Driver Selection: A Discussion

[Katie_UPS]

Hey CD,

So whenever I meet up with a certain FIRSTer, he and I have numerous conversations about various aspects of FRC Teams. One of our more interesting conversations revolve around the topic of driver selection.

We have streamlined driver selections to two sections:

-Skill (This includes ability with the joysticks as well as mental ability)

-Reward (This is our blunt way of describing when teams give it to the most dedicated students/senior students/etc.)

Some argue that drivers should be picked solely on skill, while others think that there should be a reward aspect to driving.

One scenario that's been brought up is a hypothetical team who has two students who, from day one, know they want to be drivers. The students obtain small remote controlled vehicles with a drive-base similar to that of the teams and play a new game everyday with the vehicles. This is all they do at the meetings. This fine-tuns both their skills with the joysticks as well as their driving-mentality.

Should they get the drive team positions?

One can argue that they should as they are the most qualified based on their skill.

Another can argue that they should not, as they have not done the work to reap the 'benefits' of being on the drive team.

Opinions? Thoughts? (The hypothetical situation does not need to be referenced)