[Boomtownblues]

Hey,

Thanks for the advice/welcome backs!

In terms of my FRC experience, I was part of a program that was starting up a team. Unfortunately the team didn't exist beyond its first year, but we went out with a bang and made it to nationals on the rookie award! That being said, aside from a few regionals and attending nationals once I don't have a very prolonged experience with the competition.

I participated and led a robotics team in college, which was rough but fun. Leading college students is comparable to leading cats, which makes me wonder if I can handle younger crowds! A while back I helped organize an afterschool arts program, so I have some limited experience in that regard.

I completely agree about the work/life/team balance, I'd like to enter as a part time mentor at first to gauge how I'd be on the team. Is this unadvisable?

I guess my biggest question at this point is what is the best strategy to play as a mentor? Is it more of a role where you question and challenge members to overcome design challenges? Do you make your own curriculum to teach them the tools they need to design and construct a bot, or do you try to expose them to the right material and let them discover it themselves? How much responsibility do you leave in the member's hands in terms of making organizational decisions?

Thanks for the link, Conor! I'll definitely be using that!