diff --git a/crates/control/src/role_assignment.rs b/crates/control/src/role_assignment.rs
index 8e8c58aca8..9c75f5e3aa 100644
--- a/crates/control/src/role_assignment.rs
+++ b/crates/control/src/role_assignment.rs
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ impl RoleAssignment {
                 player_number: *context.player_number,
                 pose,
                 ball_position,
-                time_to_reach_kick_position: context.time_to_reach_kick_position.copied(),
+                time_to_reach_kick_position: *context.time_to_reach_kick_position.unwrap(),
             })))
             .wrap_err("failed to write StrikerMessage to hardware")
     }
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ enum Event {
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug)]
 struct StrikerEvent {
     player_number: PlayerNumber,
-    time_to_reach_kick_position: Option<Duration>,
+    time_to_reach_kick_position: Duration,
 }
 
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
@@ -580,7 +580,7 @@ fn claim_striker_or_other_role(
     optional_roles: &[Role],
 ) -> Role {
     let shorter_time_to_reach =
-        time_to_reach_kick_position < striker_event.time_to_reach_kick_position;
+        time_to_reach_kick_position.unwrap() < striker_event.time_to_reach_kick_position;
     let time_to_reach_viable =
         time_to_reach_kick_position.is_some_and(|duration| duration < Duration::from_secs(1200));
 
diff --git a/crates/spl_network_messages/src/lib.rs b/crates/spl_network_messages/src/lib.rs
index ab609220fd..85a48b5a5d 100644
--- a/crates/spl_network_messages/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/spl_network_messages/src/lib.rs
@@ -36,8 +36,7 @@ pub struct StrikerMessage {
     pub player_number: PlayerNumber,
     pub pose: Pose2<Field>,
     pub ball_position: BallPosition<Field>,
-    // TODO: make non-optional
-    pub time_to_reach_kick_position: Option<Duration>,
+    pub time_to_reach_kick_position: Duration,
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Default, Deserialize, Serialize)]
@@ -127,7 +126,7 @@ mod tests {
                 position: Point::origin(),
                 age: Duration::MAX,
             },
-            time_to_reach_kick_position: Some(Duration::MAX),
+            time_to_reach_kick_position: Duration::MAX,
         });
         assert!(bincode::serialize(&test_message).unwrap().len() <= 128)
     }