Training New Drivers

[AdamHeard]

We don't really spend any time with obstacle courses or skills tests, I feel this is a backwards process.

Being part of the drive team is a long and complicated process that is far more involved than just driving matches (at least on 973, we're a small team). Drivers are responsible for tuning/learning the robot's functionality, and then obviously driving it. This requires effective teamwork, communication, time involvement, the ability to handle pressure, the ability to thrive on feedback and criticism, and many other things.

Once we've narrowed down by the above requirements (usually just the ability to handle pressure and criticism), there are few candidates left. We then use the offseason drive practice and events as a testing ground for the remaining students. Since we run multiple robots and go to multiple offseason events, we can test out about 2/3 of the team any given year (which is often more than are interested in even trying it). This also is kids driving full events, not just a match, so it's a much better experience.

The amount that any team hoping to be competitive should practice is enough that a driver who is better at handling pressure but initially fails the obstacle course should prepare that driver with the skills needed. It's very difficult to teach a kid to not crack under pressure, much easier to teach how to drive.

[the.miler]

What we did this year (the only year in recent memory we've had a solid drive team) was simple. The important thing was that it was tailored to our team's situation.

We don't have an indoor space where we can set up carpet and game elements to practice on. We can ask for practice time at Ames, thanks to 254, 971, and 1868), but obviously it's difficult to visit extremely often. Any practice opportunity we get has to be arranged by students and we have to work extra hard to find those opportunities and make best use of our limited time. We have a lot of students who are interested in driving the robot, but not all of them necessarily have the motivation required to become excellent drive team members. Even fewer want to spend time watching hundreds of matches and observing the best moves and strategies.

Anyway, here's what we did:

1. I'm the guy who reads the rules, watches matches, feels strongly about the drive team. So during the fall semester, I started making tests that evaluated knowledge of the rules and our robot's technical attributes (how to maintain it, what to check pre-match, how to adjust things, etc.) and administering them to anybody interested. We will never field drivers that don't understand the rules or the robot forwards and backwards. In the process, I became defacto coach of the drive team.

2. Most failed the tests. I allowed candidates to retake (slightly different tests) as many times as they needed to pass; if they studied and learned how to take care of the robot, they would have the skills they needed to become good drivers. Those who didn't have enough time or motivation to become good drivers generally dropped at this point. By the end, a small group of students (10ish) moved on to practice at NASA Ames before CalGames.

3. Then students were selected based on ability to handle pressure during practice. 8 students were left; they comprised two drive teams for our offseason competitions.

4. Fielded those two drive teams at CalGames (fall offseason) on one robot. Practiced at NASA a few more times. Fielded 2014 competition drive team at Madtown Throwdown (fall offseason). Now, the team has two functional robots and will be using them to train even more students at these competitions.

5. After we got the 2014 game and as we built our robot, I created more tests. I once again opened up the opportunity to take the test to everyone, and did the same weed out process. We selected two drive teams, one to drive our competition robot and one as backup and also to play defense on the main drive team.

Important note is that all drive teams selected committed to practicing during all practice opportunities, and we committed to be available during several time slots a week in case we were able to go to NASA or something along those lines. We knew we would need more time to practice for this game, so we acquired carpet, laid it down on the blacktop behind our room, and practiced in the open air. (see: http://youtu.be/92IbHU0Z76I?t=46s)

We have to work really hard to create practice opportunities for ourselves, and the driver candidates have to lead this effort. Therefore, motivation is the most important quality we need in our drivers. We find those committed students through the difficult tests and by mutually agreeing on an excessive practice schedule. If a student can't commit to studying the rules, knowing the robot, and/or practicing at the level we agree upon, then they can't drive. Simple as that.

[DampRobot]

I'll second what M. Lillie's said about the whole drive team needing to be best friends. If everyone on the drive team is just awesome friends, then they'll have a great time, be more relaxed under pressure, forgive themselves for mistakes more readily, and generally have a sense of camaraderie. I've also been on drive teams where some of the members really didn't get along that well (personal rivalry, jealousy, incompatible personalities), and it can get toxic pretty fast. Instead of moving forward, a lot of the post match stuff will be playing the blame game and there'll be more negative pressure pre match.

Another thing a lot of people forget about is that the drive team needs to know basically everything about the robot and how it breaks (including software). They're the last people to interact with the bot before showtime, and sometimes the only people to react to stuff that comes up in queuing.

A lot of people believe that "anyone" can be made a good driver as long as they're dedicated and responsible enough. While that may be theoretically true, I think innate skill and the abilities to make decisions and "go for it" in a match usually trump dedication (at least for us). If someone already has a great field sense and can make the robot do what they want, I'm willing to overlook a bit of immaturity or irresponsibility. Anyway, dedication does not necessarily make a good driver. I'm one of the most dedicated people on the team, and still can't drive the robot without crashing it into walls.

Despite having a large team by some standards, it's always been pretty clear who should drive, given there's a limited number of people who show up enough, have the ability, want to, etc. We've never really had to do a formal selection process.

[Tyler_Kaplan]

Thanks for the great advice. So on our team there is a driver and a manipulator. The driver just drives, and manipulator does all the rest. It seems somewhat obvious who our A-team driver will be next year, but since the manipulator that worked with him is leaving, that opens a spot up. Do you guys prioritize individual skill over people getting along? I.E, if the most talented manipulator didn't get along with the best driver, would you not make those two the drivers?

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by Tyler_Kaplan

Thanks for the great advice. So on our team there is a driver and a manipulator. The driver just drives, and manipulator does all the rest. It seems somewhat obvious who our A-team driver will be next year, but since the manipulator that worked with him is leaving, that opens a spot up. Do you guys prioritize individual skill over people getting along? I.E, if the most talented manipulator didn't get along with the best driver, would you not make those two the drivers?

It is absolutely critical they work well together.

They will be constantly be in situations where coordination is required, and one will make a mistake causing an error for both. If they get along, they can encourage each other and keep going. If they don't such errors will cause animosity and more errors.

[M. Lillis]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

They will be constantly be in situations where coordination is required, and one will make a mistake causing an error for both. If they get along, they can encourage each other and keep going. If they don't such errors will cause animosity and more errors.

This^

You can always train a sub-par operator to be better, but it is impossible to make two people get along if they hate each other.

[Tungrus]

"Eeny, meeny, miny, moe" works like a charm!

Having a drive team who has shown commitment to success of the team and understands the robot (at least to most part) and communicates well with the other members in drive team as well as scouting team. The last thing you want to have is two members who are bickering and finger pointing during the matches. I haven't personally seen any one (including other teas) doing it, but seen successful teams have drive team who get along well (and of course not so well with rest of the team).

[dmaciel10123]

Also I didn't point this out before but make sure that the drive team is always able to troubleshoot the robot and know or at least understand how to repair it. That helps for a quick repair after a match if anyone on the drive team is able to identify the problem.

[dmaciel10123]

Originally Posted by Zaque

I have a quick question. What different techniques does everyone use to put pressure on potential drive team members while practicing and doing try outs? This is what we struggled with most this year.

This year our interviews were pretty pressuring. It was a student sitting at one end of a table surrounded by 5 mentors. All of the mentors had questions to ask, and one of the questions was even about other high pressure situations we've been in and how we reacted.

As for in try outs, I'd say having someone visibly judging their performance, or even a rabid drive coach yelling at them.

All-in-all, try-outs for those who really want the position tend to be high-pressure because they really don't want to mess up and not make the cut. Maybe not as high-pressure as it is on the field, but it wouldn't be hard to simulate that, even if you just decided to have the whole team spectating the try-outs.

[tanogirl]

I was put on our drive team as human player this past season when someone from our old drive team couldn't make it to the first part of our regional. I was picked because I was reliable, trustworthy, and understood the strategy more than most. As far as drivers go I think whoever drives definitely need to be bold as we play a lot of defense, but be cautious enough so we don't get penalties.