The Label Printers, a label manufacturer in Aurora, IL, USA is once again a sponsor of the Robovikes, the FIRST robotics team organized by Geneva High School, Geneva, Illinois. The Robovikes are in their eighth season of competition.The regional competitions for the 2016 FIRST robotics season will be starting soon. Opening their 8th robotics season, Geneva High School’s Robovikes team will be competing in the Iowa Regional at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, March 18 – 21, and the Midwest Regional, at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, April 1 – 4.  This year’s game is entitled First Stronghold.

First Stronghold is a medieval tower defender game in which two alliances of three teams each select defense to fortify their outer worlks before competing simultaneously to score points while breaching the opponent’s outer works and capturing the opponent’s tower.

The Robovikes’ “bot” is built, so the team’s job is all about learning how it behaves and becoming proficient in playing the game.  Now in the team’s eighth season, Saturday morning’s team meeting included Robovikes players and mentors with a few seasons under their belts, as well as brand new ‘vikes.  Also in this eighth season, their reasons for being on the team strike a familiar chord – ranging from having had fun in past seasons, hearing about how much fun and interesting it is, how exciting it is, or perhaps simply that a friend of theirs is on the team.

Mary Keyzer, a teacher at Geneva High School and the Robovikes coach, her husband Kevin Keyzer, a ceramics engineer, and Joe Kane, who is the Director of Research and Development at The Label Printers have been team mentors since the first season.  But this year is different, because the Keyzers are moving to North Carolina after this school year.  The reaction to this news is varied, with the younger team members mostly focusing on the high school being able to find a new coach for the team.

On this Saturday, at the team meeting being held at Geneva’s high school, Kevin Keyzer is joined by other mentors – his dad, John Keyzer, Robovikes “alumni” dad Jon Snurka, team dad Todd Creger [whose twins David and Scott are both on the team], and TLP’s Joe Kane.

The Driver on this year’s team is Jakob Grootens, a senior and second year team member, who is also the co-programmer, along with Shane Alcroft.  When asked how he feels about this very high-profile role on the team, Jakob says that having watched the competition last year he thinks that it’s a little bit scary to fill the driver’s “shoes”.  But, “It’s amazing to have the whole team rooting for you.  It’s gonna be cool and really exciting.”  Jakob is used to performing as a trumpet player for G.H.S.’ marching band, concert band, and the pit band for the spring musical.  When he graduates he’s going to wrap up all of the creativity inherent in the disciplines of music and technology and head to the University of Illinois, majoring in Computer Science.

Tommy Foster is a junior who is in his first year as a Robovike. He joined the team because it interested him, so he decided to try it out.  “I’ve enjoyed it so far.  I’m still here.”

David Creger is also a junior in his first year with the team.  He joined “late” because he never thought about it before.  But then in considering it this year, being a Robovike just seemed like something fun and interesting, and he wanted to see what was going on.  David wants to be an engineer – maybe mechanical [like his mentor dad] or electrical.

A.J. Novy is the only four year Robovike.  In the past he’s done scouting, but this year he’s on the build team, and is “dabbling” in programming.  He says “I like it quite a bit.”  A. J. notes that it’s different this year with Mr. Keyzer leaving.

The team’s web site – Robovikes.com [http://robovikes.com] – is filled with images and videos of previous teams, practices and game footage, as well as some basic information about the team and its sponsors.

Robovike Team Members:
Seniors:  Wendy Garrett, Jakob Grootens, A. J. Novy, John Zupke
Juniors:  Shane Allcroft, David Creger, Scott Creger, Prem Desai, Brendan Feichter, Tommy Foster, Ashley King, Noah Legenski, Avery Moore, Greg Wendy
Sophomores:  Danny Atkinson, Ryan Chalmer, Chris Hall,
Freshmen:  Hale McDonnell

Team Mentors:
Mary Keyzer – Geneva High School teacher
Kevin Keyzer – Engineered Ceramics
John Keyzer – retired mechanic
Joe Kane – Director of Research and Development, The Label Printers
Brad Snurka – Waubonsee Community College and Robovikes alumni
Jon Snurka – Alumni parent
Todd Creger – Team parent, retired mechanical engineer, Caterpillar

The Robovikes will be competing at the:
Central Illinois Regional at the Renaissance Coliseum, Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois March 18 – 21
Midwest Regional at the UIC Pavilion, Chicago, IL, April 1 – 4