I'm makeing a new team! what now? [Archive]

View Full Version : I'm makeing a new team! what now?

GMKlenklen

30-09-2006, 04:22

Hi everyone, I am a former member of team 1775, we where rookies last year, and now i have moved high schools for my junior and senior years. Naturally, my new home does not have a first team... and even more naturally, I have to start one!

I have about 20 other people interested, and already attending meetings, and two or three professors.

I'm trying to get my RC to do the TIMS for the team... and was wondering what we should do next! Oh, and I wants a team #!!!!

BTW, check out our school's website:
www.nwmissouri.edu/MASMC

Thank You,

Kristian Calhoun

30-09-2006, 09:13

Hey there,
You may want to check out the RINOS (Rookies In Need of Support) (http://www.raiderrobotix.org/rinos.htm) manuals, that my team has provided for download on our website. They contain useful information on team organization, fundraising, and management, etc.

There are also a multitude of wonderful resources for Rookie teams on the NEMO (Non-Engineering Mentors Organization) (http://www.firstnemo.org/resources.htm) website. (I'm surprised Kathie K hasn't shown up in this thread yet.)

Best of Luck, and let us know how things turn out for you.

-Kristian

KathieK

30-09-2006, 09:46

There are also a multitude of wonderful resources for Rookie teams on the NEMO (Non-Engineering Mentors Organization) (http://www.firstnemo.org/resources.htm) website. (I'm surprised Kathie K hasn't shown up in this thread yet.)LOL, I guess I'm way too addicted to CD! Thanks for noting the NEMO website for me.

If you've come from another team you probably are aware that there is a flip side to each team which has to deal with the non-engineering stuff - the stuff people don't often like to do because it's not as much fun as designing and building the robot. Like recruiting and retaining mentors, fundraising and getting sponsors, arranging travel, creating your team organization structure, doing teambuilding exercises with your group before the Build season begins, etc. NEMO can help with a lot of that. Our website has a nice collection of resources on it. Your mentors (even if they are engineers!) can join NEMO if they want - it's free. Be sure to note the new FRC Handbook which came out this week - http://www.firstnemo.org/PDF/Choosing_Your_Event.pdf

Feel free to contact me if you have any specific questions I can help with.

GMKlenklen

30-09-2006, 14:22

Hey, thanks!

Yes, I am aware of that "other" side of the team... and everyone wants to be on the mechainical part! I think I'm going to have to talk some of my members into helping out alot with the not-so robot oriented part ^.^

KathieK

30-09-2006, 19:57

Consider recruiting members who may be more suited to the flip side - Creative Writing/Journalism/Business enthusiasts may be recruited to work on team marketing/PR efforts/administrative work (especially necessary for a new team); artists for team t-shirts, logos, mascots, buttons, website design; computer people for programming, website, animations... accounting/math people to help manage the budget. Cheerleaders for team spirit efforts. While FIRST tends to attract people who enjoy mechanical things, I think it's great when we attract those who lean towards business or the humanities and convert them into technology enthusiasts! :)

OZ_341

01-10-2006, 11:11

Please go to our website www.team341.com and order your FREE copy of "Team in a Box" (our DVD/CD disk set) designed to help Rookie teams and the veterans that mentor them. Over 1500 copies of this award winning disk have been distributed worldwide. The disk contains interviews with respected mentors, regional directors, National Chairman's Award Teams and even Dean Kamen himself.
This disk will not replace the mentorship of a veteran team but will certainly help point you in the right direction.

Good luck with starting your new team.

Here is how to order:

1) Go to www.team341.com

2) Click on the "Team in a Box" banner

3) Scroll down to the order form at the bottom

Its that simple. We will send your copy ASAP!

skimoose

01-10-2006, 19:38

SPONSORS! You'll need money. As a rookie team, apply for the NASA grant NOW. (http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/2007/grants.htm)

Another thought, if you're having trouble getting the funding for an FRC team, consider fielding a couple of Vex (FVC) teams. All the fun of FIRST at a lower cost. :D

Po-ser

01-10-2006, 23:32

Hi there,

As far as raising money to cover travel and construction expenses goes, one really useful thing that our team has done for the past few years has been to make up a press packet and send it out to major companies in our area over the summer. A press packet is just a nice folder with our team logo on the cover. It contains a one-page letter from the presidents stating our missions as a team and explaining what we do, selected quotes from our team members, a CD with a short video showing us building and competing, and a chart that lists the monetary amounts of contributions that a sponsor can make and the corresponding publicity they will get for each amount (e.g. if a sponsor gives more than $1000, their name will appear on our T-shirts, more than $2000, on our T-shirts and our robot, etc.). Sending out a press packet is a good idea for the summer because companies generally formulate their expenses for a fiscal year June through August (or so I heard). But if you want to give it a shot in the fall, it certainly can't hurt you! A press packet is simple to put together but can look quite impressive.

Also, another word on raising money:

1. Give sponsors a ballpark idea of how much it costs to run a team. They don't necessarily know that it costs thousands of dollars just to register at one competition.

2. Sponsors will be more willing to give you money if they see that you will put it to good use. For example, let's say you hold a bake sale at school the last Friday of every month, and every time you do it you raise 250 dollars. If a sponsor knows a) that it takes a projected X thousand dollars to run your team this year and b) that giving it your best shot, you can only muster up 250 dollars a month, they'll know a) that you are trying and b) that you can't do it without them. They need to know you're dedicated to your team before they'll give you money, or else there's no incentive for them to think you'll spend it wisely.

Hope that helps. If you want to talk to our marketing president about this sort of stuff in more detail, he'll likely email you back a novel on team-starting. PM me if you like, or email pdanilyuk@gmail.com, and I can give you his contact info.

- Polina

GMKlenklen

04-10-2006, 16:34

Bill Moore

04-10-2006, 19:27

RoboMom

04-10-2006, 20:24

Wow... haven't gotten this tread in my 'favorates' or what have we yet... can't figure out how...

Thanks to all who have posted! I will definately check out ALL of the things you mentioned! Thanks and Thanks again!!!

EDIT: Oh, can we apply for nasa without a team number? (My adult is naturally quite bussy, so I don't know the status of our team registration)

NASA grants are awarded to teams at schools. You will definitely need to get adult(s) involved in the grant proposal process as these involve a federal contract and all the requirements involved in that. These grants are very competitive. Read the criteria carefully. Make use of the spell check before you submit. ;)

GMKlenklen

10-10-2006, 00:55

thanks again for everyone's support!

Um.. my team organizer/sponsor/Adult memberness entered his information on to the TIMS, and now seems to be waiting for a response from FIRST... Is this normal? We arn't registared for an event yet... I think all they have is our contact information. So are we actually supposed to be waiting for this e-mail from FIRST?

GMKlenklen

13-10-2006, 13:34

Hey, anyone there?!?!

OZ_341

13-10-2006, 14:48

Hey, anyone there?!?!

We just sent you a Team in a Box via First Class mail. You should receive it very soon.

If you need any other help please let me know.

Good luck and keep in touch.

Al

RoboMom

13-10-2006, 15:07

thanks again for everyone's support!

Um.. my team organizer/sponsor/Adult memberness entered his information on to the TIMS, and now seems to be waiting for a response from FIRST..

Team support can be reached at frcteams@usfirst.org or 1-800-871-8326 "0" for any questions re: your team. Have your adult advisor call for advice.

GMKlenklen

13-10-2006, 16:30

ok, thanks!