Ctrl-Alt-Defeat / Bay Area, California
About Team 9470
Team 9470 is based around BASIS Independent Fremont and open to students from the surrounding community. Every year, students design, build, program, and compete with a new robot.
The team is student-led — mentors and parents support, but students own the work and learn by doing real engineering under real deadlines.
FIRST Robotics Competition
About FRC
Every January, FRC teams are given a new game. Over the following weeks, students design mechanisms, manufacture parts, wire electronics, write code, test systems, fundraise, document, and compete. The work goes beyond the robot — students also handle scouting, match strategy, sponsor communication, budgeting, media, outreach, and pit operations.
That is what makes FRC different from a class project: the robot has to work in public, under time pressure, with other teams depending on it.
What Students Learn
Depending on their division, members may learn CAD, machining, wiring, Java, sensor integration, autonomous control, fundraising, budgeting, photography, graphic design, public speaking, or event planning. Just as importantly, they learn to communicate clearly, ask for help early, teach others, take responsibility, and solve problems under pressure.
- 01
Engineering & Build
CAD, machining, wiring, Java programming, sensor integration, autonomous control, prototyping, assembly, and testing.
- 02
Business & Outreach
Fundraising, budgeting, sponsor communication, grant writing, community outreach, and event planning.
- 03
Media & Design
Photography, graphic design, video production, social media, team documentation, and brand identity.
- 04
Teamwork & Leadership
Clear communication, ownership of responsibilities, teaching others, and working under real deadlines with real stakes.
Time Commitment
During the off-season, the team meets Saturdays 9 AM – 4 PM, with some Sundays added for extra training or project work. During build season, meetings expand to weekdays 4 – 9 PM and weekends 9 AM – 5 PM, when the robot is being designed, built, programmed, and tested under a tight deadline.
Spring competitions are full-day weekend events that may involve early mornings and overnight travel. Competition attendance is earned through consistent attendance, completed training, meaningful contribution, safety, and reliability.
Off-Season
Saturdays 9 AM – 4 PM
Some Sundays added as needed
Build Season
Weekdays 4 – 9 PM
Weekends 9 AM – 5 PM
Spring Competitions
Full-day weekend events
May include overnight travel
Earning Competition Spots
Consistent attendance & training
Meaningful contribution & safety
Team Divisions
Students join one primary division — mechanical design, fabrication, electrical, software, business, outreach, media, or demo/testing — but are not limited to it. It is common for design students to learn fabrication, software students to help test, and business students to support competition operations.
Why Join
Students do not just learn about engineering, software, manufacturing, business, or leadership — they use those skills to build something real. Members leave with practical skills, competition experience, leadership opportunities, and a much clearer understanding of what real engineering and teamwork look like.
No prior robotics experience is required. What matters most is commitment, curiosity, maturity, and willingness to learn.