One way to learn is to be inspired by others:
http://www.frc-designs.com/
If anyone has the link to the FIRST Canada mechanism photos, that would be great too.
Getting started with FRC can be difficult, and unless you have experience in robotics, you should not expect that your first thought is the best thought. By learning how other teams approach challenges, you gain some of their experience. It is a cumulative effect.
Oh, and you can PM me if you have questions. I'm more of a programmer/CAD person.