How do you select drivers?

[Kevin Ainsworth]

Should a good driver be the best at driving the robot during a lap around cones? We debate this all the time. I agree with the statement that anyone can drive a robot. But finding a driver that can scan the field, avoid collisions, bump another robot out of scoring position while flying to their next objective, not pull a foul, listen to the coach, etc is much harder. Some of the "smartest" drivers have a hard time deviating from their objective. If they decide to get a game piece they will not deviate even if it takes them the whole match to get to that particular game piece. On the other side of the spectrum I find the drivers that are masters on the sticks the first time driving aren't always the ones that can play the game the best. You have to find a well rounded driver that can continuously get better at driving while learning how the game is played, handle the stress and handle the constant criticism. We also limit the contact directly with the driver to the coach. All ideas, criticism, game play strategies goes to the strategy team and then gets downloaded to the coach who relays it to the driver.

To answer the original question, try giving the drivers three different objectives during the drivers competition and don't dictate the order in which they perform the tasks. Then see whole comes up with a strategy to complete the three tasks the most efficiently.

[EricH]

Something that is very important to remember:

You're not picking a driver, an operator, a coach, and a human player. You're picking a drive TEAM.

If the driver, operator, and coach don't work well together, you are toast. You could send out 1114's 2008 robot or 71's 2002 robot, and not win anything, if those three aren't in sync. Even with the #1 best operator, the #1 best driver, and the #1 best coach, if they aren't all working together, they're going to have a problem.

So don't just test out your drivers and your other drive team members. Test different pairings of them. See who works together the best, and stick with that crew for the year(s). If you've got them appearing to use telepathy, you're in good shape.

[artK]

Originally Posted by BriteBacon

We try to have anybody on the drive team to have at least a year of scouting first.

This is an interesting recommendation: Why do you believe it to be good? Is it to train the future drivers what good teams on the field do? Is it to give drivers a background in strategy?

[HelloRobot]

Originally Posted by Monochron

Work ethic does very little to tell you if a person will be able to take the pressure and responsibility of being a driver...
Skill and experience on the robot from last season is useful, but both can be taught during build season if need be. Teaching these before build season is much preferable, but most students can practice on the sticks and become relatively skilled.

I wasn't clear. I meant whoever has good experience driving the robot that they just built. So, for this season, it would be the 2015 robot, not the Aerial Assist one.

You're probably right about work ethic too. We just want someone who knows how to drive the robot skillfully. I know we'll want people with good work ethic in our Pit, but I guess we shouldn't make assumptions.

[HelloRobot]

Originally Posted by artK

Is it to train the future drivers what good teams on the field do? Is it to give drivers a background in strategy?

Personally, I think teams need to have a strategy (what the robot will do, and how it will do it), and their drivers should be able to execute that strategy. Part of the strategy is knowing how to control the "shooter" (whatever moved the 2014 ball, shot the 2013 frisbees, etc.), but they also have to maneuver around the five other robots on the field (and maybe cooperate with others, like in Aerial ASSIST.). In that regard, it would be helpful if they had scouted at a regional (or at least watched a few matches) so they see how teams had to work together. On the other hand, your drivers should be adaptable too. What if one of your alliance partners has an awesome strategy, but your drivers have trouble executing it? That could be a problem.

Generally, at least one veteran member or FIRSTer should be on your drive team so that they have a basic idea of what to do to be successful (and lead newbie drivers). The exception to this would be rookies who have pretty much all newbies. However you decide is up to you though. Every team has its own identity, and what works for one might not work for another. Just be able to have a drive team that works well together and with other.

[Ether]

Originally Posted by BMSOTM

Our team is trying to figure out the best way to choose drivers

http://youtu.be/ALASWt2uDqw?t=47m10s

http://youtu.be/ALASWt2uDqw?t=54m31s

http://youtu.be/ALASWt2uDqw?t=58m24s