Training for Drive Coaches

[wilmo]

There really is no substitute for on field experience. A few things that will help though would be:

1. KNOW THE RULES!!! This is very important. Read the game manual front to back at least a few times.

2. Research team #'s. See who will be attending your regional/s. Look them up and research team past/colors/robot building styles/Drivers (very important on big #'s like 111, 1114, 148 and such where the drive team may be the same for all 4 years and have ALOT of experience)

3. Know your robot. Memorize where every wire goes, learn at least basics about everything, even if you didn't have a part in constructing it. This is very important when you set the robot down and see that one PWM dangling out the bottom. Know its limitations. Its frustrating for drivers to hear a coach telling them to do something impossible.

A few more tips:

1. Be patient. If a driver messes up, he messes up. Assess the situation from that point and try to make the best of it. Driving a FRC bot can be one of the most stressful experiences in FIRST, especially with your entire team is counting on you.

2. Dont be afraid to move around. So many FRC coaches stand behind their drive team and just concentrate on their bot. The GDC does not give us that big area just to stand in one place. Move around! Talk to the other coaches, act as a 2nd pair of eyes for your driver (especially important in big clusters of robots and big game elements (see 2007)) Announcements such as time left, or if the other alliance is in position to score big should be made to the WHOLE alliance, not just your drivers.

3. Stop looking at your robot! This is a big tendency. Look at the field/other robots/scoring elements. Only a few quick glances should be directed to your robot to see where it is, if it is ready to score. Keep track of all the other robots/what they are doing.

4. Talk to your human player. This was very important last year. They can act as another set of eyes too if needed.

Thanks,
Wilmo