New rookie team

[EDesbiens]

Hey guys!

I just decided to give myself a pretty cool challenge, in my opinion... After three cool years on Evolution 2626, I decided to create my own team. So, i'm the only student on the team for the moment and I would like you to help me...

First of all, my main language is french (I'm from Québec, Canada) and I am not really good at writing in english... So could somebody please take a look at my website (frci.weebly.com) and my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/frcteami) and give me a feedback on the texts? It would be really appreciated!

Second of all, I would like to know if you guys have any crazy ideas that I could try this year on my team... I want to act differently then others to inspire the people around the team...

Finally, do you know resources for rookie teams that could be useful? Grants, robot parts... Anything?

Thank you for your support!

[Oblarg]

Cool idea for a team name, and nifty logo. I dig it.

Now, if you want to start a rookie team, here are some tips:

1) Find mentors. As many as you possibly can. This is the single most important thing you can do, and if you don't do it well you cannot succeed.

2) Have a plan. Make sure every person in the team administration has a clearly-defined role that they and everyone else knows, and that they are able and willing to perform. Try to stick to pre-determined schedules as much as possible - people at meetings need to know what they're supposed to be doing. I've seen what happens if you're not good about this, and it's disastrous.

3) Work within your means. This goes for any team, but is especially salient for rookies. Trying for too ambitious a goal will much more often result in failure and disappointment than success and inspiration. Figure out what you can do with what you have, and do that well.

[EDesbiens]

Thank you for your advices

For point 3, the thing is that this team was created to be ambitious... Since it's my fourth year in an FRC team, I would like to try new things...

I'll try to apply your ideas! Thank you again

[Oblarg]

Originally Posted by EDesbiens

Thank you for your advices

For point 3, the thing is that this team was created to be ambitious... Since it's my fourth year in an FRC team, I would like to try new things...

I'll try to apply your ideas! Thank you again

Working within your means doesn't mean that you can't be ambitious. It just means that you should make sure that your ambition does not outstrip what you can realistically achieve.

It's also worth bearing in mind that, in FRC, there are many directions in which you can innovate other than the strictly technical, which may be better-suited to the resources of rookie teams. Finding new and innovative ways to interact with your community and promote interest in science and technology is just as important a part of FIRST (if not moreso) as the actual robot.

[EDesbiens]

Oh, I didn't understand that expression

And yeah, that's true... I'm working on the community aspect too (well, I try but I'm not the best for that point!).

[Shrub]

If you need help with French-English/English-French translations let me know! I'll do my absolute best.

[EDesbiens]

Originally Posted by Shrub

If you need help with French-English/English-French translations let me know! I'll do my absolute best.

I try my best on that point but if you want to help I won't say no

[MaGiC_PiKaChU]

Will you have your team within the same school as 2626? Or do you plan on starting off in a new school?

[EDesbiens]

I'm planning of starting it either in Sherbrooke's CEGEP or just as a team without any link to a school

[theRealRobot]

-Try to stay consistent in which side you put English and which side you put French (it looks like English his more on the left, so make sure that it's always on the left.
-In Team, change Historic to History
-Add a section (probably under Team) about past robots- this is very helpful in getting scouted, and also just overall documentation
-Try to make a more interesting background, such as a video or photo slideshow- this will make your website look more complete and professional, both of which are important in getting scouted and making a good website

Overall, congrats on being brave enough to start your own team!!!

[EDesbiens]

Originally Posted by theRealRobot

-Try to stay consistent in which side you put English and which side you put French (it looks like English his more on the left, so make sure that it's always on the left.
-In Team, change Historic to History
-Add a section (probably under Team) about past robots- this is very helpful in getting scouted, and also just overall documentation
-Try to make a more interesting background, such as a video or photo slideshow- this will make your website look more complete and professional, both of which are important in getting scouted and making a good website

Overall, congrats on being brave enough to start your own team!!! :] :D :)

First of all, thank you for your feedback :)

I made the changes for history/historic...

I don't feel comfortable about adding a section about my past robots because I was with another team and I didn't do team alone at all :) I don't want to take the credit for that...

I'm currently gathering pictures and videos to add on the site :) It will soon be there!

Thank you again for you feedback!

[Ari423]

I'm going to be 100% honest here: I think this is a bad idea. I understand you had problems with your previous team and want to challenge yourself, and you probably got really mad one day and thought "Ya know what, I'm gonna make my own team." That sounds like a good idea when you're mad, but actually it will be a nightmare for you. Running away and starting your own team without first setting up sponsorships, getting mentors and team members, and finding a place to work will not only be challenging, but is a very short-sighted view of what it takes to run any team, not even a successful team.

I would caution you that, no matter how stubborn you are and no matter how much effort you put into running the team, you will have a very hard time making a robot, let alone being at all competitive. You are probably better off taking whatever sponsors, team members, mentors, etc. you found for your new team and bringing them to help your old team or any other team you want to join. If you are already registered on TIMS it might be too late to back out, but I hope not for your sake. There are other, more rewarding and accomplishable ways to challenge yourself besides starting a new team.

You have every right to reject my suggestions, and if you do (which is likely judging by your previous responses) I wish you good luck with your new team.

[EDesbiens]

Originally Posted by Ari423

I'm going to be 100% honest here: I think this is a bad idea. I understand you had problems with your previous team and want to challenge yourself, and you probably got really mad one day and thought "Ya know what, I'm gonna make my own team." That sounds like a good idea when you're mad, but actually it will be a nightmare for you. Running away and starting your own team without first setting up sponsorships, getting mentors and team members, and finding a place to work will not only be challenging, but is a very short-sighted view of what it takes to run any team, not even a successful team.

I would caution you that, no matter how stubborn you are and no matter how much effort you put into running the team, you will have a very hard time making a robot, let alone being at all competitive. You are probably better off taking whatever sponsors, team members, mentors, etc. you found for your new team and bringing them to help your old team or any other team you want to join. If you are already registered on TIMS it might be too late to back out, but I hope not for your sake. There are other, more rewarding and accomplishable ways to challenge yourself besides starting a new team.

You have every right to reject my suggestions, and if you do (which is likely judging by your previous responses) I wish you good luck with your new team.

First of all, you guys put too much emphasis on the problem I had with the other team... Maybe I did not say it correctly but it's not that much of a big deal... I understand your point and many people told me that... But you know, I want to try it. Maybe I'm crazy, maybe I just don't know yet but I'll try until I succeed or fail. And if I fail, I wont mind. Because trying and failing makes you a better person then fleeing after the first couple obstacles.

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by EDesbiens

First of all, you guys put too much emphasis on the problem I had with the other team... Maybe I did not say it correctly but it's not that much of a big deal... I understand your point and many people told me that... But you know, I want to try it. Maybe I'm crazy, maybe I just don't know yet but I'll try until I succeed or fail. And if I fail, I wont mind. Because trying and failing makes you a better person then fleeing after the first couple obstacles.

So you're saying you can work things out without starting a new team?

For one last time, I'll echo what Andrew and Ari have stated. This is usually a bad idea. You should work with your old team, or another area team, to become better and accomplish much more. Sometimes being a one man team and being stubborn about wanting to do something challenging isn't the smartest thing.

Poor execution of a new team doesn't affect just you. It affects sponsors, students, mentors, and parents.

[EDesbiens]

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

Poor execution of a new team doesn't affect just you. It affects sponsors, students, mentors, and parents.

That is true. I've seen many examples of this... But the people I'm working with know the risks and they like it... And, even if the robot of this team fails miserably, our job will be done... We are currently working with a school (and one more in a few months) to show them the experience of FIRST so they can start their own team next year. We want to help the community, not to be the very best, like no one ever was (see what I did there? )...