As the 2025 FIRST Robotics season gains momentum, our FTC and FRC teams have been actively engaging and hosting events to refine their driving skills and strategies. The Week 0 Scrimmage and the Polka Dot Scrimmage Girls of Steel have hosted have provided important practice as the teams gear up for the upcoming Greater Pittsburgh Regional competition.

Polka Dot Scrimmage

On January 18, 2025, the Girls of Steel hosted the annual Polka Dot Scrimmage at Carnegie Mellon University’s Cohon University Center. This event brought together 17 FTC teams from the region. Teams had the opportunity to test their robots in a competitive environment, allowing them to identify areas for improvement. The scrimmage made sure new and veteran teams could perform their best at qualifiers.

Week 0 Scrimmage

Building on the momentum from the Polka Dot Scrimmage, Girls of Steel hosted the Week 0 Scrimmage on February 15, 2025. Held at our workshop in Pittsburgh, this event served as a critical practice event before the official start of the competition season. Nine FRC teams tested their robots since we are the only team in Pittsburgh with an FRC field. The scrimmage provided the space to enhance driver practice and ensure that all areas on the teams’ robots worked without fail.

FTC Qualifiers

Our FTC teams finished out the season strong at the Southwest PA Qualifier and Power Panther Qualifier. 9820 Hopper became the third alliance captain at the Southwest PA Qualifier. COngratulations to all our FTC teammates!

Preparing for the Greater Pittsburgh Regional

With the upcoming regional competitions, we are channeling our efforts into extensive preparation. The insights gained from both scrimmages have informed our design process, furthering our building, wiring, and programming of our robot. Our team is also focusing on refining our presentation skills, with our Impact presenters and Dean’s List Nominees practicing and preparing.