By Sammy Nagy
With the TPA 2015 competition robot finally completed, it may seem as if the robotics team has completed their challenge, and need only coast into the 2015 Arizona FRC Regional tournament. However, this idea could hardly be further from the truth, as the race to build a second non-competition robot can be just as arduous with even less room to make mistakes.
This intensive period is due directly to the nature of the competition, which demands that the teams spend time practicing, but fails to provide the extra time to do so. The only way to truly practice is to build a second robot to test operations in the taxing tournament atmosphere.
While at times stressful, this period allows students to truly take personal initiative and experience a greater freedom to experiment than can be allowed for during the main building season. One such student, Olek Piechaczek, elaborated on this newfound independence. “I was able to spend much more time on the second robot, as the mentors trusted me more,” he said in an interview
“While building the second robot was much easier, there were challenges that still existed in communication.” Olek, a dedicated member of the mechanical subgroup, emphasized the importance of this freedom personally and its importance towards resolving group problems. “Working on the second ‘bot was a pinnacle moment for me, as it was truly the sum of everything I had spent a full semester learning. It also showed me firsthand the value of communication,  as a mistake made by a group of individuals when drilling several holes on a drop-down panel took over a weak to remake.”
With the second robot virtually finished, preparation for the competition has also become critical, invoking discussions on game strategy and tactical play, adding to the already exciting if not occasionally intense atmosphere.