Welcome
Welcome to the official homepage of Lightning Robotics, FIRST team 862! We joined FIRST Robotics Competition in 1999, and operate out of the Plymouth-Canton Community School District in southeast Michigan.
Great News from West Michigan!
We are happy to say that we had another very successful event, this time at the FIRST in Michigan West MI District Qualifier. We were undefeated (17-0!!), were ranked #2 at the end of Qualification Rounds, were part of the #1 ranked alliance, our alliance won the event, Julia won the Dean's List Finalist position, and our team is now ranked #3 out of the 528 teams in Michigan!
Great News from Belleville!
We are happy to say that we had a very successful event at the FIRST in Michigan Belleville District Qualifier. We were the captain of the #1 ranked alliance, our alliance won the event, and our team won the Impact Award!
What's Happening This Week?
Spring Break and preparation for State Championship
What's Happening Next Week?
Final preparations, then State Championship
2025 Game Challenge
This year’s game is called REEFSCAPE. Here is a video description.
Schedule
Thursday, April 3, 2025 (Day 1)
8:00AM-10:30AM Drop-and-Go Load-In (Pits Not Open)
10:30AM-11:00AM Regular Load-In,
Pits Open,
Inspections Begin
11:00AM-Lunch Start of Practice Matches
12:30PM-1:30PM Lunch for DTE and Consumers Fields
1:00PM-2:00PM Lunch for Hemlock Semiconductor and Aptiv Fields
Lunch-3:00PM End of Practice Matches
3:30PM-4:00PM Drivers’ Meeting
4:30PM-5:00PM Opening Ceremonies
5:00PM-7:300PM Qualification Matches
~8:30PM* Pits Close 60
minutes after the
conclusion of the last match
Friday, April 4, 2025 (Day 2)
8:00AM Pits Open
9:00AM-9:30AM Opening Ceremonies
9:30AM-Lunch Qualification Matches
12:30PM-1:30PM Lunch for DTE and
Consumers Fields
1:00PM-2:00PM Lunch for Hemlock Semiconductor
and Aptiv Fields
Lunch-6:00PM Qualification Matches
6:30PM-7:00PM Alliance Selection
7:00PM-7:30PM Dean’s List Recognition
~8:30PM* Pits close 60
minutes after
the end of
Alliance Selection
Saturday, April 5, 2025 (Day 3)
8:00AM Pits Open
9:00AM-9:30AM Opening Ceremonies
(Including WFFA Announcement)
9:30AM-1:00PM IntraDivisional Playoffs
and Awards
1:00PM-2:00PM Lunch
1:30PM-2:30PM Camera Calibrations and
Practice For Finals Teams
2:30PM-4:00PM InterDivisional Playoffs
4:00PM-5:00PM Final Awards followed by Worlds Invitations
~5:00PM* Pits Close
* All times are estimated
based on flow of rounds
Livestream Video
This event has four game fields, called Divisions or Fields. Each Division operates like a stand-alone event, using the same rules and structure as the qualifier events such as Belleville or West Michigan. The winning alliance from each Division will then play the other winners to determine the overall State Championship Winning Alliance.
Einstein Field: The finals of the event are played on one of the four fields listed above, which is then renamed the Einstein field. This is usually the DTE field, but we don’t yet know for sure.
We do not yet know which Division we will be in. We will update this page as soon as Division assignments are announced.
You can watch the livestream directly in your web browser or through the Twitch app
Event info and Match Schedule
Event information, match schedule, and match results can be found at any of these links:
Match schedules are typically released late on Wednesday or early on Thursday
New this year: All concessions at Saginaw Valley State University are cashless
Those purchasing from the concessions will need a credit/debit card
There are no cash-to-card conversion stands on campus. Everyone will need to bring a card if they wish to purchase from the concessions.
This is SVSU-specific and not something our team or the event organizers can control.
Location
Saginaw Valley State University
Ryder Center
7400 Bay Rd
University Center, MI 48710
Map & Directions to Ryder Center
Venue Map of Ryder Center
General Info for Spectators at FIRST Events
All events are free for all spectators
All spectators are encouraged to visit the pit area to see the robots up close and to ask the teams questions about their robot and their team.
Many teams offer visitors small giveaways such as stickers, buttons, candies, etc.
Anyone entering the pit area must wear safety glasses at all times.
Event organizers often offer loaner glasses, but we recommend bringing your own in case the event’s loaners are all in use
Spectators do not need to wear safety glasses when they are outside of the pit area
Spectator seating is usually quite full. We strongly recommend that visitors leave all personal items -- including coats, bags or backpacks, etc. -- at home or in their vehicle.
Events are often quite loud. We strongly recommend ear protection -- ear muffs, etc. -- for small children and anyone that is sensitive to loud environments.
Lightning's Mission
Our mission is to provide opportunities for students to develop STEM and business skills, and to instill the Lightning Robotics values of STRIKE.
Student leadership,
Teamwork,
Resilience,
Inspiration,
Knowledge, and
Engagement