The Automatons

07/23/2026

I’m excited to share that I have officially been approved as the new head coach of West Iron County’s FIRST Robotics Competition Team 7768, The Automatons.

I’m grateful for the confidence and support of the school district, and I’m looking forward to working with our returning students while welcoming new students into the program. The Automatons have built a strong history, including three consecutive trips to the Michigan State Championship, and our goal is to build on that foundation while creating a program that remains sustainable for years to come.

Over the coming months, we’ll be recruiting students and mentors, preparing our equipment, pursuing grants and fundraising opportunities, and getting ready for the new season in January.

Robotics gives students the opportunity to learn far more than how to build a robot. They gain experience with engineering, programming, fabrication, teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, and project management, all while representing their school and community.

I’m honored to take on this responsibility and excited to see what the students accomplish together.

More information about joining or supporting the team will be coming soon.

Go Automatons! 🤖

-Coach Jeff

06/24/2026

Incredible!
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ALp6grPHQ/?mibextid=wwXIfr

05/21/2026

Extending best wishes to our graduating seniors, Jeffery, Cooper, and Bryton, for their future endeavors.

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day to all our robotics moms out there.

05/04/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1cAtPAdikT/?mibextid=wwXIfr

05/01/2026

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT
After much consideration and heartfelt conversations with my family, I will be stepping down as Head Coach of The Automatons Team 7768 effective May 11, 2026.

Coaching the Automatons for the past four years has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my ten-year robotics coaching/mentoring journey. Watching our students grow through STEM, teamwork, problem‑solving, and competition has been an incredible privilege. Their dedication, creativity, and resilience — especially coming from a small rural community competing against much larger and better‑funded programs — is something our entire area should be proud of.

As the cost of FIRST Robotics continues to rise and financial resources in Iron County remain limited, this moment presents a natural opportunity to consider consolidating the two Iron County FIRST Robotics teams. A unified program could strengthen long‑term sustainability and ensure that students continue to have access to high‑quality robotics opportunities.

I am deeply grateful to the students, mentors, families, sponsors, and community members who have supported The Automatons. I will always remain a strong supporter of youth STEM in Iron County and the mission of FIRST Robotics.

I am extremely grateful to my wife, Tracie, whose love and patience have carried me through ten years of late practices, crazy road trips, “we’ll be home soon” nights, and the constant parade of robot parts on our dining room table. She has supported every moment of this journey, even the chaotic ones, and I could not have done any of it without her unwavering encouragement.

While I’m stepping away from coaching, I’m not stepping away from robotics. I’ll still be mentoring and volunteering where I can, and I still hold onto the dream of creating a robotics center — a place with a full practice field that teams across the U.P. can call home.

Thank you for believing in these students and in the power of robotics education.
— Coach Van

04/25/2026

Go CopperBots!

The Keweenaw High School robotics team is coming off the team winning its division in last weekend's state championship.

04/24/2026

Team awards are among the most prestigious honors one can receive at an event, particularly when they come from peers playing on other fields.
Thank you to FRC Team 1711 Raptors from Traverse City for the DEFENSIVE ARCHITECT Award.
and
FRC 1189 The Gearheads of Grosse Pointe for their PERSEVERANCE Award. We wish The Gearheads the best at WORLDS.