2019 Central Valley Regional (CVR)
The Janksters competed March 8th-9th at the Central Valley Regional, the team’s first competition of 2019. CVR was a great experience for rookies and veterans alike, providing opportunities for teamwork, collaboration, and problem-solving, as well as allowing students to step into new roles.
Working to overcome multiple issues with last-minute changes to the robot, the Janksters were able to climb the ranks from 49th (last place) to 9th place, over the course of 10 qualification matches. The pit crew was able to work to efficiently tackle problems that arose by collaborating, discussing key takeaways after each match, and making the necessary fixes to the robot. After qualification matches, the team advanced to quarterfinals as the 8th seeded alliance captain, selecting teams 2489 (The Insomniacs) and 701 (Robovikes) as alliance partners. In addition, Team 1967 was awarded the 2nd place Safety Award, thanks to their hardworking safety captain, Cailin Le ‘21.
Throughout the competition, the Janksters were given the chance to interact with other teams, judges, and the general audience. Ria Nair ‘21 said, “CVR was a chance for me, as a member of the business committee, to ask and learn about other teams’ business strategies. I learned how some teams approach the Chairman’s and Entrepreneurship Awards, as well as their social media schedule. Aside from learning from other teams, it was also a chance to showcase some of the business committee’s hard work such as the Business Plan and our Perler bead bows.” Others had the chance to step into new roles, including the team captain, Shreya Basireddy ‘19, who stated that, “As chaotic and crazy as it was, CVR was an awesome experience that gave me the opportunity to take a step back as a leader and focus on the bigger picture of the team experience. I also got the chance to try some completely new things such as working on our team pick list and presenting our team Business Plan.” When they were not in the pits or the stands, the Janksters were able to enjoy a little downtime with teammates. Ziana Sarkari ‘21 said, “Throughout our team’s time at CVR, I was able to bond with my roommates and teammates. I also had the chance to build my confidence by visiting and talking to other teams along with communicating with the judges. Even with my limited experience with aspects of the robot, I expanded and learned from those in the pits.”
The Janksters are proud of their teamwork and performance at CVR and look forward to the next competition! Come watch Team 1967 compete in the Silicon Valley Regional, March 30-31st, at the San Jose State University Event Center! Don’t forget to follow the Janksters on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, for the latest team updates: @team1967