.

   As the day wrapped up, Nemesis 2590 left Ramp Riot with a sense of pride and readiness for future challenges. The breakdowns and hurdles only served to make the team more resilient and prepared for what lies ahead. Ramp Riot provided a solid foundation to kick off the off-season, and Nemesis 2590 is now more motivated than ever to build, innovate, and push the limits of what they can achieve together in the world of FIRST Robotics.