[IronicDeadBird]

Interesting read. It is always nice to see a different perspective on how to run drive team. The bits I find interesting.

"The coach tells the driver a generic task and the driver should know every detail of how to do so."
This is not what I do at all (I'm not saying its wrong I just don't do this) when we queue up we have a lovely chat with teams about strategy and the primary drivers sets the driving strategy and methods to match it. They know the roles, they know the plays, they on their own until I provide input. As a drive coach I keep my eyes on everything that the drive team doesn't have time to look at. Anything that provides a distraction or can cause distress and lower performance but is still important information is on me. Drivers don't look at timers, drivers don't look at refs, I do. I inform them off information that may cause them to react in bad ways.

Driver candidates may not touch the robot controls until they take a written test that covers every rule mentioned in that year's "The Game" document, and must score over 90%. They can take the test as many times as they want, and the test doesn't change - the only thing that matters is that they learn the rules of the game until they are second nature.
--A drive team that knows the rules by heart can perform some fairly impressive feats and make quick judgment calls on the field

I have never done written tests due to the fact that the rules change often enough that I don't feel it is worth my time. Again it ties into the fact that I deal with ref's making calls on situations. The rules aren't as important to the drivers as they are to me because when I give a driver a method, or strategy that strategy when run is well within game rules. It is only when plans get derailed to the rules come into play. When it comes to calling shots on dealing with situations that may result in fouls, or penalties its on me as the drive coach. This has the added benefit of all flak is on me so when mistakes are made even if it was "done" by the driver, I was the one who chose the method so it is on me.

"They should never need to be asked to practice, or to do a drill again, or pestered to practice more. They need to want to do it themselves, and get angry and hold others accountable when for some reason they can't practice, or something is preventing them from practicing."
I believe that drive practice isn't a right, it is a privilege. I take away drive practice if I believe time isn't being properly utilized. Actual physical practice time with the machine is valuable but not above me taking it away in favor of other things.

All of that is just my opinion and how I view it though for all I know my team just thinks I'm crazy and I am totally okay with that.