[WynS]

I have noticed several posts talking about team culture and that it can't be changed or is very hard to change. It can change but it may take a while. Our team culture many years ago was very different than it is today. It took many years but it is different and more cohesive today. With that said, if a change is implemented successfully, it can take hold quickly. The beauty of getting new students every year is that if something goes well, they think we've always done it that way. In the same way, it can go bad quickly too. We work hard to keep sarcasm to a minimum and to make sure everyone is treated with respect, is included and has meaningful work to do. Before every competition we talk about gracious professionalism and team reputation - a good reputation takes a lot of work to establish but can be lost very quickly.

I think that dedicated students and mentors are key. These two things feed off of each other. The mentors help provide continuity on the team as well as support for the students. A group of students decided this past summer to design an entirely new 2015 robot to run at Chezy Champs. Our strongest design people had graduated and the current leadership wanted more experience. Many students spent most of their summer designing the robot and key mentors provided support by supervising and answering their many questions. This robot was assembled by new and returning students who are excited for the new season. The resulting robot exceeded everyone's expectations. I can hardly wait for 2016.