Mentors on drive team

[Bjenks548]

I am in no way saying that the average student is better then the average adult at coaching, I know there are some great adult coaches out there. Some people think that adults have an advantage over students when it comes to coaching, I personally do not and my team puts a student coach in year after year. I guess my real question is what advantage is there to an adult coach? I don't see experience as one, as a upper class student I have watched hundreds of matches and learned what is import, these games are only so complex and we get this years on the same date. Maturity? On a whole that's probably true, so don't pick a student that immature, there's lots of them that aren't. Also the argument that all teams have coaches, very true but how many of them come onto the field?

[Huskie65]

Originally Posted by Bjenks548

Maturity? On a whole that's probably true, so don't pick a student that immature, there's lots of them that aren't. Also the argument that all teams have coaches, very true but how many of them come onto the field?

I hope your coach is not going on the field... That'd be dangerous! lol

As for me I was lucky enough to be coached by an amazing man (Ken Patton) and I think I changed who I am. There is no way to explain how his important that relationship was to me and I would not trade it for anything. I have nothing against student drivers but the its not what I would choose for my team. I am now a coach for the rookie team we started and I can only hope that one day I can be half the coach he is and have a lasting impact on my students.

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by IndySam

I spend many many more hours than any student does every year, being drive coach is my reward for that effort.

Lucky stiff!

An effective coach can be a student or an adult. In a group of 50 students and 50 adults, there will be a greater number of qualified coaches in the adult group. This means that, for your team, some years you might not have a student who can be effective. After all, is it fair to the rest of the team to reduce the team's competition success by selecting a student simply because they are a student, if they are significantly unqualified?

That being said, it would be a rare year when NO student was qualified (assuming they get training) to coach the drive team.

1676 does not have a policy that a student must be the drive coach, but we'll work hard to find a qualified student before falling back on a mentor.

But, like Indy Sam, many mentors would simply like the fun of being on the drive team. Having done it, I can say it's really a lot of fun, a nice reward for the hours, blood, sweat and tears.

[Kims Robot]

Reading all this (over and over again every year!) I still want to go back to the days (yup I am "old" & dating myself) when every drive team had TWO coaches. With that rule, my senior year, Aces High started putting in one adult and one student as coaches. (Yeah scroll way the heck down, you will see my name... ::sigh::!)

To me, this was the ultimate inspiration. Yeah I was a senior, had been the MVP of the team for three years, had held the lead strategist as well as pretty much every other position on the team... but when it came to walking on that field and being in charge, I was still nervous. I knew my stuff, but I was up against teams like Chief Delphi!! Having the mentor at my side made things so much easier, and gave me the confidence I needed.

The next year, when I started 229 and I was now "The Mentor", I brought a student coach with me, and I was now the only one with field experience. Having stood side by side with my mentor the previous year, I knew what I had to do and I knew how to help the student learn & grow.

Since they aren't likely to bring back the days of 5 person drive teams, I am still of the opinion do what works for your team, but make sure you understand your goals. Some team's highest goal is to win, some is to give as many opportunities to students, but all of us are here for inspiration. Everyone's definitions may vary, but as long as it works for your team RUN with it!

Oh and by the way, I am sitting next to an "old guy" who between he & one of our other mentors could probably out-video game any kid these days... ;-) So drop the video game debates already!

[Joe J.]

Wow this thread kinda highlights why I don't post here much any more.

I was my team's driver for two years in 2005 and 2006 during which time we didn't have a set coach (they just rotated mentors and students) so it was left to the drivers to handle those responsibilities too, including hearing every complaint/ suggestion from every member of team after every match.

I returned to our Drive Team in 2008 to Coach. One of the main things I wanted to do was try to shield my Drivers from inevitable barrage of "Monday morning quarterbacking" I had to deal with. I wanted them focusing on what they need to be doing not stressing over what happened. I collect all the relevant feedback and tell them what they need to hear. Every member of our Drive Team participates in match prep, I may lead them early in the season but as time goes on I try to easy the students into leading the discussions.

I believe one of the most important things a Coach has to bring to the field is calm steady voice, are there student that can do this? yes absolutely

I've seen match where student Coaches handled themselves and their Drive Team calmly and professionally, I've had the great pleasure of coaching also side them as well as legendary coaches like Ken Patton and Paul Copioli.
On the other hand I've seen matches where both mentor and student coaches have gotten panicky and touched the controls.

Its what works for your team, but Coaches need to tell the Drivers what they need to hear not what they want to hear.