[Gene Williams]

My perspective from the build room, drive team and pits: with 2 teams yields 2 drive teams, twice as much to do during build season, 2 robots to design and build, 2 sets of tools, 2 sets of spare parts, 2 sets of shipping crates, 2 sets of part totes, 2 controllers, 2 scouting teams, and so on and so on, you get the logistics of where this is going...the good from all this is simple...from the high school student population that participates in FIRST robotics there is now twice as many opportunities. That to me is most important because that's what it's all about, getting involved and experiencing first hand the rush you get working with students and professionals!!! These are the relationships / memories that last us a lifetime. For those students on very large teams that want a chance to drive the robot, design and fabricate the robot, program the robot and work in the pits...the chance of fulfilling that dream is now much better as there are now twice as many opportunities if you choose the 2 teams in one school approach! We were facing that situation a few years back when we had too many kids on the team, it was a very trying situation indeed to keep each and every student busy with some aspect of team responsibility. We on Teams 70 and 494 have been blessed with great sponsors and lots of parental / mentor support, school support and community support and involvement from all to make this happen!!! I can tell you first hand that this works.