Elitist Teams

[tim-tim]

Originally Posted by P.J.

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I see coaches yelling and screaming and running over to yell at other people all the time.
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As a former driver and as a coach on two different teams, I don't think this is ungracious to yell. Most drivers get a form of tunnel vision and neglect the rest of the field; actually this is what I tell my drivers to do. Their only focus is our robot and what ever their task is. I take care of the score and strategy changes on the fly. Yes, sometimes this means yelling. However, with teams crowding behind the driver station to cheer and the music and everything else, it gets rather loud on the field. The only way to communicate is to yell. To get a better perspective on the field or an issue, yes I move back and forth between teams and open areas. In my opinion, a good coach has to keep up with their alliance members. You never know when something will break or some other failure. Yes, through scouting we usually have a good understanding of what we 'believe' the other alliance is going to do. However, we are wrong at times; and have to adjust on the fly.

I have a checklist of things to check at different time intervals and make changes depending on those outcomes. Yes I yell! I try not to yell at students other those on my own team. For any other changes, I try to tell their coach. This is for two reasons: 1) I tell my drivers/human player not to listen to anyone other than me. 2) Their coach should know the best way to get their point across.

I give my drive team the same speech before every Regional. The main points are: what happens is going to happen, so you might as well have fun doing it; and I am going to yell, but not because I am mad. I am yelling because I was once a driver and know how tunnel vision works and how loud it gets.

I always end with something positive to our alliance as the alliance is leaving the driver station. If the robot is damaged/broke I always try and offer our assistance to get them back up and running. If I feel like I did upset someone I try and talk to them while be accompanied with their coach/or another mentor.

So I have to say screaming and pacing back and forth is part of the game.