Our team uses a adult mentor who is also an alumni. Why? Because he is good. He has a great rapport with the students and works well with them. He has worked with the strategy team that also has alumni working with the students. We find that it is a win win situation. Our team does well, we have a great scouting group who helps the strategy guys who tell the drive team the best strategy, who then implement what they have been told.
Again in FIRST we try to teach mentorship and team work. It doesn't matter if it is your team or alliance. I find in very concerning that teams say we are going to do it our way and that's that. I know that I have heard our drive team say that a team was to take care of something and then just did what they wanted to do. This really affects team balance in a match. It also affects who is chosen during pickings. I know that in the past we ranked some team high but did not pick them as they were a rogue team and would not follow team strategy.
Are students better coaches? Sometimes. Are adults better? Sometimes. Are college students better? Sometimes. A team should be choosing on the abilities of the person and how they can add to the team, not because of their age. This goes for all areas, not just coaching.
BTW - You will never see me coaching as I know that I don't have the skill sets.
