Celebrating Indiana’s Rookie FRC Teams in 2024

The 2024 season was a strong one for FIRST Indiana Robotics and our FRC Program.  Of the 70 teams that competed, seven were rookies—and they didn’t just show up. They made an impact.

From winning awards and advancing to the State Championship, to discovering the power of teamwork and perseverance, these rookie teams helped energize the entire Indiana FRC community.

Meet the 2024 Rookie TeamsGuerin Catholic Golden Gears Robotics Team

    • FRC 10021 – Guerin Catholic Golden Gears
      • Rookie All-Star: Kokomo & IN District Championship
      • Quality Award: Lafayette
      • Advanced to the FIRST World Champioship
    • FRC 10029 – The Portotypes (Portage High School)
      • Rookie All-Star: Lafayette
    • FRC 10172 – South Side Archers (South Side High School, Fort Wayne)
      • Rookie All-Star: Mishawaka
    • FRC 10332 – Carroll High School
      • Event Winner – Mishawaka District Event
  • Competed at State Championship
    • Rising All-Star: IN State Championship
  • FRC 10411 – Wayne High School (Fort Wayne)
    • Rising All-Star: Mishawaka
  • FRC 10434 – Northrop High School (Fort Wayne)
    • Competed in multiple district events
  • FRC 10492 – Bosse High School (Evansville)
    • Event Winner: Washington
    • Rookie All-Star: Washington
    • Competed at State Championship
  • FRC 10493 – Harrison High School (Evansville)
    • Rising All-Star: Lafayette

Portage Rookie Drive Team at MishawakaRising to the Top

Perhaps the most impressive indicator of this rookie class’s strength is this: three rookie teams earned enough district points to advance to the Indiana State Championship—an event where only the top 50% of teams in the state qualify.

That’s nearly half of our rookie teams competing alongside seasoned veterans in the highest-stakes event of the season. A true testament to their grit, adaptability, and commitment to learning fast and working hard.

Powered by Mentorship

This level of success wouldn’t have been possible without the support of veteran teams who mentored and guided rookies throughout the season. These teams embodied the spirit of gracious professionalism and coopertition:

  • FRC 868 – TechHOUNDS
  • FRC 1501 – Team THRUST
  • FRC 7657 – ThunderBots
  • FRC 4982 – Olympus Robotics
  • FRC 9119 – Iron Legends
  • FRC 9431 – Snider Robotics

Whether it was sharing tools, helping troubleshoot code, or offering strategic advice in the pits, these mentor teams made a huge difference.

Fueling the Future: Financial SupportWayne High School Rookie FRC team at Mishawaka

Behind every robot is a team of sponsors and supporters who believe in the mission of FIRST. We are especially thankful for the Argosy Foundation and NASA, whose rookie grants helped new teams build their programs from the ground up.

A special thanks also goes to Medical Informatics Engineering, led by Doug Horner, for their investment in the Fort Wayne area teams. Their support has been instrumental to both the short-term success and long-term sustainability of these new programs.

We also deeply appreciate the ongoing support from Toyota Indiana, which continues to champion FIRST programs in Southwest Indiana, and the K–12 Competitive Robotics Grant provided by the Indiana Department of Education, which plays a critical role in sustaining and expanding access to robotics programs across the state.

Voices from the Field

While trophies and banners are exciting, it’s the personal growth and transformation that matter most:

“One thing I learned this year is to not focus on winning, but instead I should focus on improvement.”
 — Sophomore, Wayne High School (FRC 10411)

“I was so proud of our team when we won the Rookie All-Star Award at the State Championship. I’ve never been in sports and this is the first time I was part of a team that won something—and it was incredible.”

—Junior, Guerin Catholic High School (FRC 10021)

Looking Ahead

Carroll High School Robotics Drive TeamThese seven teams are just getting started. With a strong foundation of support, mentorship, and inspiration, they’ve already proven they can rise to the challenge. We can’t wait to see what they accomplish in their second season and beyond.

If you’re interested in starting or supporting an FRC team in your area, we’d love to hear from you.

Because when rookies succeed, the whole community grows.

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For the blog I’ll add pictures of the teams throughout the post alternating right/left