[H.A.L.]

Great post! My coach would love how you define victory. Though we have had succesful seasons this and last year, for many years our team came home empty handed from competitions. And there are certainly many loses ahead of us. But, as our coach repeats to us before and after every competition, victory is indeed not about awards or winning matches.

The reason he views our Hub City performance this year as a victory is not because our medals at all, but because of how we helped one particular team. This team had two lead mentors who guided them through build season, and on the last week one had a heart attack and a week later the other passed from disease. They had nothing, but still came to competition. It brought my coach to tears seeing our team help them make a competition ready robot, and, as he said Friday night, if helping that team was all we did at competition, he would still view it as a victory. We help dozens of teams at each competition, but I have never seen my coach moved to tears like that. That would have to be our team victory for rhis year.

Note that when you don't define victory as blue banners, it is still important to have some set goals. Our team's sort of goal at every competition is to learn something new. If we loose competition but every student learned something new, then we are still victorious. Learning from failure is a much bigger victory than learning nothing from success. Only one advances you further in life.

That all being said, I'd like to say something about whst you said on looking to other teams: I think it is definitely okay to look at other teams as role models. Team 1114 has been a huge role model for us in the shop, on the field, and in the Chairman's presentation room. I am very suprised to hear our name next to thiers - they are a truly one-of-a-kind incredible force that continues to redifine what it means to be a part of FRC. Does that mean you should be frustrated when you don't perform like them? Of course not! Only one team is admitted into the Hall of Fame each year, and if you are dead set on that you have your work cut out for you. But it does mean that you should seek to emulate their success, because as Karthik likes to say, if you chase perfection you are sure to find excellence along the way.