FireBots Ignite: Holy Family Robotics Teams Headed for New Challenges

After a stellar performance at their league qualifier, team members Jack Willenbring, Luke Tyson, and Logan Clough earned the coveted FTC Inspire Award. This honor recognizes teams that embody the spirit of FIRST© and serve as role models for others. They also clinched second overall, earning their place at the FTC State Championship at Burnsville High School on February 14 and 15.

For Jack, a seasoned mechanical lead on the team and captain of the FRC team, the recognition is more than just an award. "The Inspire Award means we’re doing something bigger than just building a robot. It’s about teamwork, creativity, and showing others what’s possible," he shares.

The FireBots aren’t just impressive for their technical skill—they’re also adept at finding answers. Their advisor, Nick Livermore, is quick to commend the team’s determination. “Every challenge they faced, they found a way to work through it,” he says. “They don’t just build robots—they build solutions.”

FTC vs. FRC: Two Leagues, One Passion for Innovation

While the FireBots prepare to battle it out in the FTC State Championship, Holy Family’s FRC (FIRST Robotics Competition) team PyroBotics is hard at work on an entirely different scale. The difference between the two competitions lies in both the robots themselves and the challenges they face.

FTC, which features smaller teams, focuses on building compact robots that are typically no taller than a large toaster oven. These robots navigate intricate tasks in a relatively confined arena. The emphasis is on ingenuity, programming, and working with limited materials.

FRC, on the other hand, is robotics on a grand scale. Teams are tasked with creating massive, industrial-style robots that must complete complex challenges in an expansive field. This year’s challenge, REEFSCAPE, tasks FRC teams with designing robots that mimic real-world applications in restoring and preserving coral reefs. Sponsored by Haas, the challenge encourages students to blend engineering and environmental stewardship, bringing innovation to one of the world’s most fragile ecosystems.

“FTC feels like solving a puzzle, while FRC feels like building a skyscraper,” says Logan Clough, who participates in both programs. “With FRC, it’s not just the size of the robot—it’s the size of the challenge that’s exciting.”

The FireBots’ FTC success serves as a motivating spark for the FRC team, which is in the thick of their build season. With just a few weeks until the competition, they’re designing and refining their robot to face the REEFSCAPE challenge head-on.

A Community of Problem Solvers

For advisor Nick Livermore, the robotics program is more than an extracurricular—it’s a place where students come to think big. “The most rewarding part of being involved in robotics is watching these kids take ownership of their ideas,” Livermore says. “They’re not afraid to fail, and that’s what makes them succeed.”

Logan Clough, the team’s programmer, explains how that mindset shaped their recent success. “Programming is all about problem-solving,” he says. “When something doesn’t work, you don’t give up—you try a new approach. That’s what makes robotics so exciting: there’s always another way to tackle the challenge.”

As for what’s next, the FireBots are determined to make a splash at the state championship, while their eight additional FRC peers aim to create a robot that can leave its mark on REEFSCAPE. Both teams embody the spirit of Holy Family—collaboration, innovation, and a spark of something greater.

“It’s not just about the robot,” says Luke Tyson, the FRC mechanical lead. “It’s about what we’re learning and how we’re growing as a team. Winning is great, but the process is what really inspires us.”

This year, it’s clear: Holy Family Robotics is more than a team—it’s a movement. From the FTC state championship to the FRC’s REEFSCAPE challenge, the FireBots are igniting a passion for innovation that shows no signs of burning out.