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Our 2025-26 season simply would not have been possible without the generosity of our sponsors. Their donations gave our students the parts, the tools, and the opportunities to design, build, and compete – all the way to the FIRST World Championship in Houston. From everyone at River City Robotics, thank you.

Our Club Sponsor

A heartfelt thank you to our Club Sponsor, The Internet Centre, whose belief in our club stands behind everything we do.

Our Team Sponsors

We are equally grateful to the local businesses whose generous donations power our teams:

• Crystal Glass
• Trace Applications (MetalTrace)
• Norfab Mfg
• Smart Squad
• Bernie’s Electric Supplies

Please consider supporting the companies that support our kids. You can read more about each of them, and why they are such a great fit for our club, on our Sponsors page. Thank you for believing in the next generation of Alberta engineers and innovators.

Our Families and Volunteers

Finally, a heartfelt thank you to the parents, families, and volunteers who gave so generously of their time and their money this season. From driving to competitions and chaperoning events to mentoring, fundraising, and cheering us on, you are the backbone of River City Robotics. Our season was as successful as it was because of you.

Go River City.

What a season for River City Robotics. Our two FIRST Tech Challenge teams, Gladius and the Dapperbots, both brought home awards this year, capped by a trip to the World Championship for one team and an invitation to compete internationally for the other.

Team Gladius

In only their second year, Gladius won the Inspire Award at the Inukshuk Interleague Tournament. The Inspire Award is the top honour in FIRST Tech Challenge, given to the team that does everything well: a strong robot, a detailed engineering portfolio, and genuine community outreach. That win carried them to the FIRST World Championship in Houston, as one of only 14 teams from across Canada, where they won four matches in the Edison Division. At the Alberta Championship they reached the playoff finals and earned the Sustain Award 2nd Place.

The Dapperbots

Now in their third year, the Dapperbots are a student-led team that prides itself on strong engineering, on mentoring newer teams, and on building community with the clubs around them. They earned the Inspire Award 3rd Place at the Inukshuk Interleague Tournament, and at the Alberta Championship they won the Judges’ Choice Award, a special honour the judging panel gives to a team that stands out. Their season is not finished, either: this summer the Dapperbots are taking their robot international, with an invitation to the Mexico Premier Event, putting River City Robotics on the world stage alongside teams from around the globe. For a young team, an international invitation is a milestone the whole club is proud of.

The teams

Gladius is Sam Kraiger, Jack Rehill, Luke Meier, Tavin Mitchell, and Walter Hrudey, coached by Kevin Kraiger, Shawn Rehill, and Angela Meier. The Dapperbots are Connor, Jack, Calvin, Adam, and Armin. Thank you to our families and sponsors who made this season possible.

The season in pictures

Go River City.