Our robotics team, PATH To Domination: Team 9027, is a story of resilience. They are the definition of determination and teamwork, and this season, they proved it in a big way.
Midseason, the team faced unexpected challenges, but rather than give up, they adapted. Students stepped into leadership roles, older team members mentored the younger students, and together they kept dreaming big and working hard. Our students and staff demonstrated “true Pathway spirit” / what makes Pathway special / unique / true Pathway pride.
The team achieved many “firsts” this year. Students stepped into leadership roles, using their knowledge to build their robot from the ground up. But robotics is way more than just building a robot. It’s about forming alliances at competitions and developing team building, communication and social skills. It’s about strategizing. It’s about debriefing with FIRST judges about their team’s results. And our students crushed it. It was an electric season. Let’s dive in.
Kicking Off the Season: Hatboro-Horsham District Event
PATH To Domination hit the ground running at the Hatboro-Horsham District Event, and the energy they brought was unmatched.
At this event, the team won the Team Spirit Award, a recognition of their extraordinary enthusiasm, partnership, and teamwork. But they didn’t stop there. For the very first time, the team was named an Alliance Captain, where they were able to choose other schools to compete alongside them throughout the rounds of competition. They also advanced all the way to the semi-finals.
It was the kind of start that sets the tone for a whole season, and for team mentor Eli, that tone was always about something bigger than trophies.
“My main goal was to make sure that all the students enjoyed the season and could take something away from it. I’m proud of my fellow students/peers for getting out of their comfort zone to achieve a common goal. I’m also very thankful for our faculty that stepped in to help – they been very beneficial with the robotics season.” – Eli, Upper School student and team mentor
Gaining Steam: Bensalem District Event
A few weeks later, PATH To Domination was back on the competition circuit.
In their very first match of the day at the Bensalem District Event, the team and their alliance set the record for the highest score in the entire Mid-Atlantic circuit with an incredible 480 points! They ranked in the top 10 for most of the day and were named an Alliance Captain for the second time this season.
The momentum was building. And then came the announcement everyone had been hoping for.
The Big Stage: District Championship at Lehigh University
After the rankings from all district competitions were finalized, it was official: PATH To Domination qualified for the District Championship at Lehigh University!
This was a huge accomplishment! The Championship was a four-day overnight trip, with three full days of competing. The team went all in.
- They competed in 12 matches over the course of the event.
- Students tracked data on other teams’ performances to identify the best potential alliance members.
- When the team’s robot ran into issues, they didn’t panic; they problem solved. The team diagnosed the issue, came up with a fix, and kept going.
PATH To Domination finished their season in the top 50 teams at the Mid-Atlantic district championships. For a team that has only been around for four years, that is extraordinary.
Head coaches Mrs. Antinucci and Mrs. Lockwood, along with an incredible team of supportive staff, led the team throughout the season. Mrs. Antinucci couldn’t be prouder of what the students accomplished.
“The team pulled together to build, wire, and code ‘Pathfinder’ (a system to calculate smooth paths and velocity profiles for the robot), a feat which rarely happens for a robotics team in existence for only four years. The seniors were role models demonstrating ‘coopertition’ (cooperation & competition) and gracious professionalism, core philosophies of FIRST Robotics.” – Mrs. Antinucci, Robotics Co-Head Coach
A Season Worth Celebrating
We could not be prouder of PATH To Domination for everything they accomplished this season. From their first Team Spirit Award to breaking circuit records to competing on one of the biggest stages in the Mid-Atlantic region, this team showed up, showed out, and showed the world what Pathway students can do.
Thank you to every student, coach, and staff member who made this season possible. We can’t wait to see what next year holds.