Week 6 - DCMP

​Last week, Team 4909 Bionics wrapped up an unforgettable trip to the New England District Championship (DCMP), where top teams from across the region came together for four days of intense matches, collaboration, and celebration of FIRST. This event marked a huge milestone in our season—not just because of the level of competition, but because it was the debut of our brand‑new robot, built in only one week before DCMP.

​After our previous district event, we took a hard look at our performance and realized that small tweaks wouldn’t get us where we wanted to be. Instead, we made the bold decision to rebuild, redesigning key systems and mechanisms in just seven days. That meant late nights in the shop, rapid CAD and prototyping, re‑wiring, and writing and testing new code on a compressed timeline.

​By the time we loaded in at DCMP, this robot had never seen an official field. Our early qualification matches became live tests, where we focused on shaking out mechanical issues, tuning autonomous paths, and dialing in driver controls. Between matches, our pit crew worked constantly on small fixes and improvements, while our programming and drive teams adjusted strategy around what the robot could reliably do match‑to‑match. Running a brand-new machine at such a high‑stakes event was a risk, but it showcased our team’s flexibility, problem‑solving, and ability to learn fast under pressure.

​We kicked off the event with load‑in and field calibration, unpacking the new robot, getting it inspected, and using any available practice time to put it through its paces. Students rotated through responsibilities: checking wiring and mechanisms, validating systems, rehearsing autos, and making sure the drive team felt comfortable with the new layout and controls.

​Once qualification matches began, the pace picked up quickly. Each match was a mix of competition and experimentation for us: we stuck to reliable roles within our alliances while also pushing the robot a little further each time—trying new autos, testing different cycle paths, and adjusting mechanisms based on what we saw on the field. Even when things didn’t go perfectly—missed autos, minor breakdowns, or tough matchups—our students treated each match as a learning opportunity and used quick debriefs to decide what to fix, keep, or change before we rolled back onto the field.

​Our pit was busy from the moment the doors opened. With a new robot, there was always something to tune or improve, and our mechanical, electrical, and programming students worked shoulder‑to‑shoulder to keep everything running smoothly. We also had many visits from judges, who were interested in our decision to rebuild so late in the season and how we approached the design process under such a tight deadline. Students walked them through the differences between our original robot and this new iteration, highlighting what we learned and how subteams collaborated to pull it off, while also sharing our outreach efforts and team structure.

​As qualifications wrapped up, we used our scouting data and match experience with the new robot to map out potential alliance strategies. Alliance selection is always a tense moment, and this year was no exception, but we were honored to join an alliance with teams that complemented our strengths and trusted our new robot to deliver in high‑pressure elimination matches. Playoffs brought another level of intensity, with faster matches and higher stakes. Our drive team worked closely with alliance partners to refine roles and maximize every cycle, while our pit crew doubled down on preventative checks to keep the robot reliable.

​Of course, DCMP is about more than just what happens on the field. In the stands, our students kept the energy high—cheering for alliance partners, supporting friends on other teams, and celebrating big plays across the division. Between matches, we connected with teams from all over the district, trading buttons, stories, and ideas about robot design, scouting strategies, outreach programs, and team culture.

​When we look back on this DCMP, we won’t just remember scores and rankings. We’ll remember the decision to rebuild in a week, the late nights that followed, and the feeling of seeing that new robot drive onto the field for the first time. DCMP tested us technically and as a team—and we’re proud of how we rose to that challenge. This event leaves us with new ideas, stronger skills, and a renewed excitement for what we can build together in the future.