What happens inside a robotics team before a competition

From the outside, a robotics competition looks like a game: robots zooming around a field, picking up objects, climbing, scoring points, while the crowd cheers and music plays.

From the inside, it looks very different. Months of planning. Arguments about gear ratios. Code that worked yesterday and mysteriously doesn't today. A motor that burns out two days before departure. Parents asking if their children still live at home. And moments of pure joy when the robot finally does exactly what it was designed to do.

What really happens inside a student robotics team in the weeks before a big competition?

In 2026, Benin sent a team to the FIRST Global Challenge, an international robotics competition. Read about them in Team Benin au FIRST Global Challenge 2026. This article looks at the general journey most teams go through.

What is the FIRST Global Challenge?

The FIRST Global Challenge is an annual international robotics competition for high-school-aged students, founded by the American inventor Dean Kamen (the inventor of the Segway). It brings together teams from around 190 countries — often one team per country — to work on a game connected to a global challenge such as energy, water, ocean health or climate.

It's sometimes called "the Robotics Olympics." The goal isn't just winning. Teams are encouraged to cooperate — including with other countries' teams in "alliances" during matches.

The FIRST Global Challenge brings together teams from around 190 countries each year. (FIRST Global) For many students, it's their first time travelling abroad — and their first time working with young people from dozens of countries.

Phase 1: The game reveal (the "what now?" moment)

Every season starts with a game reveal. Teams learn the rules: what the robot must do, what the field looks like, how points are scored, what parts are allowed.

The first reaction is usually excitement, followed quickly by panic. "How are we supposed to build a robot that does that?"

Good teams don't start building immediately. They start reading. They study the rules manual, watch the reveal video many times and list every way to score points.

Joke break: Every robotics team has one member who reads the entire rules manual. Everyone else calls this person "the lawyer." In the middle of every argument, the lawyer says, "Actually, rule 4.3.2 says…" And the lawyer is always right.

Phase 2: Strategy before steel

Before building, teams decide on a strategy:

• Which tasks will our robot focus on?
• What's realistic with our time, skills and parts?
• How can we be a good alliance partner?

A common mistake is trying to do everything. A robot that does two things reliably often scores more than one that tries to do five things badly.

Teams often make a "priority list": must-have, nice-to-have and dream features.

Phase 3: Design and prototypes

Teams sketch designs, build cardboard models and test small mechanisms. They ask questions like:

• What drive system is best: fast or powerful?
• How will the robot grab objects?
• Where is the centre of gravity? (Robots that tip over score zero.)

Prototypes are built quickly and roughly. Many fail. That's the point: fail early, when it's cheap.

Phase 4: Building (and rebuilding)

Now the real robot takes shape. Roles become clear:

• Builders: mechanical assembly.
• Programmers: code for driving and autonomous tasks.
• Electrical team: wiring, batteries, sensors.
• Strategy/scouting: analysing the game and other teams.
• Outreach and media: photos, social media, sponsors, community events.
• Engineering notebook team: documenting everything.

Things break constantly. A screw loosens. A wire disconnects. A gear strips. Teams learn to fix fast.

Phase 5: Coding and driver practice

Programmers write code for:

• Driver control: how joysticks move the robot.
• Autonomous mode: the robot acts on its own for part of the match using sensors and pre-planned moves.

Meanwhile, drivers practise — a lot. Driving a robot under pressure, with a crowd watching and a timer running, is hard. Top teams practise hundreds of matches.

"The best way to predict the future is to invent it." — Alan Kay, computer scientist

Phase 6: The engineering notebook

Many competitions judge not just the robot but the process. The engineering notebook records:

• Design decisions and why they were made.
• Tests, results and changes.
• Team meetings and roles.
• Outreach activities.
• Lessons learned.

Judges love notebooks that show honest problem-solving: "We tried this, it failed, here's what we learned." See How to start a school robotics club with one kit.

Phase 7: Outreach, sponsors and travel

Teams from Africa often face extra challenges before competitions:

• Funding: Parts, shipping, travel and accommodation cost money. Teams look for sponsors: companies, embassies, NGOs, government ministries and individuals.
• Visas: Travel documents can take weeks or months.
• Shipping: Robots and parts must be shipped or carried carefully.
• Visibility: Teams use social media and media interviews to share their story.

Outreach also includes teaching younger students, demonstrating the robot at schools and inspiring girls to join. It's often where teams have the biggest community impact.

Phase 8: The last two weeks

The final weeks are intense:

• Everything that could break, breaks.
• The team fixes, tests, fixes again.
• Spare parts are packed.
• Checklists are made: batteries, chargers, tools, laptops, cables, team shirts, flags.
• Nerves rise.

This is where teamwork is tested. Tired people argue. Good teams take breaks, eat properly, keep a sense of humour and remember why they're there.

Rest matters, even for robot builders — see Why rest matters for people building busy lives.

What students learn (beyond robots)

Students often say the competition taught them things they couldn't learn in class:

• Engineering design and problem-solving.
• Coding under pressure.
• Teamwork across different personalities.
• Leadership and responsibility.
• Public speaking with judges and media.
• Fundraising and project management.
• Cultural exchange with teams from around the world.
• Resilience: how to recover from failure quickly.

Many students go on to study engineering, computer science and other STEM fields — and some start their own initiatives. See The young engineers making tools for their communities.

The role of mentors and parents

Behind every student team are adults:

• Mentors (teachers, engineers, university students) who guide without taking over.
• Parents who support late nights, transport and encouragement.
• Organisations that provide space, equipment and funding.

The best mentors ask questions rather than giving answers. The robot should be the students' work.

Girls in robotics teams

The FIRST Global Challenge encourages mixed teams, and many African teams include strong female members — builders, coders, drivers and captains. This visibility matters: when girls see other girls leading robotics teams, they imagine themselves there. Read What girls need to feel welcome in a tech class.

Competition day (and after)

On competition day, everything happens fast: inspections, practice matches, qualification matches, alliance selection, playoffs, awards. Some teams win trophies. Many don't. But almost every team leaves with friendships, stories and a stronger desire to build.

And then — the team goes home, and the next season begins. Younger members take over. The cycle continues.

Voices from the pit (illustrative)

The "pit" is the area where teams prepare and repair robots between matches. Here's what you might hear there (illustrative, based on common team experiences):

"The arm is fine. The arm is fine. Why is the arm on the floor?" "Who took the 4mm Allen key? WHO?" "Our autonomous code worked perfectly in practice. Now the robot is driving towards the judges." "The team from Paraguay lent us a spare motor. We owe them forever." "We lost the match, but that was our best run ever!"

Behind the jokes is a serious lesson: in engineering, things go wrong under pressure. Teams that stay calm, share tools with others and fix problems quickly often go further than teams with the "best" robot.

Gracious professionalism

FIRST competitions promote a value called "gracious professionalism" — competing hard while treating others with kindness and respect. Teams help rivals fix robots, lend parts and cheer for each other.

This surprises many first-time participants. But it reflects how real engineering works: collaboration across teams and countries solves bigger problems than competition alone. For more on cross-border teamwork, read How creative teams work across African borders.

Want to start a team?

If you're a teacher or student interested in robotics competitions:

• Start a club at school (even with one kit).
• Look for national robotics programmes and competitions.
• Contact FIRST Global or similar organisations about national team selection.
• Find mentors: engineers, universities, maker spaces.
• Build community support early — parents, local businesses, media.

Keep reading: Why African children should learn to build robots, technology and code, From a classroom robot to a local solution, and our Technology & Innovation section.

Questions

What is the FIRST Global Challenge?

An annual international robotics competition for high-school-aged students, bringing together teams from around 190 countries to address global challenges through a robot game.

How long do robotics teams prepare for a competition?

Usually several months, covering strategy, design, building, coding, testing, driver practice, documentation and outreach.

What is an engineering notebook?

A record of a team's design process, tests, decisions and outreach, often judged in competitions.