Belding robotics team celebrates win at FIRST robotics competition

The Belding High School “Scrap Cats Robotics” team recently competed at the FIRST in Michigan Robotics district event at East Kentwood High School on March 29 and 30, where the team took home a district championship as a member of the winning alliance of teams. Pictured back row from left, Belding Middle School eighth-grader Breslin O’Connor, Belding High School freshman Andrew Schout, freshman Tristian Tissue, junior Triston Pope and head building coach Ricardo Ramirez; front row from left, freshman Joey White, eighth grader Ezra Tice, Head Coach Alex Colville, sophomore Kitri Gentry, sophomore Boden Robinson and freshman Nash Devers; not pictured, eighth grader Noah Miller, eighth grader Cannon Ostrander, freshman Graclyn Kleinathland-Heath and sophomore Brevin Larney. — Submitted photo

BELDING — Entering the championship round of competition at the “FIRST in Michigan” robotics District competition at East Kentwood High School, members of the Belding High School Robotics Team held out hope there was a slim chance they had a shot to take home some hardware. 

While the school’s robotics team, which rebranded itself as the “Scrap Cat Robotics” team in 2021-2022, did not qualify for the playoff round of competition at the event on March 29 and March 30, it did have an outside chance of participating. 

The 12 team members never imagined they’d be walking away as champions of the tournament. 

Built by members of the Belding High School “Scrap Cats Robotics” team, the 7911 robot competes in the FIRST in Michigan Robotics district event at East Kentwood High School held March 29 and March 30. The team took home a district championship as a member of the winning alliance of teams. — Submitted photo

Competing in an alliance format where there are three teams per alliance in the playoff rounds of competition, the Belding students were disappointed not to be selected for the playoff rounds

However, in addition to the formed alliances, an emergency “spare” robot is also selected, and based on its level of competition throughout the tournament, Belding’s robot was selected by the alliance of teams consisting of West Catholic High School (2075), Hopkins High School (2054) and Ravenna High School (8285).

Scrap Cat Robotics’ team captain, sophomore Kitri Gentry, 16, said the team kept its fingers crossed that their team (7911) and robot might receive the opportunity to compete in the playoffs, and possibly, the finals. 

“I was hopeful for our East Kentwood competition as our build team had spent many hours in the two weeks prior completely redoing our robot, and with this design — I knew we had the potential to leave this competition feeling successful,” she said. “I was hopeful that this meant we’d be able to at least experience what playoffs were like, to have us prepared for future seasons. 

To the surprise and delight of Gentry and her teammates, they were informed entering the championship round that one of the robots from their alliance had broken down, thrusting their robot directly into the finals. 

“A referee came over and told me our team was filling in for the final match,” Gentry said. “This news was a little bit terrifying for me because everybody was watching this competition. Either way, we did what we always did — we put our bot on the field and did our pre-match fist bumps and then the match began. Our drive team was very stressed during this, including me, but even so, our drivers put in their best effort and did their best.” 

In the best-of-three finals — in which two of the three alliance teams enter a robot per round and compete against an opposing alliance of teams by scoring a variety of points with their robot — the Belding students watched as their alliance won the first round 106-93. 

In the second round, Belding was asked to put their bot into action. 

While Belding and their alliance partner ended up losing in the second round 92-69, they had successfully bought enough time for the robot that had broken down to be repaired and re-entered into the third and final round of competition. 

Belding and its alliance partners celebrated as their alliance won in a tiebreaking match that came down to the wire — a 104 to 103 victory. 

Belding High School “Scrap Cats Robotics” team members, freshman Andrew Schout, left, and sophomore Kitri Gentry, watch as their robot competes in the FIRST in Michigan Robotics district event at East Kentwood High School held March 29 and March 30. The team took home a district championship as a member of the winning alliance of teams. — Submitted photo

“Thankfully the broken bot was fixed and all we had to do was watch,” Gentry said. “The alliance we filled in won by one point and so we walked away with our first-ever first-place trophy for Belding Scrap Cats.”  

Having experienced their first taste of victory, the Scrap Cats are now eager to put a successful season behind them and focus on the future, hoping to earn enough points next year to qualify for the state finals. 

“It was such a cool experience and I’m glad I got to be a part of it,” Gentry said. “I love robotics and I would pick it over any of the other extracurriculars I do in a heartbeat. Although sometimes they drive me crazy, I love my team and I see them as my second family. Being able to walk away from East Kentwood with first place is just the start of what I know our team can do. I’m very excited for my next two seasons and I’m hopeful we will make it to states, or maybe even world championships.” 

Belding High School “Scrap Cats Robotics” team head coach Alex Colville, top right, gives out instructions to his team as it competes at the FIRST in Michigan Robotics district event at East Kentwood High School on March 29 and March 30. — Submitted photo

Scrap Cats’ head mechanic, junior Triston Pope, shared in Gentry’s excitement. 

“It’s just an amazing goal to have built this robot and see it work,” he said. “Being part of a district championship, it’s a crazy feeling. It can almost bring you to tears. When the final score was announced, my jaw dropped. I just thought, ‘no way.’ We did it. We made it.” 

Belding Robotics teacher and Scrap Cats coach Alex Colville shared in his team’s emotional victory. 

“We were hugging and screaming —  I thought I was going to pull something or blow a kneecap out of excitement,” he said. “The stands were full of people watching Belding robotics compete in the finals.” 

A growing program 

The victory serves as a milestone for Colville, who has been coaching the team for the past three years. 

In the 2021-2022 school year, the team only consisted of three students as it recovered from the coronavirus pandemic. 

The team has since grown to 12 members, and in addition to the robotics team, the high school now offers three introductory robotics courses and one advanced robotics class, which consists of about 30 to 40 students in total. 

“In our first year, we didn’t have a lot of success, but the judges loved us becasue we were the most unique — we were the most ‘scrappy’ — hence our new team name,” he said. “Now not only are the students doing this as an after-school club, we’re establishing an educational base in the classroom as well. The objective behind creating these classes is we have a wonderful opportunity here in Ionia County. Previously, we haven’t been tapping into robotics as much as I think we could be. Basically, I want the greater Ionia area to be the hub of student robotics, of employers looking to Belding to hire robotics students. I want to make sure every single student that comes through our doors has an opportunity to be a successful part of society, even if it’s not through the traditional college route.” 

The Belding High School “Scrap Cats Robotics” team was one of 40 teams competing at the FIRST in Michigan Robotics district event at East Kentwood High School on March 29 and March 30. Belding took home a district championship as a member of the winning alliance of teams. — Submitted photo

Now Colville has created a curriculum that not only teaches robotics, but has created partnerships with area businesses and other institutions of higher learning, including Montcalm Community College, Davenport University and Ferris State University. 

“Ultimately, the goal is going to be to get the robotics classes in a spot where we can give out college credits before they graduate,” he said.

As a third-year robotics student, Pope said the program has given him a chance to build upon joys he’s had since childhood. 

“I love taking things apart,” he said. “My mom would give me toys when I was young and I would just rip them straight apart. Those toys would only be together after I’d built them into something else. Now after I graduate, I’d like to come back and coach robotics for Belding. Otherwise, I’d like to go into the mechanical side of things, working on cars every day.” 

Pope said being on the Scrap Cat team has opened up new doors. 

“I’ve learned to open up more, to meet people that are more like me, who are more mechanically inclined,” he said. “Along my career path, it has helped me in a couple areas. I’ve met friends that have taught me how to code. I meet people outside my career paths also.” 

To continue building the robotics program, Colville said additional partnerships will continue to be created, noting that Belding has a long way to go.

Current sponsorships include local businesses supporting the program such as The Horse’s Mouth, Subway, RobRoy Enclosures, Belding Hometown Hardware and others. 

“We worked with a budget of about $10,000 this year, but some of these other schools, they are working with $100,000,” Colville said. “To eventually get to the world competition, we probably need to get to about $30,000.” 

While the Scrap Cats have traditionally started their efforts in January of each year, Colville said he now plans to begin the program as early as May. 

“Those other teams, they start in August, so if we’re going to be with the big dogs, we’ll start in May. Next year when we compete, we’ll give the other teams a run for their money.” 

Colville is also offering a summer robotics class to continue generating interest in students throughout the school district. 

“This last year we had both middle and high school students involved,” he said. “There are chances for students to participate by being on our build team, code team, drive team, CAD team and social media team. My objective is that in the next five years, we’ll be engaging all the way into the elementary schools.” 

For more information about the Belding robotics classes and Scrap Cat Robotics team, email Coville at colvillea@bas-k12.org.