kickoff

On Saturday, January 10th, Team 4909 officially kicked off the 2026 FIRST Robotics
Competition season at Billerica Memorial High School. Alongside alumni, veteran members, new members, and mentors, the team watched FIRST’s livestream of this year’s game reveal: REBUILT, presented by Haas. After the reveal, the team read through the game manual collectively to grasp the rules and objectives for the season and to begin developing a plan based on what was learned and prepared during the preseason.

In REBUILT, two alliances compete against each other to score fuel, cross obstacles, and climb the tower before time runs out. Robots can earn points by completing tasks across three periods
of play:​

To better break down the game and its rules, we split into smaller groups, with each group focusing on different sections of the game manual. This allowed new members to learn the basics while veterans and mentors shared insights from past seasons. We then came back together as a full team to discuss strategy, clarify rules, and build a shared understanding of how the game will be played and how we can approach it competitively.​

Autonomous Period (20 seconds)
The match begins with a 20-second autonomous period where robots operate without driver control. During this time, robots can score fuel into their hub, collect or shoot pre-loaded fuel, pick up additional fuel, and attempt an early tower climb for bonus points. A strong autonomous period helps set the tone for the rest of the match.
​
Teleoperated Period (2:20 minutes)
For the next 2 minutes and 20 seconds, drivers take control of their robots. Depending on what was achieved during autonomous, each alliance's hub alternates between active and inactive. When active, teams focus on scoring fuel; when inactive, they collect more fuel or play defense.

Endgame
In the final seconds of the match, all hubs become active, opening up full scoring. Teams can also climb the tower to earn major bonus points and improve their rankings. Climbing the tower involves reaching three stages, with each stage awarding 10 points. At the end of the match, the alliance with the highest score wins.

This year's field introduces several new challenges for teams, including the ramp and trench. Team 4909 has identified that navigating the ramp will be important to avoid getting stuck on fuel and that designing the robot to meet the height limit will be crucial due to the trench. Robots must also remain under the 115-pound weight limit.

To better break down the game and its rules, we split into smaller groups, with each group focusing on a different section of the game manual. This approach allowed new members to learn the fundamentals while veterans and mentors shared insights from past seasons. Afterward, we regrouped as a full team to combine what each group had learned, discuss strategy, clarify rules, and ensure everyone had a complete understanding of how the game works and how we can approach it competitively.

With a strong foundation in place, we transitioned into hands-on work to begin preparing for the season ahead. Members reviewed safety procedures, organized tools, and started early shop tasks to ensure we are ready to move efficiently into design and prototyping.

With kickoff complete, we are excited to begin strategizing, designing, and building as we work toward a successful 2026 competition season.