View Single Post
  #75   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 04-04-2012, 09:13
SteveGPage's Avatar
SteveGPage SteveGPage is offline
Mentor - Scouting and Strategy
AKA: Steve
FRC #0836 (RoboBees)
Team Role: Mentor
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Rookie Year: 2004
Location: Hollywood, MD
Posts: 521
SteveGPage has a reputation beyond reputeSteveGPage has a reputation beyond reputeSteveGPage has a reputation beyond reputeSteveGPage has a reputation beyond reputeSteveGPage has a reputation beyond reputeSteveGPage has a reputation beyond reputeSteveGPage has a reputation beyond reputeSteveGPage has a reputation beyond reputeSteveGPage has a reputation beyond reputeSteveGPage has a reputation beyond reputeSteveGPage has a reputation beyond repute
Re: Mentors as Drive Coaches?

Other than re-iterating what has been said in this thread, and adding my "do what works for your team" statement, I want to give some props to Will and 1218! We were on the their alliance in DC this past weekend, and he and his team are a great group to work with!

For our situation, our Drive Coach is a mentor, but had been our Driver for a number of years, and then became the Drive Coach when he was in college. I felt it was important to have someone who can understand what they are going through, mature enough to handle the pressure, is seen as a leader to the Drive Team, but can also handle any "blame" when something goes wrong. At the Chesapeake Regional, my driver made a "poorly choosen" mistake, that cost us the match. The look on his face after he realized what he had done showed he was crushed. I reviewed what the appropriate decision should have been and told him that we would get it the next time. In DC, another poorly choosen decision was made, again costing us a match, the only one we lost during qualifications, again we had another opportunity for a discussion on what the best decision would have been. In both occations, he was able to shake it off, because he knew he wasn't "in charge", the Drive Coach was, despite the fact that the student drivers make 90% of the decisions on the field. In both cases, I told him to just listen to the Drive Coach and to have fun. I know there are student Drive Coaches out there who can handle that pressure, and I know that Will on 1218 is one, but you are not going to find that on every team. We let the Drive Coach take the "blame" for issues, and give the credit for any success to the student drivers when we are successful. I don't want any of the students beating themselves up, any more then they already do, when we have issues. But again, that's how we do it, mileage may vary due to your driving conditions!
__________________
FRC 836, The RoboBees www.robobees.org
growingSTEMS www.growingSTEMS.org
2017: Southwest VA, Northern MD, Chesapeake District Championships, Championships
Reply With Quote