[Zyrano]

One thing to keep in mind is why you are there. Every year and every season, I try to reinforce to the students the idea that the competition is but a celebration, success and failure for the team isn't about getting into eliminations or winning awards, of course those can be goals, but they shouldn't define the team.

One way to look at it, on average there are 40-80 teams at each regional, only 24 teams make it to elimination and 3 teams can win the regional, if you define a successful first season only thru awards and eliminations, then half of the teams failed. This is unacceptable in my mind with the goals of FIRST. Success is defined in learning of new things/concepts, of the level of confidence the students gained knowing they can solve problems, in inspiring young minds. Success is in the journey.

My main team has done really well this season. Before that, have only ever reached quarterfinal 1 time in the last 7 years (in the early years, we've had robot goals as simple as a robot that drove straight!). With this year's performance (5th seed at CVR and winning at SVR), we had to remind them (especially the freshmans) during and after both events, that everyone else have worked just as hard as they have to get there and every team was successful for being there. I know it sounds a little tacky, but i measure success in the growth of the team.