The BotsIQ National Competition was a blast! Team Jag was excited and itching for some robot combat, camped out at the pit area since Wednesday. Anxious for the start of what would be the first national competition for many of our members, we were fretting about, moving to and fro, fixing an odd belt here or     a bound motor there. The pressure was weighing down on the team as the start of competition crept   closer.

Team Jag worked exceptionally hard this year and we are very pleased with the results of our efforts.    Rattler II, our second generation wedge bot, won first place undefeated and Mastercam’s Sting ‘Em, one     of our third generation drum bots, won second place.

Present at the competition were teams from all over the country, including some newly-made friends (and tough rivals) from places as far off as Massachusetts and Puerto Rico. The closing moments of nationals were particularly exciting; our team was pitted against itself and ultimately two of our best robots and their drivers had an intense fight: there was smoke and sparks!

The result of the four days of inspection and competition was an unforgettable experience for all of our members and, in summary, our team performed exceptionally well, both collectively and individually.      Team Jag is now back in the lab, working to improve our robots and waiting for news of another  competition.

The StarBots event was a practice event. With the amount of time spent in the cage, our drivers got some practice. Some drivers even learned how to gyro at will. Overall it was a fun event as we got together with the other teams, without the edge of competition, and did some work.

At the Youth Fair Robotic Competition, which took place March 27, 2010, Team Jag's Sting 'Em All-Girls team placed 1st. TTATT fought fiercely for third place and Rattler II placed fourth. We're unpacked and back in the lab analyzing what we did right and wrong. We're also through the process of ironing out any kinks in the robots. Glimmering out in the sunrise horizon is the BotsIQ National Competition. It will take place April 14-18 and is hosted at 3401 North Miami Avenue Miami FL 33127. It will be the first national event for the majority of our teams.

The team is excited and back to work.

On November 14, 2009 Team Jag competed in Mayhem in Miami III hosted at Ransom Everglades. This competition included the 15 pound battlebot and task-oriented challanges. Team Jag entered Rattler   (Drum bot), Rattler 2 (Wedge bot), and TTATT (Wedge bot) in the 15 pound battlebot competition. TTATT placed first place and Rattler tied for second.

The event itself was a huge success, both for us as a team and for everyone present in the high-energy atmosphere at the competition. A variety of robots were present for the carnage, from the famous Fluffy to
the wacky ROFL. Local competitors from schools such as Columbus, Carollton School for Girls, Ransom Everglades and our own Miami Lakes Educational Center gathered to compete in this highly anticipated event, testing our robots integrity and design upgrades.

Most people would definitly agree that the event was full of heart-pumping action and exciting matches, topped off with a firey climax that few will soon forget. The compeition was promptly ended due to safety reasons however. In the final match, TTATT versus Fluffy, Fluffy burst into flames, creating a very
unexpected and hyped outcome to the competition.

Prior to the second round of matches, we unveiled our brand new highly anticipated drum bot, Sting 'em, which we expect will soon be competing and earning its place at the top of our robot team. We hope to find   a sponsor for Sting 'em in the near future.

A huge thanks goes to the judges, adult volunteers, the event sponsors, and Ransom Everglades for coordinating this event.