Kearnage Krushers
Team #30741

2025: KEARNAGE KRUSHERS INAUGURIAL YEAR! 

Important Upcoming Dates

9/6/2025 Season Kickoff 10AM-2PM

10/10/2025 Homecoming Parade 

2/7/2026 KC East League Tournament 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is FTC?

What is this years FTC robotics challenge? 

Can I see what last years FTC challenge looked like? 

When and where are team meetings?

Team Meetings will be Tuesdays and Thursdays 6-8PM in Room 238 (next to the gym) at Kearney Middle School. We will also meet on select Saturdays (dates will be communicated with parents). Drop-off and pickup will be in the car rider lane on the east side of the school building. Please notify Coach Morris if you will not be able to make it to a meeting. Consistent attendance is crucial for our teams success!

How many competitions will Kearnage Krushers participate in? 

Meets: 3

This is our first inaugural year having an FTC Team in Kearney and we are planning to compete in 3 league meets. FTC meets are half day events that take place November 1st through January 10th (specific meet dates will be announced at a later date). Think of meets as like local school level competitions, they are informal or scrimmage-like events simulating real competition settings in a low-pressure environment against teams in nearby school districts. Meets are great for working out all the kinks, testing robot code, calibrating defenses and building teamwork. Unlike official tournaments where rankings and advancement decisions are made, meets are not tied to advancement criteria, awards, or formal judging. Why participate in meets? Practice makes perfect! We can trial different autonomous routines, test drive controls, and iterate quickly. Strategic Bonus! We can try multiple and new approaches in a safe setting lowering the risk of robot damage. Peer Learning! We can share and collaborate solutions across teams to improve creativity and problem-solving. Preparation for Judging! Although meets are unofficial, we will use meets as a dry-run for how actual competition will run and look. 

KC East League Tournament: 1

After we battle it out at the 'meet level' and perfect our robot for the challenge, we will compete in the KC East League Tournament on Saturday, February 7th, 2026. This will be an all day event. Last year, 28 teams went up against each other in this tournament and 3 teams went on to advance to the Missouri Kansas Championship. 

*If we qualify to advance to the Missouri Kansas Championship, more details will follow at that time. 

Who will we be competing against? 

Who is the FTC Robotics Coach? 

How Can I Help?

How can you help? Well, we're soo glad you asked! Kearney Robotics would not be where we are today without the help of parents, friends, our community and partners! There are lots of ways to help support Kearney Robotics and your child on the Kearnage Krushers FTC Team. Below are a few ways you can get involved: 

Join Kearnage Pit Crew! Our Kearney Robotics Volunteer Booster Club. Kearnage Pit Crew is made up of volunteers who organize team meals, assist with fulfilling team Wishlist's, provide logistical support, fundraising and anything else throughout the season for the Kearney Robotics Team.  

Become  A Mentor! Have a few hours each week to share a skill set with Kearney Robotics students? Fields we're looking for are software engineer, electrical engineer, photography, videography, grant writing, web design, fundraising, marketing, computer aided design (CAD), and the list goes on. If you have a skill that you are willing to share with our robotics students, please reach out to Coach Morris! 

Donate Snacks and Meals! We are always accepting snack and drink donations, as well as sponsors or volunteers for team meals. You can send in a case(s) of individually packaged snacks and drinks with your student to meetings. We go through soo many snacks to keep them energized and focused. Check-in with your child often and ask if the teams snack stash needs replenished! There will also likely be the need or opportunity for team meal nights throughout the year, especially during crunch time before competitions when we're working on last minute fine tuning and adjustments! If you'd like to sponsor a meal for the team, reach out to the Kearnage Pit Crew or Coach Morris and we can work through those logistics. Later in the year,  we will also be seeking snack and meal donations or sending out signups for food while we are at competition events.

Donate In-Kind! If you prefer not to or cannot donate financially, and want to know exactly where your money is going to support the team, we will graciously accept in-kind donations! Our team Amazon Wishlist is currently in progress of being updated. But, in the mean time, we are in immediate need of white poster board, Sharpies, Crayola Broad Line Markers. acrylic paint, paint brushes, foam brushes, homecoming float decorations (purple & yellow streamers, balloons, glitter, fringe garland, felt, ribbon, etc), candy for team to hand out (Dum-Dums, Smarties, etc), etc. We are preparing to decorate our robotics trailer for the Homecoming Parade on October 10th, 2025! If you are interested in making other in-kind donations, please contact Coach Morris. 

Donate Financially Toward The Team! Let's face it...robotics equipment, registration fees, travel costs, food, etc...it's expensive! Last year the Kearney Robotics Teams budget was $30,000. This year, we've added a Middle/Junior High Team, increasing our operating budget to $75,000! If you can't contribute financially, that's okay! There are so many ways to still be involved and support our team. Students are always welcome! There is no required student fee to be on the team. Other options and ways that some of our team parents contribute: Consider reaching out to your employer to see if they would be interested in sponsoring or partnering with our team! Also, many companies that our team parents work for offer 'company match' donations. Or, they'll donate to the team for every hour of volunteer time  that you contribute. If this is an option for you, or your company offers this type of program, please reach out to Coach Morris. All donations made to Kearney Robotics are tax deductible. Donations can be made through the Kearney School District Education Foundation, a 501(c)3, or the Kearney School District. For more information, please contact Coach Morris. Visit 'Donate Now' to make a one time donation at any time, or to setup a recurring monthly donation.

Where can I find more information about FIRST, FTC, etc?

FIRST: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology

FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC)

FIRST In Missouri (FTC)

FIRST In Missouri FTC Newsletter SignUp

FIRST FTC YouTube Page (Competition Videos)

For more information on how you can become part of the team, contact Kearney Robotics at FTCteam30741@gmail.com.