[Karthik]

The most important quality for a FIRST driver is maturity. Unlike driver skill, which can developed through practice and training, maturity is something that develops over a longer period of time. FIRST competitions are stressful events. You need to have someone who isn't going to buckle under the pressure. Your driver has to be able to handle being center stage in front of thousands of screaming fans. Whether perceived or real, the driver will be feeling the weight of the expectations of his/her entire team. It takes a very strong character to handle this type of pressure and responsibility. Being able to stay calm, cool and collected through all this requires a huge amount of maturity.

I like to choose drivers who've shown some sort of demonstrated ability in high pressure situations. People who've excelled in varsity sports are natural choices. But in general, people who are task oriented, possess a sense of urgency and are determined fit the bill nicely.

Another factor is aggression. You need a driver who's not afraid to mix it up. If your driver approaches a match with the attitude of "I don't want to break the robot", you're going to have a hard time emerging victorious. In this competition, you really do need to "drive it like you stole it". That being said, there must be limits to the aggression. A driver who is needlessly aggressive and cannot obey the rules will cause undue headaches.