[JaneYoung]

This is a thread with a specific request.
It also creates a great opportunity to talk a little bit about how Gracious Professionalism works when interacting with each other during the pressures of competition. I’ve had the pleasure of observing team interactions in FIRST venues such Lone Star and the Championship, and off seasons like Mission Mayhem. In all of these venues, I have noted the presence of respect and patience among the teams in the pit area. The rhythms and nuances of the competition are very evident in the pits and because all the teams are there competing, they are aware of them by and large. When scouting the teams/robots, the exchange of information and the interactions among the team members is valuable. That is where seeds of GP can take root when training new members, working with new rookie teams.

There are ways to develop this area of the team program. One way would be to plan in advance just how the pit crew is going to manage the demands of the robot and the demands of the scouts/visitors/VIPS/judges. We know all of this is going to converge at the same time and we know the stakes, the emotions, the time limits. The more advanced planning regarding how to manage all of this, the better the efficiency of the team and the smoothness of the process with regard to working as a team and also, interacting with others. Veteran teams can help rookie teams learn these subtle aspects of Gracious Professionalism and respect for each other. Veteran team members can train their new members in these areas.

A polite request to take a photo of team’s robot can be a part of this.