Drive Team Chemistry

[Connor Mulkey]

I was on the drive team for the three years I was a student on the team (2010-2012). Hopefully I can provide some insight and guidance that may help.

Obviously, practice is very important. The drive team should be practicing as soon as there is a robot complete enough to drive, and they should not stop practicing until the season is over. The 148 drive team practices about five days a week and for several hours each of those days, assuming the robot is not undergoing major modifications. This kind of practice will usually develop chemistry over time, but it's not an issue that can just be solved with hard work. Some people just aren't cut out for being a member of the drive team.

You've got to be confident, and you've got to be able to keep your cool out on the field if you want to be successful out there. As a driver, it was impossible for me to avoid being stressed right before a match, but I wouldn't let anyone else see that. Staying focused and having a calm demeanor can help keep the emotions of the other drive team members in check and boost everyone's confidence in the process. You'll find that the best drivers are completely in the zone during a match. The stress from before is gone, the crowd is gone, and the announcer is gone. All that remains is your robot in front of you, your fellow driver at your side, and your coach giving you instructions from behind. You'll also find that the best drivers don't need much instruction during the match at all, potentially allowing your drive coach to step back and better coordinate the efforts of the entire alliance. You've got to be able to think quickly, you've got to trust in your drive coach's decisions, and you've got to be willing to invest the time to improve your driving skill. These are all crucial attributes for a driver to have. You've just got to hunt for the students on your team that fit all of these criteria. Another very important thing to consider- your drive team somewhat acts as the face of your organization. They may be the only members of your team that the other teams interact with. Make sure your drivers are well behaved and respectful to those other teams.

On the issue of the drive coach... consistency is key. Your drive coach should be the same person for the whole year, and that person should be able to coach for many years. This is the reason 148 has mentor drive coaches. They are able to stick around longer than students, and the experience gained from all of those years enables them to be the best at what they do. I'd also wager that students accept instructions from a mentor better than from one of their peers. Pick a worthy drive coach, and stick with that person. If you picked the right drivers, they will adapt to the coach and get along with them. (Mentor drive coaches work best for our team, but they may not be best for your team. All teams are different. Adjust accordingly.)

Now, on to the question of whether or not you should switch drive team members. You absolutely should switch out the drive team members if they don't meet the criteria I've listed above. If chemistry is the only thing lacking though, give them some more time to practice. Communication is important as well, but with enough practice, your drivers should be so in sync that they know exactly what to do at all times, minimal words needed. If after all of this practice you still aren't seeing improvements, maybe there's just a lack of skill that can't be remedied. Since I joined 148, there has never been a driver that hasn't driven for the remainder of their years as a student on the team. Hopefully a coach like Paul Copioli, who has swapped out drive teams in the past, will drop in here to give more insight into the matter if you find that you need to make some changes.