Our Team – MindCraft Robotics

The 2018-2019 Mindcraft Robotics Team, ready for the start of the Destination: DEEP SPACE season.
Team 3495, praising their JBT FOODTECH Judges Award, earned in their last FIRST Power Up competition at the annual MadTown ThrowDown in Madera, California.
George being loaded up into his shipping crate, ready to be sent back home to Fresno after a hard yet fun run at the FIRST Championships in Houston, Texas.
(From right to left)Cyrus, Garrett, and Cruz bringing George onto the Hopper Division field, ready to take on our apposing alliance.
(right to left)Mateo, a rookie driver, alongside Cyrus, now a veteran driver, about to begin another match during the FIRST Championships.
Mindcraft's proudest creation: George, in all its double reverse four-bar glory.
Though not the largest team, Team 3495 sure is the loudest!
Home of the 2018 FIRST Power Up Championships, hosted in Houston, Texas
The 2018 Mindcraft Robotics trailer, displaying all our proud sponsors upon the teams arrival in Houston, Texas
The excitement Mindcraft felt after receiving the Excellence in Engineering Award presented by DELPHI, during the 2018 Central Valley Regional.
Scout Captain Jayden on his way to accept team 3495's alliance nomination at CVR.
Freshman Programmer Fatima, making adjustments to George's autonomous mode before a match.
Team 3495's "pit team" making necessary tune ups to George in preparation for future matches.
Mindcraft's innovative double reverse four bar allowed for a unique technique to be used in order for our robot to climb the Power Up scale.
Team 3495 is always determined and ready to face off against opposing alliances!
Mindcraft really reached for the stars with their double reverse four bar!
Communication and focus being emulated from the Drive Team and Drive Coach.
Garrett(Senior) making the day's first tune up during the first day of the Central Valley Regional.

Founded in 2011 initially as the RoboTigers, FRC team 3495 found its humble beginnings within the garage of its founding mentor, and current Duncan Dynamics 3970 mentor, Dou Hong. Team 3495 would later go on to re-brand itself under a new name in order to better orient themselves with their slogan: “Mindcraft – crafting the minds of tomorrow. ”

In Mindcraft’s inaugural year, during the LOGOMOTION season, the team was able to compete in the Sacramento Regional, and ranked 41st out of 53 present teams. Though not the best in terms of ranking, the fact that a rookie team was able to compete in a regional throughout all its qualification matches is a feat within itself.

In the years following Mindcraft’s first season, the team expanded into participating in not one, but two regional competitions, on an every other year basis, then later an every year basis. The regional competitions attended consisted of combinations of the Central Valley, Sacramento, and Las Vegas Regional. Aside from attending two regional competitions following the build season, Mindcraft also participates in the annual MadTown ThrowDown, winning the overall championship round in an alliance with the Buchanan Birdbrains(1671), and Spartan Robotics(971) in 2015.

2015 was a very special year for the team. That year marked the very first appearance of team 3495 in the F.I.R.S.T. FRC St. Louis Championship for the game: RECYCLE RUSH, specifically competing in the Curie Division of the event. Though the team may not have progressed beyond the qualification stage of the competition, attending the Championship as well as placing in the top 30 of hundreds of teams was an accomplishment within itself.

Mindcraft would once again attend the F.I.R.S.T. Championship in Houston, Texas in 2018. In one of the team’s standout years, the members created two of their most iconic robots, dubbed George and Jorge respectively.