Phrase "Rookie Year" causing confusion

[Trying to Help]

We're sort of a mixed group at this point in time. The five+ people was the sticking point on the rookie designation, and I'm OK with that.

I think we'll have just have to think like fundraisers and turn lemons into lemonade. "Team 1729's first competition year..." and such.

Thanks for all the ideas! They'll definitely help.

[Fyzix Guy]

In our 3rd year, the success of our original team (1596) caused us to grow to the point where we had to split (to form the spinoff 1535 - my team), and FRC accidentally listed us as a rookie team, with a 2000 series number. We actually asked to be given a 1500 number and delist our rookie status. Why? Because we found that local sponsors were much more responsive to supporting an established team. Now in our fifth year (3rd as the spinoff team), local sponsors are actually looking us up to support a team that is growing and prospering and looks like it will be around for awhile. I'm not sure we would have had the same response as a rookie team. Sure, we missed out on the Rookie contests for that year, but this would not have been right anyway and we gained more than we would have lost.