Somersfield Robotics Returns to International Competition
February 10, 2026 — Somersfield marked a significant milestone on February 8 as its Robotics team returned to international competition for the first time since 2019, competing at the Framingham Robotics Tournament in Boston, Massachusetts.
The team entered the event after an intense and accelerated preparation period. Training began in November using the VEX V5 metal system, a platform entirely new to the students. This presented a considerable challenge, particularly when compared with many competing teams that had been preparing since May with up to ten hours of training per week, compared with Somersfield’s 90 minutes during the weekly co-curricular programme time.
Arriving in Boston with an unfinished robot, the students immediately set to work, completing late-night builds in their hotel and testing their robot in less-than-conventional spaces. On Friday, the team was invited to Walsh School, where they benefited from early access to facilities, generous hospitality, and valuable collaboration with local teams who shared tactical insights and design feedback.
Saturday featured competition for high school and university teams, with more than 60 teams in attendance and an exceptionally high standard of robotics on display. Despite initial challenges and long hours of refinement, the Somersfield team continued to adapt and improve, supported by further collaboration during a team dinner hosted by Walsh School.
Sunday began with a 6:00 am start and challenging winter conditions, including snow and temperatures of -18°C(0°F). Final adjustments were made ahead of judging, and the team successfully passed inspection. Early practice and qualifying rounds proved demanding, but rapid learning and developing match strategy paid off. In the second qualifying round, Somersfield surged to 10th place out of 31 teams, later climbing to an impressive 8th overall.
An alliance was formed for the knockout stages, and while the team was eliminated in the quarterfinals, the result marked a notable achievement for a team new to international competition and entering late in the season.
Somersfield robotics team:
Ruston Selley ‘32 – Design and build
Mateusz Dudek-Mealy ‘32 – Design and build
G’en Bell ‘31 – Design and build
Colton Kearns ‘30 – Programming, including autonomous
Evan Nappée ‘30 – Driver
This competition represents a strong return to the international robotics stage for Somersfield and highlights the dedication and capability of its students.
