Posted by colleen. [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]
Other on team #246, a FIRST-aholic, from John D. O’Byrant High School/Boston Latin Academy/Madison HS and NSTAR/Boston University/Wentworth Institute of Technology/MassPEP.
Posted on 1/15/2000 10:33 PM MST
I know some teams who pre-select their drivers/operators/human players (to be dubbed ‘stage crew’) at the beginning of the six. What do you guys do and do you think pre-selection is really fair??
Also, what does everyone think about people who drove in previous years? Should they automatically be counted out or counted as part of the stage crew or given a clean slate all together?
I have a slightly biased opinion… I was chosen as back-up driver my freshman year and driver the next 3… however, i had to re-tryout every year once the robot was nearly complete. Everyone on the team had the opportunity to practice and try-out and have an equal shot based on their abilities AND the amount or work/time they dedicated to the team… and i really think that’s a positive message…
colleen
Posted by Keith Liadis.
Student on team #131, C.H.A.O.S., from Central High School Central and Osram Sylvania and Fleet Bank.
Posted on 1/15/2000 11:31 PM MST
In Reply to: Choice of Drivers posted by colleen on 1/15/2000 10:33 PM MST:
Well Colleen, I have to agree with you. Tryouts are definately a must. Why choose two drivers if they aren’t the best?? That’s just hurting your chances of winning… Not that winning is everything… but I’m sure that the team as a whole wants to see their 6 weeks of hard work be utilized by the best drivers possible. I can understand that a previous driver would have the upperhand because of experience, and in the case of having another driving group have equal skills as the veteran driving team, the veteran team would be the better choice. I know that after my 2nd year of driving, I feel more confident and extrememly focused when i get up on stage, as opposed to the 1st time that i got on stage (can you say, ‘NERVOUS!!!’?) But then again, we came in second that year : )
Annnnyyyywaaaaaayyyy, I would definatley agree that a fair tryout is the best way to go… and may the best driver win.
-Keith
Team 131
C.H.A.O.S.
P.S. There are two steps to success in FIRST:
- Never tell everything you know.
Posted by Lora Knepper.
Student on team #69, HYPER (Helping Youth Pursue Engineering & Robotics), from Quincy Public Schools and The Gillette Company.
Posted on 1/16/2000 5:42 AM MST
In Reply to: Choice of Drivers posted by colleen on 1/15/2000 10:33 PM MST:
I’ve been fortunate enough to operate our machine since my freshman year as a primary driver. I know that the way my team goes about it, we wait until we have a functional base to drive (the arm, or other apperatus usually isn’t finished) and we hold trials. Saying this, it is usually a pretty fair system, becaues everyone is ranked on their merit and ability. Previous drivers, however, also have a point in their favor by having competiton experience. It usually seems to balance as we keep one veteran driver, and one rookie. That way the veteran teaches the rookie how to deal with the stresses of being on stage. 
That being said, there is nothing stopping me from losing my position this year to anyone who is better…so I think I’m going to go and find a way to practice…
Lora
Posted by Justin.
Other on team Blue Lightning Alum from RWU sponsored by FIRST-A-holics Anonymous.
Posted on 1/16/2000 10:01 AM MST
In Reply to: Choice of Drivers posted by colleen on 1/15/2000 10:33 PM MST:
Hello,
I was never a driver but I have put in my share of time with the team and I’ve talked with our coaches/shop guys about how things get done. Typically what happened on our team was everyone was given a fair chance at driving. Usally primaries and backups were picked. Priamires and backups were typically given equal practice time but it comes to a point where you have to look at who the best is and allow them to hone thier skills. I think expirence is an absolute must. The first year I was on the team in 1996 (Hexcalibur for any of you vets out there), we had great drivers and operators. Our primary driver had been a RC nut so has a result he had a lot of expirence outside of the team which is a definite plus. The next year he drove again as primary and then graduated. It’s taken us a while to recover but the person I believe will be our primary driver this year is really starting to develop. So I think expirence has to be considered if you are interested in doing well…and it goes without saying the the more practice the better. I do think it is very important that everyone get a chance to try out. I always respected the shop guys for giving everyone that put the time in the chance.
My thoughts,
-Justin
Posted by Erin.
Student on team #1, The Juggernauts, from OTC-NE, Oxford High School and 3-D Services.
Posted on 1/16/2000 10:51 AM MST
In Reply to: Choice of Drivers posted by colleen on 1/15/2000 10:33 PM MST:
Hi colleen!
I must agree that time-spent on team and skill are both positive when picking drivers.
that’s what might happen on my team this year, we will be testing the drivers and our only driver who is back from last year has a little bit more going for him because he has some seniority. but last year, one of the old drivers tried out and he didn’t have the skill it took to be on first-string driving team.
it is very dependent upon both of those issues.
this year i am trying out for human player. i have a shot at it since i used to play basketball, and since i am one of the only 2 returning members of our team. but if another person has alot more skill than me, i won’t mind being stuck behind them but i think it would be nice of my team to grant me the honor of being second-string human player (only if i am really good. if i was awful, i would have to try to understand).
am I somewhere close to what you were saying?
-erin
Posted by colleen. [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]
Other on team #246, a FIRST-aholic, from John D. O’Byrant High School/Boston Latin Academy/Madison HS and NSTAR/Boston University/Wentworth Institute of Technology/MassPEP.
Posted on 1/17/2000 9:12 PM MST
In Reply to: hi colleen! posted by Erin on 1/16/2000 10:51 AM MST:
you’re definitely close to what i’m saying
skill and ability count, because afterall, after 6 weeks of sleepless and stress, the entire team wants the best chance to win!
but as well, you have to take into consideration how much work that person has done to contribute to the team during those 6 weeks… dedication matters…
as for returning drivers/team members… returning drivers both have an advantage and a disadvantage… one they have the experience, but they are also trying out against their performance the prior year (and since you guys won, he obviously proved himself returning team members show dedication to the team, which should definitely be an advantage, just because they already show dedication…
good luck in your tryouts!! first-string, second-string, coach, participant in florida- no matter what, it’s all an honor and just be glad you’re so priviledged to have FIRST available to you… i am!
colleen
Posted by Tony K.
Student on team #292, PantherTech, from Western High School and DaimlerChrysler.
Posted on 1/16/2000 7:37 PM MST
In Reply to: Choice of Drivers posted by colleen on 1/15/2000 10:33 PM MST:
We won’t be using drivers from last year because they were all seniors. I think we’ll take the few ‘veterans’ that really took an interest in FIRST last year and rotate among those. But that’s in the future… we’re still building it!
Tony
Posted by Lora Knepper.
Student on team #69, HYPER (Helping Youth Pursue Engineering & Robotics), from Quincy Public Schools and The Gillette Company.
Posted on 1/16/2000 7:52 PM MST
In Reply to: Re: Choice of Drivers posted by Tony K on 1/16/2000 7:37 PM MST:
Hey Tony,
Good luck to you guys, had a blast getting to work with your team in Orlando last year. Keep up the great work!
Lora Knepper
Team 69 (HYPER)
Posted by Rick Gibbs.
Engineer on team #145, T-Rx, from Norwich High School, Sherburne-Earlville High School and Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals.
Posted on 1/18/2000 8:07 AM MST
In Reply to: Choice of Drivers posted by colleen on 1/15/2000 10:33 PM MST:
I’m glad that we’re not the only team out there that gets little to no practice time at the end of the six weeks.
We do something that I haven’t seen mentioned yet here. The first things that the controls team does is to get last year’s robot running on this year’s control system. Then we have driver try-outs ASAP. The selected drivers then (ideally) perform all functionality tests, etc. during development. Seems to work out well.