[jvriezen]

Originally Posted by Gary Dillard

Maybe you should clarify "involved in the build". If you wrote the entire Chairman's award essay but never picked up a wrench, I would say you're not just on the team to drive the robot. The skills required to drive or operate or carry a ball to the field or coach are not unique to the team building the robot.

There's a lot to be said for a driver who knows the mechanics of the bot. When it misbehaves on the field he is more likely to guess/determine the reason for the behavior and respond accordingly. An ignorant driver may repeatedly try the failing mechanism and break it further, a knowledgeable driver may know how to minimize further damage and/or be able to tell the pit crew what he thinks is wrong. Also, fixing/checking minor things in the queue line is also an option to a driver that knows the bot inside and out.