Mentors on drive team

[Chris is me]

Originally Posted by davidthefat

I believe that the adults should stay off the field. Do you see any coaches in sports step onto the field? No, they are always on the side lines. The "coach" on the field should be a student leader. Just like how there is a leader on any sports team.

The coach doesn't play any of the game in robotics, just like football.

How many high school football teams have student coaches?

Why do you think this is?

[pfreivald]

The only appropriate reply to this entire thread:

"That's just, like, your opinion, man!"

[Bjenks548]

Originally Posted by Chris is me

The coach doesn't play any of the game in robotics, just like football.

How many high school football teams have student coaches?

Why do you think this is?

Couple of things.
Robotics is not a sport.
And in football the coaches call the plays (strategies of robotics) but its the QB that calls the autables (the coach). Also I would argue that the coach does play the game, they are the QB, Point guard, or any other leader of a sports team.

[thefro526]

Originally Posted by Bjenks548

Robotics is not a sport.

We are all in the FIRST Robotics Competition.

Key word being Competition. FRC may not be considered a "sport" by the masses, but it is still a competition, and the point of any competition is to compete, be competitive, and win - though some may disagree with the last two.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by thefro526

We are all in the FIRST Robotics Competition.

Key word being Competition. FRC may not be considered a "sport" by the masses, but it is still a competition, and the point of any competition is to compete, be competitive, and win - though some may disagree with the last two.

And those people would be WRONG. (Not an opinion, it has been outright stated that we should be trying to win numerous times.)

[Zuelu562]

Go about picking your coaches your own way; if the team (both drive and general) is comfortable with the choice, no point trying to fix something that isn't broken. If you're not, explore the options; it really is all about the individual you choose to be the coach, not a sterotype based off their age.

[pfreivald]

Before people get sidetracked into FIRST is/isn't a sport discussions, please look up 'nominalism' and ponder why discussions like that are a giant waste of time.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Bjenks548

Robotics is not a sport.
And in football the coaches call the plays (strategies of robotics) but its the QB that calls the autables (the coach). Also I would argue that the coach does play the game, they are the QB, Point guard, or any other leader of a sports team.

If poker is a sport, robotics is definitely a sport. We do more than move playing cards around... (Hey, poker does show up quite often on ESPN, who is known as "the worldwide leader in sports".)

In this game, the coach does both strategy and audible calling. Strategies are worked out with the entire alliance before a match--don't leave your coach out of that. Audibles are called on the field by the coach. And, in sports like basketball and hockey, the coach is on the sidelines calling signals to his team throughout the game, not just at defined points in time.

However, sports comparisons do fail. What sport gives you a random team every time you take the field? What playoff tournament allows you to pick your team after dishing out the random teams in qualifying?

[JaneYoung]

Just a thought for this topic as this thread begins its descent into emotional fractured disagreement:

With the way that FRC is set up, students cycle up and through the program until they are eventually out as active participants unless they decide to mentor or volunteer or become a sponsor. The cycle renews and replenishes each season, bringing in new participants who are at the beginning stages of understanding FRC and the opportunities that are made available. These opportunities occur constantly - during build, competition, and during the off season. It is hoped that as participants mature and gain experience, that they become more open with each passing season, to the rich variety of opportunities made available to improve with and to learn from, as individuals and, as teams.

Readers of the threads that contain topics like these are interested in learning and gaining insight and/or understanding. If posts are filled with strong opinions, sarcasm, mud-slinging, and rude disagreements, that narrows the opportunities to learn and to understand the bigger picture. Give learning opportunities a chance. If you are frustrated and decide to post in a manner that is creating an atmosphere of derision, then walk away and take a break. You are missing a great opportunity by being a know-it-all, yourself.

Jane

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by EricH

If poker is a sport, robotics is definitely a sport. We do more than move playing cards around... (Hey, poker does show up quite often on ESPN, who is known as "the worldwide leader in sports".)

There was a time when the FIRST Championships were on ESPN.
So even ESPN thought FIRST was a sport.

[waialua359]

Our team has had better success with an adult coach on the field, versus student based on the # of banners. Both have brought home banners.

However, as Chris F. pointed out, its about the best combination/chemistry of 4 members that represent the drive team, giving you the best chance to win.
All that learning mumbo jumbo......................, if you've been through an entire FRC season before, there's lots of opportunities for that.

Heck. The only time I ever get to really talk to the great mentors of other teams is on the field!

[Bob Steele]

I agree with Glenn,
One of the only times I get to see the other mentors is on the field and I thoroughly enjoy working with you and other mentors on the field.

i think everyone needs to do what is best for their team...the team is important and putting your best drive team on the field is what is best for the team.

I remember when a teacher at my school once complained because only 3 students operated the robot... how could that be good for a group of students? I tried to explain to him that the drive team was just a small part of what was happening...EVERYONE on the team is important and we all do our jobs the best we can.

On our team I am the coach on the field. I, like many other coaches, have had a great deal of experience on the field... I think at last count I had coached well over 300 matches at regionals and the world championship. Many times the experience that I have has helped our team.

I may be old and feeble...(lol) with no attention span and an inability to do more than one thing at once. but I don't find those things to be a deficit on the field. They even let me bring my walker out onto the field... but they won't let me bring the seeing eye dog...(:0)) (He can't see over the drivers station anyway so it wouldn't help much...)

I don't find those traits hold me back much as an engineer and college professor either..

Find out what is best for your team and go for it.

[pfreivald]

smurfgirl, such reasonableness and tolerance will not be tolerated. This is the internet!

[pandamonium]

IMHO a mentor taking the coaching position is the easy way out. It is far more difficult to hone the communication skills and analytical skills of a student, to shape them and guide them but I have seen first hand how rewarding it can be.

that being said it is not a clear cut thing, and there are certain situations and teams that it works well for.

[Brian Ha]

What our team has decided on doing is, pick a human player tall and strong enough to launch the tube, then do drivers training to pick a good driver, do some co-pilot driving to pick the best co-pilot and then have the drivers pick the person they work best with because otherwise there will be no communications. AT ALL. Trust me this is true and if you think about it this has been happening for centuries. I mean look at men and women, men don't always listen and women have selective hearing. It's give and take people and to take you need to listen. Now this is going on and on so i will shut up but that's an idea.