On January 9, 2004, in The Woodlands, Texas, Team 1477 was founded by Doug Adams and Anadarko as the Northside Roboteers. With just a dozen students working out of a U-Haul storage unit, Team 1477 had no real connections to the community or other sponsors. In 2008 Mr. Rippetoe, our current Lead Mentor, joined, and in 2009 the Northside Roboteers reformed into Texas Torque.
Our new name brought with it a new professional image and a remarkably productive team. In the 2010 season, we outgrew the U-Haul unit, so Conroe ISD graciously provided us with a classroom located at College Park High School to meet our needs. Later, a bond passed that included the wonderful robotics lab we now work out of.
We are incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to spread STEM and FIRST not only in our community, but worldwide. Our outreach spans across 24 countries, and is still growing.
Now, in 2020, we have impacted thousands of students around the community and formed alliances with dozens of companies. Currently, the team is comprised of over 50 members. Our members come from all across Conroe ISD and local private/homeschools.
FIRST Frenzy: 2004 FRC Season
Founded as Woodlands Engineering Robotics, team 1477 made a respectable entrance as a rookie team at the Lone Star Regional, with the help and enthusiasm of the Woodlands based Anadarko Petroleum Corporation.
Triple Play: 2005 FRC Season
After a relatively successful rookie year in FIRST, 1477 decided it was time to adopt a team name. The Northside Roboteers was agreed upon, reflecting the team’s location in the North Houston area. With a season’s experience under their belt, they sought to one up the year before by learning from their mistakes. Nearly doubling in size, the team had a much larger base of students and mentors to complete the task.
Aim High: 2006 FRC Season
With a taste of the eliminations, team 1477 set off to repeat what they had done the previous year, make a repeat appearance in the eliminations.
Rack ‘n’ Roll: 2007 FRC Season
Team 1477 continued to improve with robot Chutney at the Lone Star Regional.
Drivers: Kevin Jenks, Jesse Tannahill, Aaron Rice, Giovanni Rossi
Human Player: Aaron Plauche
Coach: Doug Adams
FIRST Overdrive: 2008 FRC Season
Our current Lead Mentor, Mr. Rippetoe, joined and the team continued to improve. Thanks to his help, The Northside Roboteers won their very first blue banner–and then a second one. An impressive feat for a younger team!
Driver: Brett Wickizer
Spotters: James Tonthat, Aaron Rice
Robocoaches: Rayne Beridon, Aaron Rice, Giovanni Rossi, Michael Rippetoe
Coach: Scott Rippetoe
Lunacy: 2009 FRC Season
Another blue banner was won at the Bayou Regional Competition, and with newfound confidence a decision was made to re-brand at the beginning of the 2010 season.
Drivers: Chris Lin, Michael Metz
Shooter: Phillip
Human Players: Andy Luke, Michael Metz
Coaches: Scott Rippetoe (Lone Star, Championship), Brett Wickizer (Bayou)
Breakaway: 2010 FRC Season
Team 1477 officially transformed from The Northside Roboteers to Team 1477 Texas Torque.
Drivers: Matt Duszynski, Philip LeGoubin
Coach: Scott Rippetoe
Logo Motion: 2011 FRC Season
Texas Torque gets back on track and wins the Lone Star Regional, reigniting their confidence after a disappointing 2010 season.
Drivers: Nirav Suraiya, Heejip Moon
Human Player: Sean O’Neil
Coaches: Scott Rippetoe, James Tonthat
Rebound Rumble: 2012 FRC Season
Texas Torque received the honor of meeting with U.S. House Representative Kevin Brady to discuss the expansion of STEM education for all. Velociriptar won the Alamo Regional and Bayou Regional.
Drivers: Conor McMahon, Anne Claire Wageman
Human Player: Grant Jacobsen
Coaches: Scott Rippetoe, James Tonthat
Ultimate Ascent: 2013 FRC Season
2013 was a life-changing season for Texas Torque. Sonic brought the team to new heights, competition by competition, all leading up to the World Championship in St. Louis, Missouri. After the exhilarating win in the Galileo division, Texas Torque teamed up with Team 610 The Crecent Coyotes, and Team 1241 THEORY6 and went on to win the 2013 World Championships. Texas Torque went home a new team, elated with success, but unaware of the glorious opportunities their achievement would bring not only themselves, but people around the world.
Drivers: Robert Oakley, Anne Claire Wageman
Human Player: Grant Jacobsen
Coaches: Scott Rippetoe, James Tonthat
Aerial Assist: 2014 FRC Season
Texas Torque’s extraordinary win threw the team into Nationwide spotlight, appearing on FOX News, gaining many new sponsors, and a 340% growth in female members in just one year. We had an exciting season, winning a Chairman’s Award for the first time, as well as returning to the final field at World Championships. For the first time, our team had an opportunity to encourage FIRST beyond our own nation. We assisted one of our members, a foreign exchange student, in creating a copy of our 2014 robot Rev1 to bring back to his home country of Norway. This robot was introduced to the Norwegian Minister of Technology, who was excited to help spread the program. Teams were soon created by schools, and thus cultivated FIRST In Scandinavia. Texas Torque was honored with meeting basketball legend James Harden, who signed our 2012 robot and was enraptured with our basketball-shooting bot. We also participated in FIRST Pitch for a second year in a row with the Astros, introducing the opportunities our program provides to a whole new demographic.
Drivers: Robert Oakley, Connor Smith
Human Player: Jacob Lubecki
Coaches: Scott Rippetoe, James Tonthat
Recycle Rush: 2015 FRC Season
U.S. House Representative Kevin Brady visited our annual offseason competition The Remix, and The Woodlands Robotics Day was established. We participated in multiple community events, such as SCI://TECH, Comicpalooza, Houston Mini Maker Faire, and Sounds By The Shore.
Drivers: Patrick McCabe, Connor Smith
Human Player: Alex Choi
Coach: Scott Rippetoe
FIRST Stronghold: 2016 FRC Season
2016 brought a new Chairman’s Award, and continued efforts to create and pass a bond that would improve and support STEM education in CISD. This bond would not only provide a new Robotics Lab, but Robotics courses at local High Schools.
Drivers: Ayesh Sondapperumaarachchi, London Darce
Human Player: Matthew Webb
Coach: Scott Rippetoe
FIRST STEAMworks: 2017 FRC Season
Drivers: Eric Roth, London Darce
Human Players: Noah Tatman, Julian Fritz
Pilot: Brunon Walczak
Coach: Scott Rippetoe
FIRST Power Up!: 2018 FRC Season
Drivers: Eric Roth, Ben Endara
Human Player: Julian Fritz
Technician: Jonathan Lowe
Coach: Scott Rippetoe
Deep Space: 2019 FRC Season
Drivers: Brant de Groot, Ben Endara
Human Player: Jackson Schilling
Technician: Daniel Zou
Coach: Scott Rippetoe
Infinite Recharge: 2020 FRC Season