[EricH]

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.

While this is true, I took the original question as more "involved" than "involved specifically with the build". There are a lot of background tasks to be done.

I'll put it this way: If I haven't seen you at the build site (or other appropriate meeting venue for your subteam), you probably won't make drive team consideration at all. If you've been an infrequent visitor, I'm willing to listen to a good explanation but your odds aren't very good. If you've been there most days the site is open, AND you've been productive (loosely defined as actively participating and not causing chaos), your odds are pretty good of being considered. At least, to me.

Actually getting to drive, on the other hand, is a bit more interesting, something about knowing the rules and being able to drive. (I don't want a driver that gets a lot of penalties, or one that is clueless about driving the robot.)