NOTE: Due to pandemic-related changes in the Girls of Steel meeting schedule, we are no longer holding events or practices for guests and members of other FIRST teams at the practice field. Please contact us at girlsofsteelrobotics@gmail.com with any questions.

Our practice field location is: Carnegie Mellon University 6555 Penn Avenue Pittsburgh PA 15206. This is located near Bakery Square in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood.

History

Beginning in 2012 and 2013, we were able to build a full scale practice field. The practice field was open to all 30 teams in our region and provided tools, safety, mentors, and snacks. Each year we strive to offer a space for teams not only as place to practice, but also a forum for collaborating and solving challenges. For the third year, 2014, the Aerial Assist practice field was in the Strip District. Parking was available nearby. On the final Saturday before Bag and Tag – February 15, 2014, we hosted a “Week Zero” event for FRC teams. Activities included lots of robot testing, scouting, and a few matches. We also co-hosted a scrimmage for area FRC teams on April 12, 2014 as well as four FLL events in addition to holding FLL team meetings at the field space: a Research Symposium in March 2014, FLL skills camp in August 2014, FLL Kickoff and FLL Core Values events in September 2014.

For 2015, the CMU/Girls of Steel Practice Field was at the same location in the Strip District – 2515 Liberty Ave. Pittsburgh PA 15222. Our two FLL teams, 2641 and 4212, held meetings at the practice field from August through December 2015. On the final Saturday before Bag and Tag – February 14, 2015, we hosted a “Week Zero” event for FRC teams. Activities included lots of robot testing, scouting, and a few matches. We also co-hosted a scrimmage for area FRC teams on April 11, 2015 as well as hosted FLL events such as the FLL skills camp in August 2015 and the FLL Kickoff in September 2015, along with the Hummingbird Robotics Petting Zoo Makeathon also in September. We also hosted the End of Preseason Project competition and Holiday Open house in December. Photos and details about events are also described below.

The 2016 season was our 5th year having the FRC practice field space. This year we moved to CMU’s NREC (National Robotics Engineering Center) building. We updated the Practice Field for the 2016 Stronghold game.We are grateful for the help of the following parents and mentors who volunteered to build the field for us: Loretta Laird, John Powell, Andy Hartman, Archana Bandi, Joel Burnett, Linda Hartman, David Hilko, Mark Jablonowski, Senthil Jagadeesan, George Kantor, Diane Northam, Patti Rote, Satya Rao, Weyman Trichel, Joe Trost, Mark Turcsanyi, Andreas Vogt, Chuck Whittaker, Dana Wettergreen & Greg Young!

For 2017-2019 our parents and mentors built the STEAMWORKS, PowerUp, and Destination:Deep Space fields at NREC. During our time at NREC we hosted multiple FRC scrimmages, as well as other FLL Jr., FLL, and FTC events. We moved from NREC in May 2019.

For 2020 our parents and mentors built the Infinite Recharge field at our new location, CMU 6555 Penn Ave Pittsburgh PA 15206. Hope you can join us there at our events and practices.

2020 Robotics Practice Field

We had a great time at the annual Week Zero scrimmage event on February 15, 2020.

2019 Robotics Practice Field

FIRST LEGO League

GoS once again mentored FLL teams for the 18-19 season: Into Orbit.

Week Zero

The 2019 Week Zero Scrimmage was held on Saturday, February 16, 2019. We would like to thank all the teams for coming.

FTC Practice

Our FTC teams practiced on a game field at NREC.

2018 Robotics Practice Field

Week Zero

Saturday, February 17, 2018

2017 Robotics Practice Field

End one of PF — A view of one end of the practice field.

Click on the image below for access to the Arena section of the Game Manual.

2017 Events

FIRST LEGO League Demo Day

January 4, 2017

More photos are available here.

Week Zero Scrimmage

Saturday, February 18, 2017

11 am to 4 pm

More Week Zero photos are available here. We’d like to thank the following teams for joining us: FRC 291, 1708, 2656, 3260, 3954, 3955, 4027, 4049, 4150, 4467, 4991, and 5749. We also hosted a FIRST Ladies meet up with girls from FRC 291 and 3260.

2016 Events

FIRST LEGO League Scrimmage

October 29, 2016

FIRST LEGO League Teams 2641, 4212, & 18137

Meetings August 27, 2016 through January 18, 2017

FIRST LEGO League Skills Summer Camp

August 8-12, 2016

Robotics Feiyue Practice

August 4, 2016

Our Feiyue summer camp practiced their robots on our field

Other Robotics Feiyue pictures are available here.

FIRST LEGO League Junior Demo Day

May 26, 2016

The FLL Teams got to demonstrate their Project and robots

Post-Season FRC Scrimmage

Saturday, April 16, 2016

The 5th annual post-season scrimmage was held on 4/16/16 from 11 am to 5 pm. Member of 8 FRC teams attended and had a great time. We would like to thank our co-host SHARP FRC 3260, and members of FRC 117, FRC 1708, FRC 2656, FRC 4150, FRC 4467, and FRC 5740 for joining us.

Week Zero

Week Zero Scrimmage was Saturday, February 20, 2016. Nine FRC team joined us at the practice field: 117, 1708, 2641, 2656, 3260, 3954, 3955, 4150, & 4467.

The Week Zero flyer is available here. Photos are available here.

Teams at Week Zero at the CMU/Girls of Steel Practice Field at NREC.

2015 Events

The last event at the former practice field located at 2515 Liberty Avenue was the End of Preseason Project Competition and Holiday Party Open House on Saturday, December 19th.

End of Preseason Project Competition with SHARP FRC 3260 and Steel Dragons FRC 117. 12/19/15

We hosted a FIRST LEGO League Scrimmage, 10/31/15.

FIRST LEGO League Scrimmage October 31, 2015

We hosted the FIRST LEGO League Trash Trek Kickoff and Core Values event, 9/12/15.

FIRST LEGO League Kick Off September 12, 2015

A few of the past events at the practice field

On May 8, 2014 we welcomed students from Israel and the Pittsburgh area for a “Meet and Greet” event at the practice field.

April 30, 2014 Mayor Bill Peduto at the practice field, meeting students from several robotics teams:

FTC 3900, FRC 2641, 3260, and 3504

A post-season scrimmage was hosted for area FRC teams on April 12, 2014.

2015-2016 Events at the Practice Field

Robotics Feiyue students held practices and a competition at the practice field July 29-31, 2015.

The 2nd annual FIRST LEGO League Skills camp was held August 10-14, 2015 with 25 students who came from as far away as Illinois and as near as Squirrel Hill.

The Girls of Steel Community FIRST LEGO League teams, FLL 2641 “Robotic Marvels” , FLL 4212 “Dot Dot Dot” , and FLL 18137 “The Green Gears” held their weekly team meetings at the practice field on Wednesday and Thursday from 6 to 8 pm and on Saturdays from 12 to 4 pm from August 29, 2015 through January 13, 2016.

We hosted the FIRST LEGO League Trash Trek Kickoff and Core Values event, 9/12/15.

Birdbrain Technologies “Robot Petting Zoo” Makeathon, September 26-27, 2015.

End of Preseason Project Competition with FRC 3260 SHARP and FRC 117 Steel Dragons, December 19, 2015.

2014-2015 Events at the Practice Field

August 11-15, 2014 The Girls of Steel Community FIRST LEGO League summer camp.

The Girls of Steel Community FIRST LEGO League teams, FLL 2641 “Bricks, Sweat, and Gears” and FLL 4212 “First LEGO Legends” held their weekly team meetings at the practice field on Mondays from 6 to 8 pm and on Saturdays from 12 to 4 pm from August 23, 2014 through January 21, 2015.

On September 6, 2014, the first regional FIRST LEGO League kickoff was led by FLL 51 “Not the Droids You are Looking For” and hosted by Girls of Steel at the practice field with a total of 8 FLL teams.

On September 27, 2014, the first regional FIRST LEGO League Core Values event was led by FLL 51 “Not the Droids You are Looking For” and hosted by Girls of Steel at the practice field for 4 FLL teams.

The Week Zero Scrimmage was Saturday, February 14, 2015, 11 am to 4 pm. We would like to thank all the teams for coming: FRC 2656, 3260, 3955, 4031, and 4150. Pictures are available here.