Maintaining a team

[Wayne C.]

It used to be that the average FIRST team would last only a few years but there were always a few teams that managed to find someting to keep them going. I'd like to think that we are one of them and we are entering our 9th year.

So here are a few observations-

1. the team should always be doing something- you can't drop the team right after the competition season and expect them to return 8 months later all ready to restart. The interim time should have lots of fun events like replay competitions, fund raisers, new projects peripherally related to the robot, social events. That way the "team" exists even if a robot doesn't,

2. companies get tired of money flowing to places where there is no return- so give your sponsors a return. They are the next best thing since sliced bread and they should be told that wiith good press coverage of the team, thankyou letters and gifts and good will of your community. An active team sets all this up as a part of their plan. The big killer of teams is loss of funding.

3. adult mentors- those adults with vision look into FIRST and see what it CAN be. But many see only the now- lots of time and money spent. If the students show the adults how much FIRST is changing them for the positive and how their efforts are appreciated I am sure more would be excited to participate and help support any team.

I guess you might say that the robot doesn't make the team, the team makes the robot. Build a good team and the robots will be there. But building a team that has fun together and places value on their time for robotics will assure that they stay together.

Preachy?-- well it is Sunday morning....

WC