January episode: Kickoff season is here and for rookie hosts Faiz and Hannah, that means excitement, nerves, whiteboards, and a whole lot of caffeine.

In this high-energy episode of BEEyond Robotics, Faiz and Hannah break down what FRC Kickoff really looks like, why it feels impossible at first, and how teams prepare to tackle a brand-new game. From the reveal of REBUILT, to lessons learned from past FRC games, this episode is a full rookie-friendly guide to the most important day of the season.

You’ll hear about:

• What actually happens on FRC Kickoff day

• A whirlwind tour of iconic past FRC games and how they shaped robot design
• Rookie engineering tips for strategy, prototyping, and design
• How each sub-team prepares for Kickoff—from build and software to CAD, media, safety, and business
• The realities of running a northern, rural, island-based robotics team
• Why 3-Day Builds matter and how teams learn from them
• What the FRC season timeline really looks like after Kickoff

Faiz and Hannah also check in with their sub-team leads, share stories from veteran team members, and highlight the sponsors and community supporters who make their season possible.

Whether you’re a rookie team, a veteran looking back, or a STEM fan curious about how robotics seasons begin, this episode captures the chaos, creativity, teamwork, and excitement that define FIRST Robotics.

Listen to BEEyond Robotics on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and YouTube.

Buzz. Belong. Build. Beyond. 🐝