[gblake]

Originally Posted by ManicMechanic

I speak not only for ourselves, but for about a dozen Vex teams (no prior FLL, Vex, or FRC experience), that are drying on the vine. The kits are bought, the funding for registration raised, but when we volunteered to organize a league, no one was interested because they were so far from being ready. Having to re-invent the wheel (or at least the drive train) without guidance is so time consuming that it discourages all but the most persistent user.

This is a little off topic, but I encourage you to spend one afternoon creating any sort of facsimile of a field and then getting those teams together just to spend a day building and practicing.

Deflate all the pressure from the situation.

If you can build a squarebot you can practice driving, offensive/defensive/collaborative strategies, platform getting-onto, low-goal scoring, and atlas ball-herding.

You are plenty ready to do your part deciding which alliance will win a match - You just don't realize it yet.

During the building part of the day work together brainstorming some challenges and then go your separate ways to implement the ideas each team likes best.

Avoid doing worse than a squarebot and I say you are a success.

Don't over-think it. Just pick a garage or church or school cafeteria and just do it! I have photos proving that it is easy. :-)

Blake