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What makes a "Powerhouse"?
"A prize fight is like a war; the real part is won or lost somewhere far away from witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights." Mohammad Ali
This is a quote from Ali, and it is relevant to just about every activity we can take part in. The point Ali was trying to make was that it is the preparation that determines who comes out on top, that he did not win in the ring, he won in the days and weeks and months leading up to the fight. FIRST Teams are the same way. There are many threads about the good teams, great teams, "powerhouse teams", and most of it centers on what they do during a 2 minute and 15 second match. I believe their performance is really driven by how they work during the build season, during the weeks of competition, and during the 8 months of the "off-season". There are also threads about "haves" and "have-nots". But if you look at the list below, you will see that many of these defining activities don't take a lot of money, they don't take a huge corporate sponsor or a fancy machine shop. But they do take time and commitment and dedication in the weeks and months leading up to March. And they do this year after year after year. From watching and learning, both in FIRST and in "real life", here are some things that I believe the top teams do and things that any team can implement to help them improve - Off-Season (This is a time to learn from the previous season, to learn new skills, to design something unique, to recruit, to get sponsors, to work in the community.) * Learn to use a CAD program - Inventor is included free to all teams and there are loads of tutorials. * Practice driving an obstacle course * Design and make something that might be of use in the next season (a pick up arm, a new style drive) * Learn a new manufacturing skill - welding, mill, lathe * Go to an off season event and compete (Many are under $250) * Go to an off season event and volunteer * Do some community out-reach * Play with VEX or LEGO parts and make a prototype of something that could be used later * Do a "lessons learned" on the previous season and write down what you did well, what could be better, and what you did not do. * Shadow a "top" team and see how they work * Celebrate, have fun, relax and become a team. * Find new sponsors * Talk to mentors of who you consider to be a “top” team. Most, if not all, of them will treat you like you were their own student and help you with what you ask. * Go back and study the physics of your robot. This will help you learn what’s important for next year. Build-Season (Don't build anything on the robot the first week. Focus on the game, how to play, ideas, prototypes, models, etc.) * Brainstorm ideas * Understand the keys to the game, challenge each other * Don't assume anything. Read the rules. Understand the rules. Ask Q+A. * Prototype, sketch, make computer models, play with ideas * Make a priority list of the critical components and work on them first * Talk to others, read CD, continue to get ideas and be willing to adapt * Practice, Practice, Practice - get something that the drivers can play with on a simulated field * Focus on the details – it can be small, simple things that make the difference on the field, in the pits and in the stands. * Don't worry about something being "mentor-done" or "student-done", focus on it being "team-done" Competition-Season (Continuous improvement and refinement of the robot, the strategy, the team) * Continue to watch others and learn * Continuous Improvement - adjust, modify, adapt, replace (If the robot you have in June looks identical to the one you put in the crate on ship day in February, either you are brilliant, or you ignore the concept of continuous improvement) * Review every match, every day, every competition - what could be better, what was great * Make a plan / Assign roles * Expect everyone to contribute and do their best to support the team in whatever their role is * Celebrate every success NOTE: I thnk these principles can apply to every aspect of a team. Last edited by Chris Fultz : 24-03-2010 at 11:39. |
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