Rookie Team Advice

[Greg Marra]

There's this pretty neat video podcast some guys started that contains a lot of helpful tips for new teams. You can check it out at http://www.thebluealliance.net/. (note: I may be one of those guys ).

Right now the first episode is about the fundamentals of the electrical system, which would probably help you out since it can be hard to figure out entirely on your own. Check out the show notes for links to even more information to help get you off the ground.

As we continue to post episodes more and more topics will be covered, and hopefully you can use a lot of what we show you to help your team!

And don't forget about Chief Delphi's white paper section inside of CD-Media. It is an awesome source for information about almost any FIRST related topic.

[KathieK]

Welcome to FIRST! There are a large number of resources that can help you out - of course, the forums here on Chief Delphi can give you lots of information and assistance so be sure to search here. Try to send at least one person to the kickoff event in NH and sign up to attend the rookie workshops on Friday. You will gain a lot of information at the kickoffs and network with lots of mentors at kickoff. More info here. NEMO (Non-Engineering Mentor Organization) has compiled a list of white papers and other resources to help you at www.firstnemo.org. Check out RINOS - Rookies in Need of Support; Team in a Box; and MOEmentum, three well-known programs for rookies created by FRC teams. Be sure to read the Team Handbook, The Planning Timeline, and the portions of the Game Manual that have already been released. Watch for Rules Updates each week as they are released and be sure to check the Q&A Forumsfor clarifications. If you haven't already done so, check in with your FIRST Senior Mentor and Regional Director. They can help with questions you might have. New Jersey has lots of teams that have volunteered to be mentors but I see that your team has not signed up in TIMS looking for mentoring. It really helps to have a mentor team your first season. Check here for a list of NJ teams willing to be mentors. Best of luck this season!

[OZ_341]

Jannice:
The most important thing is to find a mentor team in your region. Nothing can replace this type of help. However, we do also offer free help to rookies through our Team in a Box DVD set. This does not replace mentorship, but it sure helps to get you started.

The Version 3.0 DVD features interviews with Dean Kamen, Andy Baker, Rich Kressly, Mike Wade, and many other prominent FIRST icons. We also have feature segments from knowledgeable Hall of Fame Teams such as Team 103 (Animation) and Team 67 (Drive trains). The CD disk has new whitepapers from AndyMark, Team 45, FIRST and NEMO along with new contributions from individuals and teams.
You can order a Free copy of the “Team in a Box” DVD / CD set on our website. To order Team in a Box please visit our website at www.team341.com and then click on the Team in a Box banner.

Special thanks to our sponsor AndyMark. Their support helps us continue to make this disk set available, free of charge for Rookies, pre-Rookies and the veterans that mentor them.

If you need any further help please feel free to PM me directly.
Good Luck!!

Al Ostrow
Team 341