Good vs. Great Drive Teams

[LeelandS]

There are a few things that, to me, make a great driver.

1 - As said before, practice. Practice and experience are two of the greatest things a driver can have. Knowing how to really work the robot is different from just driving it. As monkey can pick up a controller and push some buttons and make the robot move. A driver who has practiced the with the robot, who knows how it really work, can make all the difference. It doesn't matter how good a robot you build; if a driver can't effectively work with it, it might as well just sit there. And that required practice.

2 - Maturity. Being mature is another key component of being a great driver. There is a reason children don't get licensed to drive on the roads. To be great, a driver needs to really appreciate his role on the team, and the weight he is carrying on his shoulders. He can't just be a kid who picks up a controller and plays a game. Don't get me wrong, having fun is one of the major goals of FRC, but a driver needs to know that when that match starts, he need to be ready to play, and he needs to respect the robot he has control of. Another thing that is kind of connected to that, is a driver needs to be able to stay calm under pressure. Even the greatest drivers will make rookie mistakes if they lose their head in a match.

3 - The third thing, and just as important as the others, is being a good team player. A driver with a big ego will not succeed, because they will end up going off in a match and doing what they thing is best. A great driver has to be able to work well with both the coach and operator. Not only that, but they need to have a connection with them that allows them to effectively operate as a single unit, as opposed to three people doing three separate jobs.

I hope this helps! Feel free to ask if you have any questions!
-Leeland