Seasonal Kickoff 2026

January 10–16, 2026 | Manhattan, KS

The start of a new FIRST Robotics season is always exciting, but the kickoff of this season’s game, FIRST Robotics: Rebuilt, has brought a whole new level of energy to the Little Apple Cyborgs. With the game reveal underway, our team is in the middle of learning, brainstorming, and gearing up for another thrilling season. As the kickoff week unfolds, our team is diving into the game reveal–analyzing rules, discussing strategies, and beginning early design conversations such as evaluating scoring mechanisms and field constraints. The energy in the room reflects both anticipation and focus as students collaborate and share ideas for the challenges ahead. This year’s game has sparked immediate enthusiasm across the team. Mason, our co-president, shared his excitement during the opening week: “I’m excited that this year’s game is a shooting game. I’m really hyped and I think we have a lot of enthusiasm coming into this season.” That enthusiasm is already shaping productive discussions as members explore creative and effective scoring methods. Micah echoed the team’s optimism as kickoff unfolds, saying, “I have great hopes about this season for this year. Kickoff went great, ready for a great season.” With kickoff still underway, Team 5968 is motivated to keep the momentum going. As the season begins, the Little Apple Cyborgs are building excitement, strengthening teamwork, and turning early ideas into plans that will guide us through the build season and into competition.