Our preseason part of the year spans from the summer through December. While our hours are reduced, much work happens to grow the team, especially in Outreach events and team building.

To start, over the summer, LigerBots teens participated in an eight week LigerBots Adaptive Engineering Internship program at Newton North. The projects included a set of foldable light-up display panels, a device to alert blind individuals of high obstacles, and a suction device to conform to and pick up objects.

 Students work on their project

In September, us and fourteen other teams participated in Nor’Easter at Melrose High School. We used our 2025 Reefscape robot and finished third overall.

 Nor’Easter competition play in action

NE RoboCon 2025, organized by us, was held in Cambridge and brought FRC teams together for robotics talks and hands-on challenges like a LEGO catapult, where the LigerBots shined. The event also featured a trebuchet demo, engaging presentations such as FRC Team 2079’s programming session, and announcements of upcoming FLL competitions in November.      

 Fun Trebuchet Demo

At RoboBoston 2025, we showcased our outreach and competition robots, led STEAM activities like origami, and engaged families with interactive demonstrations. We also connected with tech companies, celebrated the community’s enthusiasm for science and robotics, and even met Boston Mayor Michelle Wu!

 LigerBots march through the streets of Boston, with their robot

At Newtonville Village Day 2025, we hosted a booth with activities like binary bead bracelets and robot demonstrations, engaging over 40 kids and many families. The event highlighted our mission of community outreach, sparking enthusiasm for robotics while building connections with visitors.

 Attendees engage with our outreach robot

At the GreenEXPO during Newton’s Harvest Fair 2025, we engaged families with activities like Binary Beads and showcased their Outreach Robot launching tennis balls. The event drew over 1,000 attendees and highlighted our team’s impact on inspiring young minds in the community.

 Attendees (again) engage with our outreach robot

At RiverRage 28, we competed with our robot Hydra, winning several matches and gaining valuable drive team experience. The off-season event also gave new members hands-on practice in the pits.

 Competition play at RiverRage, our robot pictured in the center

At Newton’s annual Pumpkin Smash 2025, we used a battering-ram-style machine to smash donated pumpkins from the Newton community, which were then composted. The event drew hundreds of community members, featured STEAM activities for kids, and promoted upcoming FLL competitions.

 Wide shot of Pumpkin Smash

On November 10, 2025, we hosted our third FLL scrimmage at Newton North, giving five teams practice ahead of the November 22 qualifier. The event boosted teamwork, strategy, and fun, with participants showing clear improvement and enthusiasm throughout.

 Teams set up for their scrimmages

On November 22, 2025, we hosted our annual FLL Qualifier at Newton North High School, welcoming 25 teams to compete in archaeology-themed robot missions. The event featured matches, pit displays, origami activities, and an award ceremony, with eight teams advancing while all participants gained STEAM skills and celebrated gracious professionalism.

 Teams anxiously watch their robots at the Qualifier

The team had a great preseason. Ahead, we start our build season, with more hours and more meetings. It’s a long road ahead, but the journey is often more fun than the destination. (But of course we’d really like it if we went to FRC Worlds in Houston.)

Coming up after the holiday break is Kickoff, where the game for the robot to compete in is revealed, and the team will attend more outreach events which are great opportunities to make local community connections. It’s been great, and thank you for coming with us into 2026.