Rookie Team Advice

[losedemnoodles]

Hey everyone!
I'm Jannice from Ridgefield Memorial High School's Robotics Team. I'm the captain of team #2070 known as the Pirates. The team just started this year, 06-07; hence, we are rookie team looking for any suggestions for a great start.
We are currently in preparation for the season. Everything seems to be running smoothly, but there are still some trouble spots due to our lack of experience. However, we managed to get a website going. http://ridgefieldschools.com/roboticsCheck us out!
If anyone can give us tips/advice on anything that would help us, it would be greatly appreciated.

You can contact us at:
losedemnoodles@aol.com
jparkteach@yahoo.com

Thanks Guys,
Jannice from RIDGEFIELD PIRATES 2070

[Greg Marra]

There's this pretty neat video podcast some guys started that contains a lot of helpful tips for new teams. You can check it out at http://www.thebluealliance.net/. (note: I may be one of those guys ).

Right now the first episode is about the fundamentals of the electrical system, which would probably help you out since it can be hard to figure out entirely on your own. Check out the show notes for links to even more information to help get you off the ground.

As we continue to post episodes more and more topics will be covered, and hopefully you can use a lot of what we show you to help your team!

And don't forget about Chief Delphi's white paper section inside of CD-Media. It is an awesome source for information about almost any FIRST related topic.

[Kyle]

Here is a great site made to guide rookie teams through the whole FIRST season from kickoff to ship date and everything in between. best of luck to you and your team this year.



http://www.moe365.org/moementum.php

[KathieK]

Welcome to FIRST! There are a large number of resources that can help you out - of course, the forums here on Chief Delphi can give you lots of information and assistance so be sure to search here. Try to send at least one person to the kickoff event in NH and sign up to attend the rookie workshops on Friday. You will gain a lot of information at the kickoffs and network with lots of mentors at kickoff. More info here. NEMO (Non-Engineering Mentor Organization) has compiled a list of white papers and other resources to help you at www.firstnemo.org. Check out RINOS - Rookies in Need of Support; Team in a Box; and MOEmentum, three well-known programs for rookies created by FRC teams. Be sure to read the Team Handbook, The Planning Timeline, and the portions of the Game Manual that have already been released. Watch for Rules Updates each week as they are released and be sure to check the Q&A Forumsfor clarifications. If you haven't already done so, check in with your FIRST Senior Mentor and Regional Director. They can help with questions you might have. New Jersey has lots of teams that have volunteered to be mentors but I see that your team has not signed up in TIMS looking for mentoring. It really helps to have a mentor team your first season. Check here for a list of NJ teams willing to be mentors. Best of luck this season!

[OZ_341]

Jannice:
The most important thing is to find a mentor team in your region. Nothing can replace this type of help. However, we do also offer free help to rookies through our Team in a Box DVD set. This does not replace mentorship, but it sure helps to get you started.

The Version 3.0 DVD features interviews with Dean Kamen, Andy Baker, Rich Kressly, Mike Wade, and many other prominent FIRST icons. We also have feature segments from knowledgeable Hall of Fame Teams such as Team 103 (Animation) and Team 67 (Drive trains). The CD disk has new whitepapers from AndyMark, Team 45, FIRST and NEMO along with new contributions from individuals and teams.
You can order a Free copy of the “Team in a Box” DVD / CD set on our website. To order Team in a Box please visit our website at www.team341.com and then click on the Team in a Box banner.

Special thanks to our sponsor AndyMark. Their support helps us continue to make this disk set available, free of charge for Rookies, pre-Rookies and the veterans that mentor them.

If you need any further help please feel free to PM me directly.
Good Luck!!

Al Ostrow
Team 341

[Adam Shapiro]

I've been working with team 2070 these past 2 weeks since I've been home and they are showing amazing promise. They have a great number of terrific students already hard at work learning and preparing for the build season. They have already organized the team into departments, and have created a website as well as begun working on 3D modelling, animation, and team artwork/ever-necessary buttons.

I'm very impressed with the dedication they've shown so far. Members of the team even came in this week during their brief vacation to work on animation and begin planning for the upcoming build. I can't wait to see the design ideas they come up with, and look forward to working with them throughout the season very much.

As for advice, I know I said it many times in the school but I feel it needs repeating: never be afraid to ask questions and make great use of Chief Delphi. You have tremendous resources at your fingertips, do not be afraid to take advantage of them. Other than that just keep up the great work!

[Greg Needel]

Team 1511 has put together a page for rookie teams and resources for them. Check it out, and if you have any other questions during the season you have posted at the right place.

http://www.penfieldrobotics.com/resources/rookies.php

[nparikh]

Wow, you guys are already on the right start. The website looks great for a first start. Seeing as you're in Ridgefield, there are many, many teams in the area that I'm sure would be more than willing to help you guys out. If you need anything, feel free to contact us, we're just a ways south in North Brunswick. As posted before, we run a program called RINOS--Rookies In Need of Support, a resource for rookie teams looking to start up. You can follow the link above or check out our website @ www.raiderrobotix.org and click on the RINOS link. Many of the NJ teams, including ours, have been doing this for 10+ years, and we're more than willing to help you guys out. All you have to do is ask!