Lightning Blue Lizards robotics team of TCS was created in 2018 by some students. This team has developed over the years, going to multiple competitions and upgrading the robot multiple times. But the robot needs something to run on, and the code is essential for this. Mathias Cardona, the 2025 FRC programming leader, explains his experience leading the programming team: “From overcoming simple mechanical constraints that hold our drivers back to engineering flawless autonomous navigation, the software you write is the ultimate game changer; it is the exact line between passing into the playoffs or failing on the field.”
The programming team also has to deal with more than just writing code. Managing the team means working with deadlines, different programmers, and problems that can happen during a competition. Mathias explains this experience by saying, “Managing the programming team as President Programmer was a masterclass in balancing tight deadlines with human variables.” These responsibilities make organization important because programmers have to work on the robot while also working with the other people on the team.
Being the president programmer is not only about developing the code, because there are also different people who have to work together during the FRC season. “In FRC, you quickly learn that your technical skills are only half the equation; the real challenge—and the real reward—is leading people through high-stress situations.” His experience shows how programming involves both the technical side of the code and the people working on it.
The code, however, does not stay the same after a programming team leaves. Ignacio Pascual, the current 2026 FRC programming leader, describes this development simply: “The code evolves every year.” The current programmers therefore work with code that was created and changed by students from previous years.
That previous work can still be seen in the current code. Ignacio explains, “The presence of senior developers is still evident in the newer code.” This means that the programming team does not completely start over every year, but instead continues developing what previous programmers left behind. The changes also depend on what happens with the robot itself. Ignacio says, “The team’s programming always evolves in step with the work done by the mechanics.” Changes made by the mechanical team can require the programming team to change the code as well.
From a teacher and FRC team leader perspective, Julian Zúñiga has also seen changes in the way students approach programming. He explains, “AI has definitely changed the way students perceive code since 2022.” AI has therefore become another part of how students approach programming and solving problems.
Previous programmers have also left work that newer students can continue using. Julian describes this process by saying, “So every year, I think each programmer leaves a project on the robot, and we recycle it.” This connects to Ignacio’s point that the seniors can still be seen in newer code, showing how programming continues from one group of students to another.
Programming also cannot develop separately from the mechanical side of the robot. Julian explains the connection directly: “We cannot program without a mechanical structure.” The mechanical structure gives the programmers something to work with, while the programming makes the robot’s different systems work. The code may change every year, but its development continues with the students and the robot that they build together.