[mrnoble]

We really do have a head cheerleader, as well as a number of other students whose exposure to to the actual robot and it's functions is limited, and who choose to do only financial, decorative, costuming, videography, etc. Anything can be used as a "hook" to give students buy-in and access to a great program like FRC, and it's fun to watch them experience the competition from angles (such as the pit) where they might have limited prior knowledge. Hopefully next year, they will come back with interest in the deeper parts of robotics.

It may be fair to expect that the students accompanying the robot to inspection be able to answer technical questions. And it is fair to say that some teams have mentor-built robots (which,as we all know, is allowed and is a source of perpetual contention in FRC). I just don't think that mentor-built is the norm or the majority, and I also think that my anecdotal experience of having less knowledgable students floating around our inspections (which were 80% done in our pit this year) tells me that "mentor built" is not the only reason why a student can't answer questions about the robot.