[IMDWalrus]

The simplest answer: has he contributed anything to the team?

If not, then he definitely shouldn't go.

If he has, consider what it was that he's done for the team. Was it important to your accomplishments thus far?

Also...experience is overrated. I've only been in FIRST for two years, and even I've seen rookie teams do great even though they weren't quite sure what they were doing.

It would help if we knew why he missed the meetings during the build. Family reasons? Health problems? Just didn't feel like showing up? If it was beyond his control, don't hold it against him...but if he just didn't feel like contributing, there's no reason at all for him to start at the competitions.

Going from the information at hand, I'd say that he shouldn't be allowed to go.