[EWCP] EWCPcast, What would YOU like to hear about? Fall 2012.

[thefro526]

Hi everyone! If you haven't noticed, we've been pretty slow and sporadic with our EWCPcasts over the last few months - which is a combination of various factors - but we haven't forgotten about everyone.

So here's what we'd like to know: What would YOU like us to talk about during the fall offseason? (September to December)

We've been talking with some people about doing the following:

-Gender Diversity Cast
-End Effector and Manipulator Discussion (We covered drive trains last fall.)
-Effective Control Schemes
*-How to Qualify Well
*-How to Select an Elimination Alliance and Play in Eliminations
*-Resource Utilization and How to Build a Resource Base (sponsors, mentors, students, etc)
*-Team Structure
*-Batteries, HOW DO THEY WORK?!?!

If you've got anything to add to that list, or anything you'd like us to specifically cover in one of those casts, please don't hesitate to drop us a line in this thread or via PM to myself, Andrew Schreiber or Richard Sisk (Rsisk on here).

* Ideas from this thread have been noted with a asterisk.

[Michael Blake]

Originally Posted by thefro526

So here's what we'd like to know: What would YOU like us to talk about during the fall offseason? (September to December)

IF you're lucky enough (4th to 1st seed) to be able to pick the 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and 24th robots/teams in a regional... HOW do you handle/work-with these teams, especially if they're Rookies, to achieve the best success...

I believe it takes a lot more than having extra charged batteries to lend to get through the elims to victory... WHAT'S the secret-sauce the _best teams_ employ to get the best results?

[Dr Theta]

I would be interested in hearing more about the use of weighted objectives tables in early season build planning and other methods of reaching a design decision sans voting. Or how about effective methods in the mentoring process?

[Akash Rastogi]

How do you motivate students who just don't care?

[Brandon_L]

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

How do you motivate students who just don't care?

This.

And possibly some team organization/structure (although I think you already did this, I can't remember at the moment) stuff. Places/ways to find new good mentors, both technical and non?

[stundt1]

2 questions.

1. How can you keep scouts entertained.

2. How can you upfront the number 1 seed or power house alliance in rebound rumble when you are the 8th seed and can't outscore them ?

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

How do you motivate students who just don't care?

This times infinity. Also, how do you motivate mentors and sponsors who aren't feeling the FIRST fever?

[pwnageNick]

Team organizational structure. Students, Coaches, Mentors, Parents included.

-Nick

[Gregor]

How to convince people that scouting is important, and get people to respect it.

[rsisk]

Deep dive into batteries. They are still a mystery to me. How do they work. How to keep them ready for use, how to store them over the summer.

[Karthik]

Originally Posted by Gregor

How to convince people that scouting is important, and get people to respect it.

Originally Posted by stundt1

2 questions.

1. How can you keep scouts entertained.

Since this was mentioned a couple of times, I figured I'd chime in. There's some good discussion of that in the Scouting Section of this presentation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Apk_X...ilpage#t=2880s

There are two keys:

1. Instill a team culture that values scouting, and where watching matches is seen as fun. This especially applies for teams where most kids would rather play cards or dance in the stands than watch matches. Lots of ways to do this, but involves the team leadership being excited scouting. People follow their respected leaders.
2. Make it fun.

[Nick Lawrence]

I'd love to do a cast about effective pick list making. (I.E you're the #1 seed at a regional without much depth.)

Or maybe an "Ask EWCP" cast where people call in and ask a panel of EWCPCast members questions.

-Nick

[Gregor]

Originally Posted by Nick Lawrence

I'd love to do a cast about effective pick list making. (I.E you're the #1 seed at a regional without much depth.)

Or maybe an "Ask EWCP" cast where people call in and ask a panel of EWCPCast members questions.

-Nick

And how to rank second pick teams specifically.

[nick_sheets]

I loved the cast on "Behind AndyMark"

Is there a chance you could get other companies such as: WCP - Team221 - CrossTheRoad to talk about what they are working on and what their goals are. Or something along those lines. We bought stuff from all three vendors last year. All were easy to work with and had solid products.

[stundt1]

Originally Posted by Karthik

Since this was mentioned a couple of times, I figured I'd chime in. There's some good discussion of that in the Scouting Section of this presentation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Apk_X...ilpage#t=2880s

There are two keys:

1. Instill a team culture that values scouting, and where watching matches is seen as fun. This especially applies for teams where most kids would rather play cards or dance in the stands than watch matches. Lots of ways to do this, but involves the team leadership being excited scouting. People follow their respected leaders.
2. Make it fun.

Thanks Karthik