The Gold Green Standard

The Frogmen are a FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge team started in 2020. In a way, the Frogmen are the team that started it all for Swampbots as we know it today. Starting in 2020, the Frogmen were new to the league... and, oh boy, what a year to start 😭. As we all know, this was the year of COVID-19. It turns out, worldwide pandemics and hands-on robot-building, collaboration, and team work don't exactly mix super-well.

But, hop on they did. Their first FIRST qualifier was a virtual one. They had to record their runs and innovation project presentation and turn them into the league. They unfortunately didn't make it much past that–but this was a getting-to-know the league kind of year.

In 2021, they had their first taste of in-person competition. But, since their first year was kind of a throwaway year without much real experience, they showed up to their qualifier a little-bit ill-prepared for the innovation project presentation. They had planned on showing a PowerPoint presentation but realized there was no way to actually present it in their judging pod! They had to pivot and do their best with what they had. Lucky for them, their robot was really good and they were invited to the Regional Championship in Ocala! Their season ended there but this was a huge step for a young team and they learned what it was really like to compete.

Determined to continue to improve, 2022 was a big year for the Frogmen. With three new members joining and with a new assistant coach, the team was now up to 9 kids! The team barely qualified for the Regional Championship. Thankfully, that was the last time they were going to barely make it in. The team received the 3rd Place Champion's Award and 2nd Place in Robot Performance at the NEFL Region Championship and won a bid to the State Championship and a bid to the inaugural Western Edge Invitational in Long Beach, California! They weren't done yet, though! They finished at 3rd Place overall in the state and 2nd in Robot Performance against the best in the state! What a ride! California was a blast getting to represent our small town with a bunch of other states and 42 other countries.

Not to be outdone, the 2023 season was another whirlwind for the team winning the Innovation Project Award at the qualifier, Robot Design Award (runner up) at the NEFL Regional Championship (along with a bid to the Innovation Project Showcase), 3rd Place Champion's Award at State, and a bid to the inaugural Florida Sunshine Invitiational where they will compete with teams from all around the world. Again!