FAHA: Deserving your role?

[gsensel]

Also who is to say that if you don't replace him that at a critical point on the field he won't go off on an alliance partner for not being able to do something as efficient as they said they could. If this was to happen it might put a negative mark beside your team and you might not get picked for the elimination rounds or at a future competition.

[ngreen]

I personally can't read this one but can speak from experience. We had a coach and a arm operator who didn't get particularly get along. The coach was overbearing at times and always wanted everything his way and would get mad at the drivers and the arm operator would take offense to this and hold a grudge of sorts. I remember one particular practice where everything broke down between them and they were near fighting on the field. As the HP it was obviously my job to mediate so I stepped in. I revoked the name coach and renamed him our lead strategist. I went into the speech about how we are a team and need to work as a team to be successful. That this isn't a sport where the coach tells what to do and the team goes out and does exactly what he says but were we work as team to make the decision that help us win. I also had to talk to the arm operator to get him to get him to take less offense from what the other person does and let him know that to be a successful team he needs to put in the effort to communicate his opinions of what will work and not let the other person take over and then hold a grudge against them. That he will have to let go of the grudge to compete. You can not like a person and work with them.

That is my recommendations. Mediate between them. The one holding grudges need to realize that they might not be working as hard as they can or communicating as well as they can. Let them know it is just one of the challenge of the game. Do you think in business everyone likes who they work with? No, if a person does a good and get the job done they are possibly to work with. And the one with the attitude needs to be taught teamwork. Change him to a "navigation specialist" and make one of the requirement to effectively communicate and work together within a team. If your team is divide it will fall to pieces when things get tough.

[R2K2D2]

I think that this situation needs to be handled in a very delicate manner. I think first and foremost you have to realize that this person is just a student and not an advisor. High school students sometimes tend to not view everything as objectively as an advisor. I say this from first hand experience as I am a college mentor on team 461. If a student is feeling distant and has an attitude problem, it is your job as the mentor to take them aside, and one on one try and discuss and figure out why that student feels the way he/she does and how best you can aide to change that. This is what has worked for me: I am very upfront with our hs students. If they have an issue that effects the team, or even themselves, I take them a side and talk to them in a very NON-confrontational manner. You have to be calm and understanding.

Now, as far as changing the driver goes....I would not change the driver rigth before nationals. Unless the driver is doing something very wrong, which according to what you said is not happening, then don't change your driver. The practice rounds, regionals etc gives the driver tremendous amounts of experience and insight that quite honestly, can only be absorbed through participating in those events. You should sit down with the specific group of students that said to remove this person from this position and ask them specifically why. Ask them to give you specific reasons as to fundamental mistakes that student has made as a driver. If these can not be produced, then it makes no sense the change the driver. If that is the case, you need to explain this to the group of students. Maybe see why the don't "like" him/her. Try and make them understand where this student is coming from and why they are the way they are. Just take the time to understand the issues of discontent between the two parties, and address them to one and other.

Remember, you are an advisor. You don't just help these students build a robot, you help them build their lives. You aid in their development as a person, everything from technical skills to personal skills. If a student has an issue, be their friend, their mentor, sit down and help them work through it, that's why you are there. Invest the time and effort into getting to know them and understanding them. Invest the time in bringing the team closer together, even if it's just one student who is not fully "team oriented". It will make a difference in these students lives and the dynamics of the team.

[Chris Fultz]

We don't have tryouts for the field roles, they are discussed and aggreed among the adult leaders. Why -

There is more to being part of the field team than just driving the robot or hitting shots - the students on the field need to be quick to think, understand the strategy for each match, be able to quickly adapt, and be able to quickly earn the respect and trust of their alliance partners. If necessary, I would sacrifice a bit of mechanical skill for the other 'leadership' type of qualities needed in a match.

I also believe the four on the field need to be able to work as a team and help each other. Again, that might mean the four most 'talented' people are not there - but the four that combine to make the best team are.