CBC’s robotics team off to world championships

Christian Brothers College (CBC) in Silverton will be sending one of their elite robotics teams to compete in the finals of this year’s World Robotics Olympiad (WRO).

The competition will take place in November 2019, in the city of Gyor, Hungary.

With the guidance of their coach Helder Rosas de Oliveira, the private school in Silverton went from unknowns in 2017, to revered, gold medalists by 2019, especially after two of their teams took gold and bronze respectively at the WRO qualifiers at rAge Expo 2019, an annual gaming convention in Johannesburg.

But despite their rapid ascension to fame in the severely competitive robotics world, the two boys who will be representing CBC at Hungary haven’t let it go to their head…Too much.

“I’m pretty calm about the Hungary trip, its my first time out of the country…But I’m still not too excited yet…I’m just thankful to God that we made it this far…” said Joel Olifant in Grade 9.

“I was fine with whatever outcome at rAge, but I was confident of victory because I have been competing in robotics since primary school level,” said Gabriel Goncalves in Grade 10, who will be travelling with Olifant to Hungary.

Coach De Oliveira spoke with the pride of a father when describing his boys’ exceptional performance, said: “We only started competing in 2017, but won multiple categories in nationals and provincials.

“In 2018, we were second in provincials and fourth in nationals. Our teams also took all three podium spots at the German School Pretoria Challenge.

READ MORE: CBC robotics team takes gold at rAge Expo 2019

“In 2019, our grade 5s won gold and silver certificates at national and provincial levels, we have a player ranked in the top 10 in the country, and we won gold and silver at the WRO soccer category at rAge 2019,” said De Oliveira.

CBC robotics quickly garnered a legendary reputation since it rolled into the scene less than three years ago, but De Oliveira, who has a programming background, somehow manages to prevent the winning streak from making the kids arrogant.

“You are only as good as your next game. I want them to build bridges instead of fighting with other teams because who knows if they will meet later on in life?

“It’s only at international level that players are extremely arrogant and competitive. South Africans are friendly but those kids won’t even greet you back. It’s the Australians we get along with,” said De Oliveira.

However, there has been a little rivalry within the CBC teams, Gabriel’s brother, Damien Goncalves and his team mate Matthew Whaley, who are both in Grade 8, couldn’t make it to Hungary because his team Infernos, were beaten 8:3 by his brothers team St Gabriels in the WRO semi finals at rAge.

“It was a shock because Infernos always beat my brothers side St Gabriels during training.” Said Damien.

“Sometimes the wins do get to your head, but we have learnt to have a poker face because we are being watched right now,” said his team mate Matthew.

School head Bernard Langton was just as proud of the children’s achievements. “The robotics class started with only eight children in late 2017. Today, we have 50-plus children from grade 4 prepping for WRO competitions with guidance from Helga.

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“The plan is to get every child in our school exposed to robotics from primary school level…

“…We are living in the 4th industrial revolution and 5G is around the corner, so it’s important that our learners get exposed to robotics starting at a grassroots level, but we are in talks with Nokia and the University of Pretoria for funding and sponsorship,” said Langton.

“Robotics is about 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, strategic and logical problem- solving and coding – the language of the future… From the time I got to CBC and saw the appetite for it, I was sold on giving it my full support as a strategic imperative of the college.”

He also expressed interest in making robotics a compulsory subject at CBC.

READ MORE: Drone technology to be part of Deutsche Schule robotics evening

“We are developing a more inclusive programme from grade R. It will be a compulsory subject in grades 4 and 8, while it remains an extra club where our learners are primed for competition at WRO…We also have an outreach focus to those learners from schools in our surrounding areas,” said Langton.

Both St Gabriels and Infernos agree on one thing though, “The East Asians, especially the Taiwanese, will be the toughest competition to beat in Hungary… We want to beat them.”

The two boys from CBC will arrive in Hungary just in time for the competition taking place from 8 to 10 November.

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