[Billfred]

Originally Posted by NoMentorsAtachd

Hi Tom. I recently made an account specifically to reply to posts like these in light of the current controversy. I choose to not include any specific team information because I have noticed alot of rage against the OP.

Anyway, I would like to reply to the underlined statement.

I am on a team which has highly capable mentors who have admitted that at times they have had a strong urge to jump in and become super involved in building the robot but have had enough self control to understand that students lose interest really, really quickly when left alone to sit on the sidelines and watch the critical design and fabrication process.

To reply to Dean Kamen's analogy that relates FIRST kids to being little league'rs looking up to mentors and the complicated build process, the FRC, I'd like to say this: those students becomes interested because they saw how cool robotics and technology can be, I can say on behalf of the majority of students in FIRST because I am a STUDENT, that if left to watch mentors do that which we were so interested in, namely building a robot while leaving us to watch, we progressively lose interest and are inwardly disappointed because we are not allowed to freely engage in the activity.

Kids playing baseball all have a coach which teach them at a young age HOW to play, but as those members mature they are the only ones PLAYING and actively developing skill.

Mentors should sit on the sidelines, guide, and not feel dejected because they are not receiving the action the actual students should be getting.

Any team that does not let a student fully realize and develop their potential is hindering the student and that is not in the spirit of FIRST.

First off, as a moderator: This post is in breach of ChiefDelphi forum rules:

Creating multiple accounts for a single person is not allowed.

With that out of the way, let me ask some questions:

1) If a team can't press a pinion gear onto a motor properly, but a mentor can take it to work and get the operation done quickly and effectively, should the mentor "sit on the sidelines"?
2) If a team has four hacksaws, 40 feet of pipe that needs cutting, and three available students, should that fourth hacksaw just sit on the shelf?
3) If a mentor's demonstration can save the team valuable time and resources, should a student tear it down and start it fresh?

I submit the answer is no to all of these. Balance is the answer.