Driven For Success

1. Driven For Success Drive Team Strategies for Competitive Robotics FerozBalsara & Eric Bryce Team 1325

2. What Will Be Covered • Drive Team Roles • Choosing Your DriveTeam • Match Timeline • Pre-Match • Match • Post Match • Driver Training Team 1325

3. Drive Team Roles • Coach • On-field “commander” • Responsible for on-field the success or failure of the team • Primary Driver • Controls the drive base (sometimes 1-2 secondary controls) • Secondary Driver • Controls the manipulators/scoring mechanisms • Human Player • Responsible for the human aspect of the game • Backup Driver(s) • Backup Human Player/Human Player Coach Team 1325

4. Choosing Your Drive Team Your drive team is not a group of people driving a robot, they are representative of your team. “I can train a monkey to drive a robot, but I cant train it to be a leader” - JVN Team 1325

5. Choosing Your Drive Team • Field Coach • The field coach has the most difficult job in the whole team • Mentor vs. Student debate • Doesn’t really matter • Choose the most experienced, responsible, mature, dedicated member of your team to be the coach • Former drive team experience is crucial to success Team 1325

6. Choosing Your Drive Team Driver • Should be chosen based on their character traits rather then competitive ability, age or rank • The drivers should be chosen at the same time • Keep in mind the “chemistry” between drive team members When choosing drivers, use criteria like: • Communication skills • Focus under pressure • Ability to handle stress • Strategic mind (not going to push the robot/team past its limits) • Reaction time • Driving skill (least important) Team 1325

7. Choosing Your Drive Team Human Player • Is the most athletic of all the members and requires excellent communication skills • Often has to resort to proprietary signalling or hand gestures When choosing human players, use the following criteria : • Communication • Dedication • Focus • Task Skill • Responsibility “I don’t need to throw tubes onto the field, I’m already a human player.” – Graciously Professional Comedy (Team 781) Team 1325

8. Choosing Your Drive Team Backups • Unpredictable incidents can happen on the way to and during FRC competitions, be prepared • Think “risk mitigation” and “redundancy” • Depending on the skill and size of your team, have 1-2 backup drivers • Limited drive time should be given to backups, with little to none at actual competition Team 1325

9. Match Timeline What should each drive team member be doing prior, in queue, during and after every FRC match (including practice ones)? Team 1325

10. Match Timeline Pre-match • Coach • The coach should be working with other coaches, scouting crew and strategists (if applicable) • Analyse the strengths and weaknesses of both your opponent and alliance teams • View/talk to opponent and alliance robots to determine changes since scouting • Meet with the other 2 coaches to devise a game plan Team 1325

11. Match Timeline Pre-match • Coach (cont.) • Ensure all coaches understand the particulars of the strategy and convey the match strategy to the rest of the drive team • Brief the drivers on what’s about to happen Team 1325

12. Match Timeline • Drivers • Drivers should not be engaged in strenuous or stressful activities pre-match • When the coach leaves for the coaches meeting the drivers should asses the condition of the robot to determine if the drive style needs to be modified • Listen and understand the match strategy when briefed by the coach Team 1325

13. Match Timeline Queuing: • Coach • Discuss any last minute changes or details • Drivers • Circle Check • Have a physical checklist and a flashlight • “Kick the tires and light the fires” • Ensure everything is in standard starting position • Human Player • Warm up Team 1325

14. Match Timeline During: • Coachg • Keep track of overall match strategy, time, score, opponents strategy, match objectives, alliance objectives and time, also the time • Give constant feedback to the drivers about time, opponent/defender position and modification to the strategy • Convey signals to the human player • Drivers • Focus on the robot and its immediate surroundings, nothing else • Talk between drivers should be minimal and only when necessary • (Drivers should be reasonably competent by this point) • Listen to the coach at all times, they are the boss during the match • Human Player • Focus on the pre-match strategy and coach’s signals Team 1325

15. Match Timeline • Post Match: • Coach • Review scores, scouting data, and strategist comments about the previous match • Hold a meeting with the drivers and human player to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the previous match • Drivers and Human Player • This is not criticism, it is advice; leave your ego at home for 3 days Team 1325

16. Driver Training Q: How do we turn a bunch of students into lean, mean driving machines? A: Lots of work. Team 1325

17. Human Player Training • Actually pretty important • Base training around specific goals • Build/jury-rig field parts • Use all the resources • Physical education is a good place to start • Ensure game rules are known & followed! Team 1325

18. Coach Training • Know the game inside and out • Rules, strategies, other teams on the field • Watch other regional competitions • Know your robot inside and out • Technical limitations and capabilities • Know the other teams … basically, know everything Team 1325

19. Driver Training • Be involved in development & UI design • Should be able to make minor repairs on the field • The programmer does not never knows best • Joystick vs. Xbox controller, tank vs. arcade • Be familiar with limitations of other systems • Create a realistic training environment • Carpet is a must! • Competition time is training time Team 1325

20. Secondary Driver/Operator/Co-pilot • Know everything about your system • Have a “feel” for minor adjustments • Should be second nature • UI is a big deal (ergonomics) • Code should work for you • Build the robot and code around the driver Team 1325

21. Team1325.com Bryce.Eric@gmail.com Feroz1325@gmail.com Team 1325