Driver Stress?

[dddriveman]

Drivers here is your chance to explain the amount of stress placed on you. This includes regionals and the weeks/days leading up to regionals.

This is my third year in FIRST and also as a driver. Two years for 979 and this year for1038, and for some reason i seem to be more stressed this year than any. As i think about the enourmous amount of responsibility and trust that is assigned to me. As i think more about it i relize that i am the one who is responsible for weither or not my team makes it to Finals, and or Nats. This year being on a team with a reputable past makes me extremly nervous. I know i will do fine, but the anticipation is what is killing me. Am i crazy or is this a universal anxity for Drivers and Operators.

[team222badbrad]

Being a driver is tough and always has been. This is even true more so this year because you will be driving in several more matches than in the past.

There are many responsibilities that go along with driving so just be sure you know them and carry them out!

Drivers stick with it, stay in the pits, talk with other drivers, know when your matches are, and most of all know your GAME!

Missing the good times I had as a FIRST robot driver! Why did I have to meet graduation requirements???

[TheMuffinMan]

Haha I know how you are, we're a rookie team, and we had several members afraid to step up to driving our bot, because of the responsibility. I play the most video games, so I'm most used to controllers and joysticks, I kinda had a natural knack for driving the thing. After our first practice round, we had a friend (now FIRST volunteer) say not to change the driver (me) because of how well we did. I feel pretty confident too, as a first year. We placed 7th out of 62 in our region, took home 2 awards (in my sig) and were beaten in the finals by the team that won the entire regional. My friend (who did the arm) was the one afraid of driving, but we worked really well with each other, especially when the arm stopped responding correctly and he had me playing defense like crazy (ran the Nasa Knights 122 up into a goal, hit creamed 1545 and 401, etc)

[JohnnyB]

I always get a little stressed as arm operator, especially with Paul Copioli standing behind me screaming at me. This year Im wayyyy more relaxed than last year though. This is my second year arm operating, and its much better this time around. I think its due to the fact that im very confident with the robot this year, whereas last years robot was very difficult to control and a little flawed in design.

I usually try to let off some stress by listening to some very loud music before Elims (usually some Devil Driver, Amon Amarth, Slayer, etc). That'll usually get my juices flowing, then I just try to follow Paul's orders and do what Im supposed to... concentration is key.

[henryBsick]

Don't worry about it all...
In the past 6 weeks...you've learned how to do some things you probably have never heard of before.
GO
HAVE
FUN
!!!!

[Jeff K.]

Ya it is very stressful in the operator station. I am a freshman and being a robot driver, I do get very nervous before the match. I was actually picked driver at a meeting that I didn't attend because I had been really busy with a project. The first match I competed in was at the regional and it was the first match our robot played in. I had been really stressed out because if anything happened to the robot or if we didn't win, chances are they would've blamed it on me. In that match, we were the only scoring team on our alliance. I felt more relieved after the match because I realized it wouldn't have been that stressful after realizing how well I actually did. It was a good experience, but then at another event the day after, I was driving the robot...and I wasn't as good as I had been the day before...and well...it just didn't really go so well ...but is it normal to have like, an offday?

[Tytus Gerrish]

i don't get stressed. in fact while I'm driving i get board and start zoning out just being part of the machine. even with Dan yelling behind me, the crappy techno music and the screaming fans. they say alot of things that i should watch out for and all "don't do this do that make sure you wait for this Etc..." but it doesn't stress me. I'm not even stressed when I'm a minute from Que with my hands in our alliances robot fixing it. not stressed after drinking 30OZ of Bawls in the morning. Just haven't been stressed about driving in a long time. not since i started three years ago.

Actually, i think i Put all the stress on Dan and Amanda when they cant find me right befora a match.

[SizzelChest330]

As a rookie operator Ive learned a few things to do and not do in the next competition

1. Stay completely focused on what your doing... even when you have a robot stacking / ramming right in front of your station

2. Take your time switching battery's... its not worth dropping it on your Robot Controller again.....................

3. Make sure you've set the right autonomous..because duh...
hope this comes in handy to anyone else

[Dan-o]

I was the primary driver for MOE 365 in 2003 and I can say there's definitely a ton of stress at competitions. It's not necessarily generated by the team, but rather by the expectations you put on yourself. After making it through 2 ridiculous comebacks at Annapolis (1 by winning 68-67) I was so nervous that I felt sick. I have done some pretty nerve racking things in my life, but this seems to take the cake.

This year, I have been lucky enough to get the opportunity to be field coach for team 1493. Having been a driver, I feel that I have a better opportunity to make it easier for the drivers. My plan is to oversee the match, and tell the drivers in a calm, but quick voice what they should do next. At that time, I will sit back and wait until I need to give them another instruction. I'm hoping this takes a little of the nerves out of the picture so the drivers can perform to the best of their abilities.

[Dan Richardson]

I was a human player/driver for 4 years, the stress is HUGE. Because It always come down to you. 6 weeks of blood sweat tears and Jolt come on to your shoulders. Then there is of course your team that comes down on you if you make a small little mistake, especially when your team is one of those win or go home scenarios ( win a regional or no nationals type deal )

It can be a huge responsibility being a driver, You are your teams front line of representation. Many times the way a team is judged can come down to your drivers. This might not be fair but its reality, if you don't conduct yourselves in a GP manner then your team can get a bad rep for it. Many times when you talk to people who have problems with other teams it comes down to poor driver conduct on and off the field.

So as a driver its more a state of mind, to be able to take the beating when you need to, and always respond in a positive manner. You are the front line of politics, your the front representation of performance to the Judges. FIRST is the only TEAM sport thats played by a single person. Its hard but its the job, and somebody has to do it. Embrace the challenge succeed in it, and emphasize your efforts. But what I had to learn in my 4 years as a driver, even if you mess up and lose a match, or make a poor decision, and everyones torn apart in a heart breaker, don't let it take from the REAL FIRST experience. There is so much to be gained from these seasons aside from the great competition, only when you lose sight of that is when you could actually become the loser.

To Those who are about to do battle in a robotics game I Salute you


Dan

[Andy A.]

Driving can be a huge stress, as has been explained above.

Despite the stress, I would give anything to be back behind the driver station with an old flightstick in my hand. It's cool being a coach, but knowing that I'll never drive in FIRST again still bugs me. I wish there was a collage league in FIRST, if only so I could drive again. Maybe an off season dedicated to letting all us washed up drivers back in saddle.

Back on point, I loved the stress. It kept me focused and from slacking off. I consider some of my best work as a student in FIRST being what I accomplished as a driver. I'm a mediocre machinist and electrician, but I think I made a heck of a driver (forgive the lack of modesty). It also helped that the rest of my drive team were absolute pros, and I knew I had the best pit crew in FIRST ready to fix anything I broke (happened frequently). Having a fast, nimble and showy 'bot (the popcorn popper from '02) made it all the more fun.

The stress can weigh on you, but it can also keep you focused and working at your max. The trick is directing that stress in to a productive outlet and not letting it just chew at you. Instead of thinking that everyone is going to see you screw up royally in the next match, you have to convince your self that everyone is going to see you win the match even when both your allies get flipped and half your robot stops working.

-Andy A.

[akshar]

Im a rookie Driver of the arm for team 1568... the whole build season, we were going to use two sticks, both to operate the base and the arm, the day before shipday, the team decided to get another joystick and use it for driving...i decided to be driver for the arm and got 15 minutes of total practice, but i got a good idea on how to cap...tomoorow, will be a practice day for me with the bot, but by friday...all those vetran teams better beware of team 1568

oviously we are a rookie team (1568 has to be a giveaway) for everyone in the team all 7 of us plus the 2 junior high students, this is our first year in FIRST...so it will be a learning experience for the drivers, coach, and h player...so yes there is a lot of stress that drivers a re under.

[bombadier337]

I was arm guy, and it was extremely stressful when paied with weak alliances and in the finals. Trying to get the robot ready for a match in four minutes was crazy, thankfully a lot of people loaned us batteries, etc. What was the worst was waiting for about an hour or so to go. They made a mistake with the staging, led us on the field, then when we were about to go told us to get off and wait a while. We then did the same thing again about 20 minutes later. It took so long before we actually got to play, and we were soooo stressed out. Luckily, we still did pretty well.

*I might add we were trying to get to Nationals, and our going or not going was dependent on our performance in the finals. Unfortunately, we are not going. :-(

[KoRnPoP]

It was alot of stress upon the time. First reason because it was my first time ever driving and everyone was really depending on me. Also we didn't really know what to expect being out first year. But after going a few time I think I just didn't think about being stressed.

[JohnnyB]

Another tip of reallllly bad advice: I found that the actual driving and setup is a lot less stressful if you screw something up and have like 50 people yelling at you as you try to figure something out or fix it or whatever.

Example: At FLR I was nervous for the first few matches on practice day. Later it was gone. Come friday it was back stronger cause I knew it was qualifying rounds and I didnt wanna mess up.

I didnt realize that we had one of the first matches of the day (if not THE first match of the day) and I ran down to the pits to get the OI and head out to the field. When I went in, I had forgotten my operator badge. As soon as I walked out to the queue I got yelled at by the queuing lady. Paul was in the backround yelling "choke!" at me (he was probably thinking I was too nervous and became forgetful and thus "choked").

Luckily JVN grabbed the OI from me and handed it to my team while I ran back to the pits to get my badge. I was real stressed for a match or two after that, but as soon as it passed, the stress of the matches became nothing.

*Added*
Don't forget to dance... there is always a good minute or two before matches start where you just stand there and wait for scoring to finish and the volunteers to setup. If you arent busy discussing strategy or anything, utilize it to relax yourself and have a bit of fun.