Apologies in advance for this long post, writing about something I love is going to take a while
The biggest, most important thing is to
RELAX. My operator and I spend the 30 seconds or so right before the match (waiting for auton to start) dancing to the music behind the player station wall; I've noticed that we're the only ones out there doing it, but it's a fun way to loosen up and realize that you're just out there to have fun.
Listen to your coach, even if it goes against your own best judgment. Paul made a call or two that, at the time, were not what I would have chosen if I had been alone. However, watching the videos later, I saw that it was strategically the best thing to do (i.e. switching to scoring on the middle row randomly in the middle of a match).
There is really no time to think; 2 minutes goes by a heck of a lot faster than you may realize. If you see an opening or a strategical groove to drive, just freaking do it. There is no time at all to have a self-debate over the pros and cons of an action. This game [due to, IMO, the effectively small playing field] is based on split second, make-or-break decisions. If you spend too much time thinking about what to do, before you know it the other team is going to be on you or scoring tubes.
On a related note, I read a quote in an earlier one of these threads that I really liked. "You can always fix a robot; you can never replay a match." During the build season, I was primarily on the mechanical build team, so I had a lot of effort and sweat put into that robot. Before my first match, I was so scared to touch other robots, I figured I would be a horrible defensive player. However, in the heat of the match, I just put those thoughts out of my mind and focused on the task at hand (plus the fact that I couldn't really think about what I was doing, again with the whole time and pressure thing).
Be on good terms with your operator (or vice versa). This may seem obvious, but just trust me. Don't let personal issues with them affect you during the matches; focus only on your task at hand (drive to tube, drive to rack, place tube, drive back. rinse, repeat). Don't worry about the people in the stands, don't worry about your ex girlfriend back home, don't worry about the math test you're missing.
Have fun with it. I see some people trying to act like they're professional robot drivers out there or something, it's a much better experience if you just rock out with it. For my first regional, I spiked up my hair and got all the swag I could find for 'good luck' (buttons, necklaces, armbands, whatever lol) and had a ball with it. Dance before matches, heck dance during matches if you can get the extra thought process (I think I bobbed my head a couple times when we were doing well).
Again, above all, RELAXX. If you feel yourself getting twitchy and jumpy, just take a second and breathe. Let up on the joysticks/gamepad a little; driving it a second slower and making the tube cleanly is a heckuva lot better than driving it 2 seconds faster, dropping the tube, hitting another robot, and losing your chance altogether.
Wow.. that was really long. Uhh.. have fun driving, and good luck
