The Triplet Challenge

[DonRotolo]

This thread shouldn't be about whether collaboration is good or bad. Collaboration is essential, but at what level is open to debate. But not here, please.

Rourke presented a possible way of bringing a team into FIRST, and growing FIRST is something with which we (probably) can all agree is a good thing. His approach is not a universal fit, but elements can be modified to work in many cases, and I think that's why he started the thread.

Good idea, I disagree with some parts of it, but will steal other parts and use them this year already...


I also agree with JVN's statement "Teams that perform well on the field are more sustainable than ones that do not." It is true in many cases, and if collaboration helps a rookie team gain some measure of success, good.

From personal experience, an unnamed team in its second year performed poorly last year, and again this year. The students, mentors and even teachers left the regional so discouraged, I fear for their survival. The worst of it, they left thinking of themselves as losers. What could have changed that is a plan like Rourke's, where a powerful team adopted them and helped them improve.


Lastly, a comment on the growth statistics: Chart the number of teams, not the percentage. Yes, still could be better, but not as ugly. The attachment (from a 2004 booklet) shows mild exponential growth, even ignoring the 2007 prediction.

Don