Robotics Tournament Returning to Highlands Sports Complex in Early 2025

Ohio County and The Highlands Sports Complex will once again host the “Gateway To The West” robotics tournament in early 2025 — bringing youths, their chaperones and coaches from around the nation and Canada to local venues.

The competition, a signature event of the international VEX VRC Robotics Competition, is set to take place Jan. 29-Feb. 1 at the sports complex. Middle school teams will be front and center on the first two days, while high school teams take the stage for the final two.

Ohio County Schools Superintendent Kim Miller announced this week that 80 high school teams had already registered for the event, and that no more high school entries are being accepted. So far, 55 middle school teams have applied, and applications will be accepted up until two weeks prior to the event — or when the 80-team limit is achieved.

“We actually filled up on the first day of registration for the high schools,” said JoJo Shay, innovation coordinator for Ohio County Schools. “That’s a testament to those who enjoy our robotics event and the area.”

As many as 14 states will be represented, as will Washington, D.C. and Canada, she reported. Last year, high school teams winning the tournament were from Virginia and Tennessee, while middle students taking home the banners came from Ontario, Canada, and Massachusetts.
The winning high school and middle school teams at the tournament automatically win a spot at this year’s Vex Robotics World Championships, set for May 6-May 14 in Dallas. The middle school qualifying event in Ohio County is only one of 10 signature events throughout the world, and it is only one of 26 events for high school events.

The closest signature events to the Ohio Valley have been set for the Kalahari Water Park Resort near Sandusky, Ohio, while a second one scheduled for Cleveland overlaps the robotics event set for The Highlands, Shay explained.

As this is the second year for “Gateway To The West,” Ohio County Schools won’t have the expense of again constructing the raised arena stages required for the competition. Those built last year were taken apart and stored.

The initial 2024 event cost Ohio County Schools $45,000 to organize, but generated $78,000 through sponsorships and entry fees.

Profits from the “Gateway To The West” tournament in Ohio County go toward the robotics program in Ohio County Schools, and paying to send those students who qualify to the VEX Robotics World Championships in Dallas next spring.

Last year, Ohio County Schools sent 23 students and their coaches and chaperones to Dallas. This included three teams from Wheeling Park HIgh School, as well as one team each from Bridge Street and Triadelphia middle schools.

“The feedback we got last year was amazing,” Shay said. “People loved the facility. They had hotels and places to eat. We got good feedback.”

West Virginia University and the West Virginia Department of Education are among the sponsors for the tournament.

“We seek sponsors to help us defer costs,” Shay continued. “Any leftover resources go toward helping those students who make the world tournament. And this tournament brings people into the community. It allows us to host an upper level event, and also allows us to sustain our program and take students to Dallas.

“We’re just grateful we got a second bid to host, and are grateful to the community that helped us be successful,” Shay said.

Credit: Joselyn King, Staff Writer, The Intelligencer