Separating College v HS Teams

[sanddrag]

Can I get a more detailed definition of "college team" before we go on with this discussion? I want to make sure we're all on the same page here.

[Beth Sweet]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Can I get a more detailed definition of "college team" before we go on with this discussion? I want to make sure we're all on the same page here.

A team that you mentor in college that is not your hs team

[Richard Wallace]

I'm a few years too old to contribute to this thread directly, but on behalf of another 931 mentor, here is an obvious example of how to put some distance between your HS and college teams:

This example is now starting his fourth year as a mentor for 931, is a very strong contributor to our design and construction process, and is well respected by our students. He has had very little difficulty separating from his role on his former HS team, because he waited until his third year of college to start as a mentor on our team. Also, his HS team is about nine hundred miles away, in Maryland, and has never been at an event with us.

I'd be interested in hearing how others have managed the transition from student to mentor without using time and distance to keep the two roles separate.

[Swan217]

Simple Answer: Moving 3,000 miles away makes it easier .

[Kims Robot]

I think my experience was similar to Beth's. My first year on 229, I got a lot of help & advice from my old team (176). But after that, the team started taking on its own shape, formed by how Clarkson wanted it run, and what was available to us up there.

But I think part of it too was as Dan suggested, the distance. I wasnt close enough to go to my old team's meetings personally (or I likely would have just become their mentor).

1511 was a similar "escape" from my old teams... Except this time I was given more freedom from the start. I took my favorite parts of 176 & 229, and added in some new ideas and some changes to things I didnt like and "poof" out came 1511! Not really a college team, but it was the next team I was a part of! I still follow Clarkson & 176 at events, and I even get 1511 to cheer on both of them especially when they make it further than we did. I have to say, my hardest day in FIRST was when 229 faced 1511 in the semi's in Cleveland last year... who to pick?? the rookie team that I had put my heart and soul into for the last year? or the Tough team that was the pride & joy of my college years? Maybe thats even harder than leaving a HS team for a college one!

[Tim Delles]

I wish i could put an answer to that question for myself. However I have never left 229. As a high school senior I decided that I would go to Clarkson for Mechanical Engineering, and would be able to still be on the team. However i didn't choose Clarkson because I wanted to stay on the same team, I picked Clarkson because I thought it was the best place for me. Now this whole topic is making me think of how I would have reacted going to a different college and being on a different team. Interesting.