A05 Annex competes in preseason events

The 2021-22 A05 Annex team has 23 students with four seniors. Due to COVID last year, all of the events were remote and many of the new students never got to see what a real live competition was like.

With new students, new coaches and a new robot this year, the team didn’t know what to expect.

The robot was designed and built last year with a focus on a swerve drive base. A swerve drive is when all four wheels can steer and drive independent from each other, allowing the robot to spin in circles, crab sideways and maneuver in almost infinite ways. This advanced drive system requires the most sophisticated programming of any drive system. The team used last year’s remote events to focus on designing a program allowing a way for points to be entered on a screen, directing the robot where to go. The program would be executed and adjusted to allow the robot to find the best path from point A to point B.

The team also executed vision software for the robot to automatically determine the target and adjust the robot to shoot the 7-inch dodge ball into the target.

Throughout the two competitions, the robot had its difficulties, but the new team worked together to overcome all of them. The team impressed the best teams at each event and found themselves in alliances with the number one team in both events. HRVHS walked away from both events with first places.

As with all HRVHS sports, last year was a difficult time, but the team did not let COVID stop it. The team designed and 3D printed masks and mask adapters for N95 masks, worked with local businesses to provide Arousal boxes for hospitals, and used the Fab Bus to distribute robot kits to FLL teams and students wanting to do robotics at home.

All this, and made a new robot for virtual competition.

The team could not have done any of this without the help of local businesses, mentors and the school district. The team thanks Cardinal Glass, Priegel Machine Shop, Alder Creek Kayak, Sailworks Sails and Ferment for the continued support and is looking forward to the best season yet in 2022.

The team is actively recruiting students and looking for sponsors for 2022.

If you can help mentor, sponsor or know of a student interested in joining A05 Annex, visit a05annex.org, the GoFundMe page, gofund.me/4811b270, or contact a05annexrobotics@gmail.com.