Advice for a potential rookie team?

[Retired Starman]

You already have a good start with yourself and another student. That's how teams get going. When other students find out what you are doing, they will want to join.

A team of 12 is not bad for a first year. Having too many students makes it hard to keep everyone busy and 12 students can build a good rookie robot and do the tee shirts and other things that a team needs to do.

There is help out there for you. Go to the FIRST website (usfirst.org) and look around. One page

(http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...t.aspx?id=5504)

tells you exactly how to go about starting a new team. One of the things you need to do RIGHT NOW is get in contact with the Regional Director in your area and instructions are on this page for doing that. The Regional Director's job is to help get new teams going (among a lot of other things). He or she will find you mentors, sponsors, and most importantly, money to start your team. It takes about $11,000 the first year to get your team going. That's more money than anyone would expect your team members to raise by yourselves. That what sponsors are for--to provide funds and mentors to help your team.

One thing you will have to do is find an adult at your school to act as coach, or sponsor, or whatever your school calls "club leaders". That person doesn't need to know everything about building robots, but does need to commit to being with you during meetings and while you are building your robot, so it's an important, time consuming job.

And great news--since your school had a FRC team in the past, you already have a team number! FIRST never re-issues team numbers, so when your team gets going, you can claim the number that was given your school.

Good luck getting your team going, and keep asking questions, questions, and more questions. Unlike other competition teams, EVERYONE in FIRST wants you to succeed and everyone will be willing to help. Don't let yourself get discouraged before you ask for help.

Dr. Bob

P.S. Did I remember to tell you not to be afraid to ask for help???