Kickoff and game reveal
The FTC season starts with a global game reveal. The team studies rules, scoring, and field elements, then brainstorms robot strategies.
FTC Season
From Kickoff to Championship.
Thunder Busters competes in FIRST Tech Challenge events, where alliances of robots score points in fast-paced matches on a 12-foot square field.
Each year brings a brand-new game challenge. Students dive into the rules, analyze the scoring system, and design a robot that can reliably perform key tasks on the field.
The team documents the entire process in an engineering notebook and prepares presentations for judges, sharing how they applied the engineering design process and contributed to their community.
What an FTC Season Looks Like
Design, build, and test
Students prototype mechanisms, iterate in CAD, manufacture parts, wire electronics, and test autonomous and tele-op code.
Scrimmages and qualifiers
Local scrimmages and qualifier events prepare the team for high-stakes matches at regional and statewide competitions.
Thunder Busters at Competitions
Season timeline
FTC seasons typically run from late summer kickoff through winter and spring championship events.
Multiple tournaments
Thunder Busters can compete in several qualifiers, invitationals, and off-season events each year.
More than awards
Awards are exciting, but the real win is the growth in skill, confidence, and teamwork each season.