TRC founder and director

meet coach mike

Michael Puckett, M.Ed.

Tennessee Robotics Center |

TRC Education LLC

Dare Mighty Things

Similar to numerous successful American businesses, TRC originated in a two-car garage during the summer of 2011. Coach Mike created TRC with the aim of introducing his two sons, Ben and Dylan, as well as local neighborhood friends, homeschoolers, and community students, to the exciting world of technology, robotics, and computer science. Fast forward 11 years and the Tennessee Robotics Center was founded in the summer of 2022 on July 16 to commemorate Ben's idea to start a robotics club with his friends.

TRC has been instrumental in mentoring and coaching many teams participating in the FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge robotics programs. In 2020, the TRC FTC team 11161 achieved the prestigious Inspire Award at the Tennessee FTC State Championship, propelling them to the World Championship in Houston, TX. Throughout the past 12 years, TRC has emerged as a force for change, igniting the passion of students inspired to explore technology, robotics, and computer science. What initially began as a small robotics lab in Coach Mike's garage has evolved into a thriving robotics learning center for K-12 students interested in pursuing a career or education in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art/Design, & Mathematics).

Coach Mike resides in Murfreesboro, TN, and is an active member of World Outreach Church, serving on the Media Team. A veteran of the US Navy, he generously volunteers with the Murfreesboro Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol. Michael holds a Master of Education in Learning Design and Technology from Purdue University.

Dare Mighty Things is not just our motto, it's what we do!

dare mighty things

Our mission is to inspire the next generation of bright minds to dare mighty things in Technology, Robotics, and Computer Science (TRC) while making a positive impact in our community and eventually the world. 

The TRC Story

It all started in a garage

The concept of establishing a robotics club originated when my oldest son, Ben, expressed interest in beginning a robotics team.

After researching opportunities, we found the FIRST LEGO League robotics program. Ben's dream was soon realized, and he was the only founding member to have participated in all three FIRST Robotics programs (FLL, FTC, and FRC) and even volunteered as a judge for FLL. Ben won TRC's first Dean's List award in 2019 and traveled to Houston where he met FIRST founder Dean Kamen (pictured below). Ben continues to mentor FIRST teams in Alabama and volunteers as an FRC Robot Inspector/Technical Advisor. Ben is currently studying Aerospace Engineering and Data Analysis in Huntsville, AL.

FLL Tennessee State Championship Results 

• 2016- 2nd Mechanical Design
  
• 2015- 1st Teamwork
  
• 2014- 1st Robot Performance
  
• 2014- 2nd Strategy & Innovation
  
• 2012- 2nd Presentation Award

Tullahoma FLL Regional Qualifier Results

• 2015- 1st Champion’s Award
  
• 2014- 1st Robot Design
  
• 2013- 1st Champion’s Award
  
• 2012- 2nd Robot Design
  
• 2011- 2nd Overall Performance
  
• 2011- 1st Robot Performance

FTC Team Results

• 2017- 3rd Rockwell Collins Innovate Award
  
• 2018- 1st Think Award
  
• 2019- 1st Collins Aerospace Innovate Award
• 2nd Design Award
• 3rd Control Award
• 2020- Inspire Award
• Captain Winning Alliance
• 1st Design Award
• 2nd- Control Award
• 2021- COVID Year :(
• 2023- 3rd Think Award
• 2024- 1st Motivate Award
• Winning Alliance Team member

In 2019, Ben was selected as a Dean's List Finalist and had the opportunity to meet Dean Kamen, the founder of FIRST. Ben is studying Aerospace Engineering in Huntsville, AL. My youngest son Dylan is now a lead mentor in the program teaching LEGO Robotics Engineering and Aerospace Engineering. He has decided to study Commercial Music Production at Liberty University. Both are active members in the FIRST community.

The TRC LEGOcy

Our robotics program began in the summer of 2011 with FIRST Lego League. In the early years, we competed under the name Murfreesboro Thunderbots, then Brick Dynasty and now the teams compete under the name Tennessee Robotics Club and Tennessee Robotettes, our all girls teams.

2011 was a special year, our “rookie” year. We had a lot to learn and built many friendships along the way that would lay a solid foundation of teamwork that would build a winning tradition for years to come. Over the past 8 years, our program has impacted over 15 students in FLL and FTC. Of the 15, four team members continued their robotics adventure in FTC and won the Tennessee FTC Championship in 2019.

In 2019-20 season FIRST RISE Skystone, TRC FTC team 11161 achieved the prestigious Inspire Award at the Tennessee FTC State Championship, propelling them to the World Championship in Houston, TX for the first time. Their robot Big Red still provides robot demonstrations for TRC.

Today, TRC has five FIRST robotics competition teams, 15 program mentors, and over 100 students each semester learning and competing through our TRClasses, TRCamps, and TRCommunity programs. What initially started as an idea to start a small robotics team in a two-car garage has grown into a thriving 21st-century learning center in our community mentoring hundreds of students across Tennessee.

We are TRC!