[EricH]

If you would like to do a fairly low-risk investigation, find some spare kit parts (frame, transmissions, motors, that sort of thing), build a robot that is in compliance with the FRC rules, and bring it to an offseason event. Most, if not all, of them offer a steeply reduced price to pre-rookie teams; in some cases, it's a 100% discount. Veteran teams will also often loan a pre-rookie a robot to compete with.

Doing this can give you an idea of what you're getting into without all of the stress/financial hit of a full FRC season, which is what many rookies wind up with...