Well, sadly,as I stated in a previous forum, I am on a team with a bunch of freshmen that think we are entering Robot Wars XP. Any suggestions on how to put them into line??
Just e-mail or PM me please, I will be checking tomorrow as well. Thanks 
Thanks for the suggestions guys! Anyone else have an idea?
So far I have been told to show them the videos from last year, and I tried that earlier, but they still don’t get it. I had fun watching because this is my first year too. but at least I am not thinking that it is robot wars! >.<
I’m an adult on a first-year rookie team. It was OBVIOUS to me that this FIRST event is not a case of “BattleBots”, but it was less obvious to the high school students.
-
Just keep plugging away with the daily mantra of “gracious professionalism”. Put it up on wall banners “in your face”.
-
Re-show and have a discussion about the spirit of the videos and all the good things about corporate partnerships, etc.
-
Find a team in your town that has “been around” FIRST and get a guest lecturer to come in and share the positive aspects of the event (note I didn’t even use the word “competition”.
Alright. This is a pretty harsh approach for people who just don’t get it. It’s a last resort. I’d suggest your team coach or advisor carry this out.
Sometimes students just don’t get what the FIRST is all about, even as much as you bring in veterans, speakers, show old matches, etc.
I’ve used this method with FIRST LEGO League when I had problems with the kids not understanding this isn’t mini BattleBots, Robot Wars, etc.
Have them build something. Even just a strategy type of thing. Make them put some work into it. Anything. If you live an area with snow, have them build sleds out of cardboard and ductape (good engineering project anwyays). Get them real excited about using them, seeing whose is fastest, etc.
Before using them, have the advisor say (s)he’s decided that the team isn’t going to use them. Just going to tear them up and throw them away. Have him/her ask for reasons why they shouldn’t to convince him/her otherwise.
The reasons the students are going to give will be the same reasons as to why they will build a robot for FIRST. Hard work, lots of thought, effort, and gracious professionalism. If they didn’t build it for these reasons, you are in the wrong robotics organization.
Hope this helps. It’s harsh. But it works.
~ Jill
Try reminding them that in FIRST, they may not get to destroy anything or put saws and flames on their bot, but also that no one will be shooting flames and destroying thier bot either.
Well if they think its a robot war thing, just show them videos from past years. You can get some from www.soap108.com , then show them videos of robot wars and let them draw conclusions. There are quite a few presentations in the white papers and on usfirst.org which introduce the concept of FIRST. Go check them out.
i would recommended a close look at the rules… Yellow flags that can be thrown for any number of destructive actions such as hitting another robot at high speeds or destroying the playing field. Flags result in penalties and point reductions and thats not how you win the game.
Thanks everyone. I couldn’t get them to read the rules if their lifes depended on it. I have talked to our main leader, and he actually thought that this thrad was a good idea because he didn’t know what exctly to do. ^^;;
Try having a discussion about “the expected outcome of a match” ?
a) do you want to be known as the bully that beats the other team into a pulp and ending up being labeled as a team whose goal is to destroy all the hard work of the opponent
b) do you want to be known as the team which plays to win but not at the expense of destroying the hard work of the opponent
Sure - after wards you can go back to the pits and celebrate winning, but isn’t it even more enjoyable if you could do that **and ** not feel badly about destroying the opponent?
If you don’t feel badly about destroying the other teams robot, I think you are missing the point totally. I’ve witnessed teams that don’t “get it”, but rationalize it by using the “build your robot robustly guideline”, and that is okay except for the fact that the destructive actions taken by drivers and coaches have nothing to with how robust the robot is, it has to do with attitude and respect for others.
I like sports alot, but there is no better feeling when you know that you won, fair and square - without resorting to questionable tactics. Use your brain, not your brawn. It’s alot more fun for everyone.
Here is a simple argument:
The robot you smash up in round 1 very well may be your partner in round 2.
At most regionals, you will be with and against just about every robot.
-Mr. Van
Coach, 599
During the competitions, judges walk around and interview team’s members. They use a lot of this information as a basis for winning the awards (section 9 of the Manual, if you can get them to read it!)… Therefore, EVERYONE on the team must be familiar with the game as well as the robot as well as team information - everything from your team’s colors or motto or sponsors’ names or how many people are on your team - to what kind of drive train are you using - to questions about the game and its rules.
If your team is not already planning to write a Chairman’s Award submission, DO IT. It’s a good way to condense what your team is all about, and you can use it when making presentations to potential sponsors.