Team Spotlight: FTC Team 11719 Iron Hook

FTC Team 11719 Iron Hook is a West Texas team that is more than just robots and matches. It is a family that grows together through shared challenges and opportunities, continually refining their design and pushing themselves to be the best each season. Each year gives the team a chance to reconnect with fellow West Texas teams, build lasting relationships, and continue a journey that has made a meaningful impact on every member.

Like many teams in rural or underserved areas, Iron Hook faces real challenges when it comes to access to funding and resources. Competing against teams from larger communities with easier access to equipment and support is not always easy. These challenges have pushed the team to think outside the box and strengthened their determination to make the most of what they have.

Through every iteration of the team, one thing has remained constant. Iron Hook is a place where members bond, grow, and support one another. The team values the time they spend together developing engineering skills, engaging in outreach, and building connections within the broader engineering community. They believe that when people come together with passion and purpose, there is no limit to what they can achieve.

This season, Iron Hook is especially motivated. Coming off a year where they narrowly missed qualifying for the World Championships, the team is excited to continue refining their design and pushing themselves to reach the next level of competition. That near-qualification stands out as one of their favorite memories, not just for the achievement, but for the strong team bond that carried them through the season.

Looking ahead, Iron Hook hopes to leave behind a legacy that goes beyond awards and rankings. They want to be a team that future students are excited to join and one that other teams across West Texas respect for their character, collaboration, and willingness to help others. In the pits and on the field, they strive to be known not only as strong competitors, but also as a reliable and supportive presence.

Their advice to newer teams in rural or underserved areas reflects a long-term perspective. Building a sustainable team takes time, patience, and multiple generations of students. Skills are learned, shared, and passed down, creating a cycle that strengthens the program year after year. Even if sustainability is not achieved in a single generation, the impact those students make will continue long after they graduate.

When Iron Hook takes the field, they hope people notice a team that competes hard, works together, and shows up for others. Through collaboration, mentorship, and a willingness to lend a helping hand, Iron Hook embodies the spirit of teamwork that defines FIRST in Texas.