The Watsco Center was filled with something other than basketball games on Friday. Students participated in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s campus in Coral Gables. The winners earn a spot to compete in Houston at the 2026 FIRST World Championship, which is the World’s Largest K-12 Robotics Event.
According to FPL, which was a sponsor of Friday’s event, the 47 teams from South Florida, other parts of the U.S. and the world competed at regionals that included hundreds of high schools. The competition pairs high-school students with professional mentors who help them design and build robots. The matches that the robots compete in test their effectiveness. .
Students from Team 79 Krunch and Team 4010 PrepaTec-Nautilus participate in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Madilyn Myers, 18, left, and Julia Brooks, 17, both members of Electrotechs, a 4-H team from Western Pennsylvania, drive their robot, Project Digger, as their coach, Alex Caldwell, gives instructions during the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Cocoa Beach High School students with Team 1592 Bionic Tigers participate in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Ismail Eruz, 15, left, and Burak Pektas, 17, both members of MASAL, a team from Marmaris Sabanci High School in Muğla, Turkey, drive their robot, Fairy Tale, as their coach, Ismail Pektas, gives instructions during the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Palm Beach Central High School student Riley McLaughlin, 15, a member of the Bionic Broncos, pushes his team’s robot, Bucky Barnes, as he and his team compete in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Middleton High School student Anderson Sears, 16, a member of Minotaur, works on repairing a wheel on his team’s robot, Endeavor, as they prepare to compete in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Suncoast Community High School students Jason Pitchford, 18, center, in green, and C.J. Crawford, 17, far right, drive their team’s robot, SwampThing, as they compete in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Students from Team 79 Krunch, Team Robo-Rays Robotics and Team 1523 MARS (Mega Awesome Robotic Systems) participate in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Artiom Ryabkov, 20, a member of Kraken, a Polish team from Technikum New Technology, participates in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Student Ranfi Serra Guzman, 17, center, a member of Team Force from Comunidad Educativa Lux Mundi in the Dominican Republic, pushes his team’s robot as they compete in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Palm Beach Central High School student Kareem Ahmed, 18, a member of the Bionic Broncos, troubleshoots his team’s robot, Bucky Barnes, as they prepare to compete in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Student Andre Ronquillo, 17, far right, a member of Nautilus from Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico, troubleshoots his team’s robot, El Santo, as FIRST technical advisor Will Davies, center, assists before the team competes in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Student Andre Ronquillo, 17, left, a member of Nautilus from Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico, troubleshoots his team’s robot, El Santo, as FIRST technical advisor Will Davies, center, assists before the team competes in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Ismail Eruz, 15, right, and Burak Pektas, 17, both members of MASAL, a team from Marmaris Sabanci High School in Muğla, Turkey, push their robot, Fairy Tale, before competing in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Students from Team 9404 Forge and Team 8859 Bora Robotics participate in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
William T. Dwyer High School students with Team 1523 MARS (Mega Awesome Robotic Systems) participate in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Middleton High School student Anderson Sears, 16, right, a member of Minotaur, helps push his team’s robot, Endeavor, as they prepare to compete in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
South Dade Senior High School student Christian Diaz, 16, right, a member of Buccaneer Robotics, troubleshoots his team’s robot, Placidusax, as they prepare to compete in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Middleton High School student Roshan Maha Balaji, 16, a member of Minotaur, wears various pins as he participates in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Coral Park Senior High School student Erick Fernandez, 15, far right, a member of Ram Tech, waits alongside his team’s robot, Rico, as they prepare to compete in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Dillard High School students with Team 108 SigmaC@T Robotics lift their robot after they participated in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Students from Team 6743 Tiger Engineering and Team 11267 MASAL participate in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
William H. Turner Technical Arts High School student Shayna Smith, 17, right, a member of Iron Eagle Robotics, and her coach, Jervin Thompson, center, overlook their team’s robot, Iron Ruckus, as they prepare to compete in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
Students participate in the 2026 FIRST Robotics South Florida Regional Competition at the University of Miami’s Watsco Center on Friday, April 10, 2026, in Coral Gables, Fla. Participants from local school districts, surrounding states, and international teams are competing for an opportunity to earn a spot at the 2026 FIRST World Championship. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@miamiherald.com
