Drive Team
The drive team is the face of the team on the field. They're the ones actually controlling the robot in matches, and directly working with other teams and the field crew.
Driver
The driver controls the robot's movement around the field
Operator
The operator controls the robot's mechanisms
Human Player
The human player enters or removes game pieces from play. Some years they can also score directly.
Drive Coach
The drive coach is responsible for managing the bigger picture
Technician
The technician provides the final support before a match, and is responsible for battery management.
Every year we run tryouts to determine which students will give the best on-field performance. Tryout results are combined with student involvement to determine our final drive team.
Being on drive team is a priveledge. Drive team members are trusted with the combined work of the entire team.
Students are selected based on their skill, but also how involved they are and how we'll they'll represent the team. Even after the driveteam is selected, it may be changed if needed.
Being on drive team one year does not guarantee the same position next year. While having some on-field experience is a major advantage, it shouldn't be taken for granted.