[Fusion_Clint]

Did you read my whole post? You need to work with your community and school. Your issue isn't that you may loose one student, it is that you only have one mentor and a couple of dedicated students.

Robotics requires skills just like sports, just a different set of skills. You will never win if you are fighting against sports and other clubs in our schools, you must find a way to work with them.

We have over 1000 students in our school and I still have to work with sports, band, Boy Scouts, other clubs, etc.

If you have a one or the other attitude you are hurting your team. Since you only have a few kids, it should be easier to work a more inclusive schedule. Don't let one person dictate the schedule, have your mentor assign tasks for the students so that they can work without him.

Teach these up and coming students in the offseason.

Get out of your own comfort zone.