Columbus GalacTech Team 4926 is ranked No. 9 of 32 Indiana teams after its performance at two district competitions and the IndianaFIRST District Robotics Championship
The state competition, on April 12 and 13, resulted in the team ending up two spots shy of a trip to the FIRST World Championship.
GalacTech, made up of 30 Columbus students, suffered a difficult match schedule during the qualification rounds on April 12, placing them No. 18 out of 32 overall. The team was selected by the second-seed alliance made up of Phyxtgears Team 1720 of Muncie and Team 1747 from Lafayette Harrison High School to compete in the alliance rounds.
The alliance won its quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, but fell to the No. 1 seed in the finals.
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“It was an epic effort by the team and the alliance,” said Sam Geckler, founder of GalacTech.
This is the team’s fifth competition season since it was established by Geckler in 2014. Geckler leads the team on a year-long journey beyond competing against robotics teams from across the nation that involves training, community outreach and building a robot.
GalacTech competed in two regional competitions before qualifying for the state championship. The students started building this year’s robot, named BumpersAreRavioli, in early January as soon as the game rules were announced.
The team had six weeks to design and build a fully functional robot. After the six weeks, which ended Feb. 19, the team must seal the robot in a giant plastic bag. They were not allowed to unbag it until the week of their first competition in March.
Tirth Dsai, a sophomore at Columbus North High School, joined GalacTech as a freshman. He helped design the robot before it was sent to the build team for assembly, and he also served as a robot operator.
“Since you are actually building the robot that you design, it makes designing it a lot more difficult and it really makes you go through the exact types of problems real engineers face,” Dsai said. “You can’t just fail at a problem as you might be able to do in other safer learning environments.”
Dsai said you must work to find a solution because the team and robot are relying on you.
“That’s a unique feeling I have only ever felt in FIRST Robotics Competitions,” Dsai said.
Geckler said GalacTech experienced a “catastrophic belt failure” in its drivetrain at the state competition, but Center Grove’s Team 1741 swooped in with the needed part and helped get GalacTech back on the field.
“It was an amazing show of gracious professionalism by Team 1741 for which we will be forever grateful,” Geckler said.
GalacTech was one of three teams interviewed for the Engineering Inspiration Award, which celebrates outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering within a team’s school and community, but the team was not selected to receive the award. Geckler said it was still an honor to be considered.
The team did receive the Underwriters Laboratory State Championship Safety Award. The award honors the team that progresses beyond safety fundamentals by using innovative ways to eliminate or protect against hazards.
“We couldn’t be prouder of our performance,” Geckler said. “I believe the students left the event exhausted but motivated to improve themselves and with a deeper commitment to making an impact on their community.”
Dsai said despite the tough loss, this was the team’s most successful season.
“We were actually the youngest out of the six teams that played in the finals match,” Dsai said. “For me, the best part of competing at state was operating during the matches and going through all the ups and downs of the playoffs. We were finalists this year, but next year we have our eyes on being state champions.”
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IN District Tippecanoe Event
Team 4926 was Rank 9 with a record of 8-7-0 and won the following awards:
- Entrepreneurship Award sponsored by Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers
IN District Center Grove Event sponsored by Toyota
Team 4926 was Rank 16 with a record of 9-9-0 and won the following awards:
- District Engineering Inspiration Award
- Safety Award sponsored by Underwriters Laboratories
Indiana State Championship
Team 4926 was Rank 18 with a record of 8-10-1 and won the following awards:
- District Championship Finalist
- Safety Award sponsored by Underwriters Laboratories
As a result of its performance at the state championship and its previous two Indiana District events, GalacTech finished No. 9 overall in the state of Indiana.
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To get involved with Columbus GalacTech Team 4926, complete the form at team4926.org/join-us.
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