High school robotics teams put their skills and tech to the test at tournament

By Noel Brennan

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    ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Illinois (WBBM) — Robots zipping across the floor picking up balls and PVC pipes might not sound like a sport, but it sure feels like it when you see the crowd and the energy of the teens at the controls.

A robotics competition has drawn talented high schoolers from all over to Arlington Heights, Illinois.

“It’s like playing the world’s coolest video game. That’s what it feels like,” said Colin Goodman, a junior at Prospect High School in Mt. Prospect, Illinois.

Goodman and Rossen Gotsev are part of WildStang – a tie-dyed team of high schoolers from Township High School District 214 in the northwest suburbs.

WildStang designed and built a robot for robotics competitions like the Midwest Regional FIRST Robotics Competition in Arlington Heights.

“It’s just a really big machine and it can do a lot of things,” said Gotsev, a junior at Hersey High School in Arlington Heights.

Each robot must complete very specific tasks. This year’s challenge is water-themed.

“You can see here, we have a ground intake that will pick up coral from the floor and feed it into our arm,” Goodman said.

Teams from all over Chicagoland and all over the world were taking part in the competition, but only WildStang has been competing in robotics for 30 years.

“This competition, we have 39 teams here today. They’re all in the pits. They’re all working on their robots now between matches,” said WildStang coach Mark Koch.

“I can’t build the robot. I’m a super organizer. I motivate the kids,” he said.

That motivation has led to domination for WildStang.

“We’ve won three world championships,” Koch said.

WildStang – a robotics team on a roll for 30 years and counting – is now warming up their fingers and thumbs for yet another trip to the FIRST Robotics Competition World Championship in Houston next month.

“Tremendously proud. They’re awesome. I just love working with them,” Koch said.

The Midwest Regional tournament in Arlington Heights continues on Saturday.

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