During the “Offseason” from May to September, members meet once or twice a week. Members have the opportunity to participate in events such as parades, speaking with sponsors, and bonding with other teammates during this time. Oftentimes, many students and mentors use this time as a rest break between the other seasons. Participation during this season is not required but highly recommended, as it strengthens bonds among other students and allows for more fun activities. Any upcoming freshman interested in robotics is more than welcome to attend the summer season events and see what our community has to offer.

In the MinneTrials Season, FRC Team 2181 GEARS splits up into 3-4 teams to make a smaller, scaled-down robot for competition in MinneTrials. MinneTrials is a local competition among Minnesota FRC teams. During this time, new members and returning members learn new skills and polish old skills. The team is split up into smaller teams to allow for more leadership positions and more cross-training of skills. The team meets 2 times a week. We also focus on outreach and fundraising this season to prepare for Build Season.

Competition Season follows after Build Season and is the time when we prepare and attend competitions. The team has multiple smaller scheduled competitions and competes at 2 regional competitions: Lake Superior Regional (Duluth) and the 10,000 Lakes Regional at 3M Arena at Mariucci. Meetings are still held every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, with the exception of Saturdays, potentially having competitions in exchange for workdays. 

The non-robot focus during this season is primarily on: Social Media, Awards, and Newsletters. Events may occasionally be held, but are a secondary focus.

Depending on the team’s performance and/or robot’s performance, we can qualify to attend FIRST World Championships, which is held in Texas and is a global event for all FRC Teams.