Robotics
Cristhina Boni Lavratti, Robotics Manager
FTC Wollongong Qualifier – Friday 14 November
On Friday, Pymble took six teams to the FTC Wollongong Qualifier. Five of these teams were experiencing FTC for the first time, and three were made up of Year 7 and 8 students. Throughout the day, our students demonstrated the Pymble values of respect, integrity, and a genuine joy for learning.
Teams brought fresh ideas and creative engineering to the competition, with several teams thinking well outside the traditional FTC robot design. Most robots were simple, featuring one or two subsystems, yet they stood out for their thoughtful construction and clever game strategy. It was also fantastic to see students engaging with other teams, sharing insights and comparing approaches.
Strategy proved essential, as teams were paired with different partners every match and needed to plan quickly and thoughtfully. This year’s game involves shooting balls into high goals, which meant plenty of fast-paced action, with balls flying across—and occasionally out of—the field. Scoring consistently was a real challenge, especially under defensive pressure.
Students walked away having learned what truly matters when competing: teamwork, focus, problem-solving, and the understanding that some lessons can only be learned on the spot. We are incredibly proud of every Pymble team for their teamwork and growth.
Our Year 12 team, Pymble Pride, had an outstanding day, finishing the qualification rounds in first place and selecting Barker Redbacks as their playoff partners. They went on to win the tournament, highlighted by an impressive autonomous routine that scored nine balls in just 30 seconds. Pymble Pride also received the Second Place Inspire Award, the most prestigious award in FTC, and has now qualified for FTC Nationals in December at Macquarie University.
Our Year 7 team, Team RICE, also had a fantastic performance in their very first FTC season. They ranked fourth, became Alliance Captains, made it all the way to the finals, and secured their spot at the National Championship. They also won the Sustain Award at this event. They were also the first Pymble team to fully finish their robot and built the College’s first shooter prototype this season — an incredible achievement for such a young team. Congratulations also to Team DA RAM, winners of the Think Award for their engineering documentation and innovative robot design, and Team Sharksub, winners of the Connect Award for their outstanding outreach, including supporting a rookie FTC team and connecting with schools across the region. Pymbotics built an excellent robot and created Pymble’s first-ever FTC scouting app, developed by Erika Zhao (Year 9), which was used by our teams throughout the event. Pymble Lion Cubs ranked fifth, joined Alliance 2, and reached the semifinals, narrowly losing by just four points in a very close match.
We are proud of all teams for their dedication and impressive learning journey this season.
FTC Sydney South Qualifier — Sunday 16 November
On Sunday, Pymble competed at the FTC Sydney South Qualifier, which brought together 15 NSW teams and one team from Melbourne. Pymble was represented by two strong teams: Pymble Pride and Pymble Bees.
Our students put in countless hours leading up to the event: building, coding, driving, testing and refining. They planned their build season with purpose and adapted when unexpected issues arose. They worked as a team, supporting one another every step of the way, and they arrived ready.
With Pymble Pride already qualified for Nationals, the pressure was lower, yet they still delivered exceptional performance, winning every match of the day. Pymble Bees delivered one of the most impressive technical performances of the entire event. Their robot could shoot from almost anywhere on the field, consistently ran a six-artifact autonomous, and had some of the fastest cycles of the competition. Their experience in robotics competitions served them well, and they picked up new FTC-specific skills throughout the day.
Pymble Pride once again became Alliance Captain of the first seed alliance and invited Pymble Bees to join them. Their autonomous routine shot 15 balls and scored 12—an outstanding achievement—followed by strong driving skills. The final match of the day looked like it might bring high drama when Pymble Pride’s driver controller unexpectedly shut down mid-match. Pymble Bees continued playing solo, winning the match convincingly. The students remained calm, focused, and confident, showing exactly the qualities we strive to encourage in all our teams. Pymble Alliance were crowned Sydney South Qualifier champions.
Pymble Pride was also awarded the Control Award, the most prestigious coding award of the event, recognising innovative programming, intelligent sensing, and effective autonomous strategy, led by Katherine Lee (Year 12).
We also extend our gratitude to all volunteers who made the event possible. If you are interested in volunteering at any future robotics competitions, we would love your support. Every volunteer helps ensure more opportunities for students to explore, grow, and thrive through robotics. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to get involved.
This was an extraordinary weekend for Pymble Robotics. Every team represented the College with pride, determination, and sportsmanship. We now look forward to the Sydney North Qualifier, a two-day event featuring 28 teams.
Congratulations to all our students — you’ve made Pymble proud!
FTC Wollongong Qualifier Photos
FTC Sydney South Qualifier Photos
