Here's a thread from last year on the Subject:
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=72913
Choosing Drivers isn't as straight forward of a task as most people think. It involves a lot of factors that don't even involve the ability to drive a robot. In my experiences I've found that one can teach just about any kid how to handle a robot given enough time and practice, but you can't teach someone how to be a "Good Driver". On my team specifically, we find all of the people interested and then test them on Game Knowledge and Driver Ability and then also look at how dedicated they are.
One thing to remember though is that a good Driver, Operator or Human Player is only a Member of a Good Driveteam. You may find some kid who's a complete ringer behind the sticks but they can't work with other people to save their life. Teamwork and compatible personalities are essential on a driveteam. My personal opinion on the subject is that you should pick the best drive team, and not just the best Driver, Operator, and Human Player. In my experience, the best drive teams are often those that are made up of people who are friends - I'm not saying they have to be best friends but it seems that the more you know about a person's style and personality the more easily you can work with them.
Also, just another thing I'm big on is appearance and attitudes of Driveteam Members. A lot of the time, when people think of your team they will think of your drivers because that's who they see on the field. Sometimes, when driver's are unprofessional, or hard to work with, or just childish, this can work against you when it comes to formulating alliances for eliminations or even cost you matches. I know when I played the role of Alliance Captain for 816 in 2008 and 2009 a lot of my selections were based on Drivers and how well they worked with us or could work with us, versus how good their robot was.
Edit:
Something I forgot too, is an understanding of rules and game play. Driveteam members should understand game play rules inside and out, or at least the ones that pertain to them in the case of the Human Player, and be able to play well within those rules. In my career as a Driver, Operator, Human Player, and Coach over the last few years, nothing has saved me more than an understanding of the rules and game dynamics. The more you know, the more you have to use in a match and you can come up with creative strategies.
-Also, anyone on the Drive Team should be able to think quickly under pressure and make decisions and stick by them. Sometimes, when unforeseen circumstances arise (Penalties, Broken Robots, Damaged Game peice, etc..) a quick decision is the difference between a win and a lose.