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Unread 14-05-2013, 21:38
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JesseK JesseK is offline
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Re: The 6 Week Build Season and 'Mentor Burnout'

Part of the hard part in being competitive in nearly everything has been getting myself to trust the other mentors on my team who do not share in the same philosophies with respect to designing for and playing an FRC game (CAD first, we only have self-imposed restrictions, #35 chain on the drive train IS ok, etc). My wife has been paramount in helping me let go of decisions that shouldn't matter to me to begin with. That type of thing definitely helped reduce stress when thinking pessimistic thoughts out loud concerning the smaller robot size constraints while CAD'ing at home.

For the first time in 5 seasons, we will have a significant amount of our students returning next year. I hope it will help reinforce lessons learned with the adults come next year.

New mentors are sometimes a mixed bag the first season (especially with alpha-types). It also helps (I think) that I am finally no longer mistaken for a student by new mentors* In retrospect, after everyone survives a season with others' personalities, new mentors can definitely become the people us competitive vets lean on at critical times in future years.

*Still happened once this year, even though I just turned 30 in St. Louis...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Steele View Post
...
It is simply in my nature to be competitive and to give my students 100% of my effort.

It isn't so much about the winning... it is about the competing.

I can tell you that the key to having more balance in the mentor/coaches lives is to create a really good parent/mentor/coaching system by giving everyone something of value to do and to celebrate that.

I don't think switching a few hours/days/regulations here or there or forcing change on the FIRST system will do anything to reduce the "mentor burnout". It will always be there no matter how much time is allowed. Of course it might help individuals one way or the other... but it is not a real solution to this "problem"

Our team has been blessed with a wonderful group of mentors and parents...it allows us to do things that other teams have difficulty doing. If everyone gets the same amount of time... teams that have this kind of support are going to do better. It is really that simple.

Invest your off season time... gain support from somewhere...find people who want to volunteer... make them part of your team... Time spent doing this will solve so many problems that you have..

What you are doing is incredibly interesting and it has great value.. and its a great deal of fun for mentors and students alike... let it shine... make it loud... reap the benefits... How many times have you heard
" I wish they had a program like this when I was in school..."
Well NOW they can be in this program....
...
No soapbox there -- that's genuine inspiration.
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