[mathking]

Originally Posted by Rich Kressly

Agreed here ... wholeheartedly.
If I ever step back into FRC it needs to somehow fit with my job/travel schedule, other robotics programs we run for younger kids, baseball coaching I do, and generally being able to support/be there for other activities that I'm not running or helping to run, but my kids participate in which currently include: hockey/skating classes, band, church youth, school talent shows and plays, on and on. This all is not to mention other "tugs" I get from folks who'd like me to be on the board of their organizations, run for school board, etc - All worthwhile causes.

I suppose there are two lenses to look through on this issue:
1. Looking at FRC as "the" place I volunteer my time
2. Looking at FRC as "one of the many places" I volunteer my time

For me, If I were a single young professional without kids of my own and without other activities I'm passionate about and involved in, I think I'd be more supportive of a position like my friend Mr. Hibner puts forth.

With the place I'm at in my life now, however, an extended "build" in FRC is something that I'm really not in favor of.

I agree with you completely Rich. And I think that your point has implications for the stability of FRC as well. I can get away with spending as much time as I do at FRC (and not with my family or doing other things) largely because so much of that time is concentrated in January and February. If the build season were extended, I would have to be less involved. I am sure my co-leader would have to be less involved as well. But we are the two more or less "permanent fixtures" on the team, and this would have implications for our teams stability long term.

I know that 1712 has some excellent young professionals as mentors, as does 1014. But it takes a while for young mentors to be ready to lead a team and to be accepted by the students and other mentors as a team leader. And I think that in an extended build season you run even more risk than you currently have of mentors having to step away when they start to have families and more responsibilities, precisely at the time when they become the most capable as leaders.

I also think that extending the build season runs a real risk of scaring off teachers. For now at least, most FRC teams are based in our at least around schools. And starting a team often requires having someone at the school willing to take on a very daunting task. One way I have been able to sell the idea of starting an FRC team to teachers is by saying "It is a lot of work, but the majority of it is concentrated in the six weeks of the build season."