Reading all this (over and over again every year!) I still want to go back to the days (yup I am "old" & dating myself) when every drive team had TWO coaches. With that rule, my senior year,
Aces High started putting in one adult and one student as coaches. (Yeah scroll way the heck down, you will see my name... ::sigh::!)
To me, this was the ultimate inspiration. Yeah I was a senior, had been the MVP of the team for three years, had held the lead strategist as well as pretty much every other position on the team... but when it came to walking on that field and being in charge, I was still nervous. I knew my stuff, but I was up against teams like Chief Delphi!! Having the mentor at my side made things so much easier, and gave me the confidence I needed.
The next year, when I started 229 and I was now "The Mentor", I brought a student coach with me, and I was now the only one with field experience. Having stood side by side with my mentor the previous year, I knew what I had to do and I knew how to help the student learn & grow.
Since they aren't likely to bring back the days of 5 person drive teams, I am still of the opinion do what works for your team, but make sure you understand your goals. Some team's highest goal is to win, some is to give as many opportunities to students, but all of us are here for inspiration. Everyone's definitions may vary, but as long as it works for your team RUN with it!
Oh and by the way, I am sitting next to an "old guy" who between he & one of our other mentors could probably out-video game any kid these days... ;-) So drop the video game debates already!