Dealing with robotics regrets

[Jon Stratis]

I never have regrets about our robot or on field performance. Simply put, for me it really isn't about the competition, it's about the kids. And that's where, if anywhere, I may experience regret occasionally - when you have trouble reaching a kid, or walk away with the impression that you had a negative impact on them it hurts, and is something that you tend to dwell on for a while until you can make it right. It's one of the reasons I became an LRI - telling a group of kids that their beautiful design is illegal is probably one of the worst experiences they can have at a competition. I hate doing it. But I know that I can approach it in a way to both soften the blow and help set them on a path towards success. And for me, seeing that illegal robot get fixed and then be successful is one of the most rewarding parts of an entire competition.

When it comes to my team, a lot of it has to do with setting expectations and managing the entire process. We have a process in place that lets us analyze the season to pull out both the good and the bad, work towards improvement for next year, and leave everyone excited at the end of the season, regardless of how the season went. I know that students walked away just as excited for next year, even though our on field performance this year was horrible, as they did in 2011 when we had an amazing run to win North Star and go to champs for the first time in team history. And really, that's what it's all about.