About Us
2022 Team: In Front, Captains Brooke Rodgers and Will Girard. On the floor from left to right, Brad Graham, Dustin Paquette, Richard Hosford, Jason Belding, Cindy Praisner, Seth Crampton and Glenn Leaman. Standing left to right, John Spaulding, Jon Maurice, Emma Anderson, Evan Paquette, Kevin Reas, John Dalton, Sam Ringuette, Alex Mauldin, Abby Belding, Chase Vendrillo, Jacob Hosford, Callum Cuadro, Logan Lammey, Tom Praisner, and Sharon Cyboron Leaman. Not pictured are Austin Brown, Julia Cavaliere and Jakob Misbach.
Our team is located in Bacon Academy and open to anyone who lives in Colchester, Connecticut.
Every year the team competes in a changing game with teams from all around the world.
You don’t need experience to join robotics, you can do anything from welding to animation! At the beginning of every year, we have all our members go through TQRs, or Task Qualification Requirements. Both students and mentors must be signed off on a tool before they can use it.
We are a student led team and elect a captain and co-captain every year. Our mentors take a ‘hands off’ approach to building the robot, letting the students make final decisions while still educating them on new skills. Our students can join sub-teams during build season. Sub-teams are assigned a specific task to incorporate into that year’s robot. Some examples of sub-teams are welding, programming, awards, safety and sub-teams made to create a specific part of that year’s robot (rope climber, ball shooter, etc).
Team History
In November 2004, FIRST Team 1699 RoboCats was formed by Chris Deslandes with the help of six other students along with Mr. Ellis, the school teacher, with the intention of competing in the 2005 FRC season. Our team stayed at the school until 2007 when we were forced to move to our Senior Mentor’s garage where we proceeded to take over his whole house. It was not until 2010 when we were able to go back to the school to use the facilities, where we are currently located.
How To Join
Potential Members must live in Colchester, CT
Contact Us!
Look for us at community events!
Email: FRCTeam1699@gmail.com
Awards
2022 Industrial Design Award, Hartford District
2018 Imagery Award in honor of Jack Kamen; NE District UNH Event
2017 3rd for Safety Program, Hartford District
2017 FIRST for Pit Safety, Hartford District
2016 Innovation in Control Award, Hartford District
2016 White Glove Award (from PVC Pirates #1058), North Shore District
2016 Gracious Professionalism Award, North Shore District
2016 North Shore District Finalist
2015 Industrial Safety Award, Hartford District
2014 Industrial Safety Award Runner Up, Southington District
2014 Industrial Safety Award Runner Up, Groton District
2014 CIAC State Championship Finalist
2014 Granite District Winner
2013 CIAC State Champions
2013 “Safest Pit” Award (from Team Rocketeers #20), Hartford Regional
2013 Industrial Safety Award Runner up, Baltimore Regional
2012 Entrepreneurship Award, Hartford Regional
2012 Industrial Safety Award, Virginia Regional
2012 Industrial Safety Award Runner up, Harford Regional
2011 “The Boss” Award (from Team Beta #2836), Hartford Regional
2011 Regional Champion, Chesapeake Regional
2010 Industrial Safety Award, Hartford Regional
2009 Industrial Safety Award Runner up, District of Columbia Regional