[spikeman62]

My high school team (Team 558) have always believed in picking the best drivers, regardless of what grade they are in. We've had Juniors and Seniors drive, but we also have had Sophomores and even Freshman be our main driver. You have to give them tons of practice to see who's even capable of being up to the task. From there, if you attend any offseason events, you should rotate several drivers in that you think have a chance to be your driver the following season. If they can handle even that sort of pressure of an offseason, you can build them up for Regional Competitions.

As for the upperclassman who believe they "deserve" the role, that's really not always the case. Some people are just not made out to be a driver. I can tell you with certainty that I was not a driver and had no intention of doing it even as a senior, so when the job went to a freshman I was neither frustrated or upset. I enjoyed my role and did everything I could to help the team succeed.

Some kids just have a knack for driving. Sometimes you see it right away, sometimes you don't. You just have to give them every opportunity to prove themselves and not let something like age influence your decision. You should always give your team the best chance to succeed.