Don't you students forget that us mentors might actually *like* building robots. Most of us are also volunteers. It's easy to keep volunteer mentors around when they get to do things that they enjoy. I pencil-whip problems and model things in CAD all freakin' day, and I really enjoy going to robotics and making parts, it's a great change of pace. Coaching would hold less appeal for me if I couldn't work with my students in the hands-on part of FRC (as well as designing).
Alternatively, it is in-arguably inspiring to watch someone do what they're really good at. One of 95's coaches is a guy who owns his own CNC machining company. Our students are always enthralled watching him program, setup, and run our CNC mill. Suddenly their creativity spikes because they can see what is possible.
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Originally Posted by BenjaminWard
Our team actually has almost zero mentor involvement in regards to fundraising, etc. We have a large "marketing" team that is competent enough to make their own decisions to benefit the team appropriately. They have successfully funded the majority of the team's cash needs for the past few years, with little mentor involvement.
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Was that sub-team setup by students or mentors or both?
Often times successful efforts that are now student-run were initiated by a group of students AND mentors.
There's a balance to it all, when the engineers guide the students, and both cooperate to build a robot. There can be no better way then when both sides are in cooperation - the true spirit of FIRST. - Jim McGeehin [more] 
11-02-2015, 16:17
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