1. If you have a mentor team, ask them to donate a previous years robot for you to study and learn from. If you don't have a mentor team - please request help from the vets in your area.
2. LTFD If you don't know what this means find out.
3. Before kickoff, establish your work area and essential tools, if you have a mentor team or sponsors get them to help you make this list and perhaps donate.
4. Before you open the KOP and start losing things, layout your strategy, schedule and the places the parts go.
5. As a rookie team, first concentrate on building a mobile reliable base and attachments that score points later.
6. In general, defense becomes more important during elimination, FIRST is a team sport you win by having your alliance out score the opposition. A mobile rugged base that can inhibit a high scoring machine by 25 to 50% can be vital to the winning alliance.
7. FIRST is a TEAM sport. Successful TEAMs utilize the Talent of Each Amazing Member.
8. Every team you meet was a rookie at some point. My first team, 255 finished 189th out of 220 at the 1999 Nationals. They were the lead seed of the National Championship in 2000. Work hard and trust each other, and you will succeed no matter how your robot performs.

Good Luck, and really enjoy your rookie year - it is special and I somewhat envy you.