Tonight we held our first leadership meeting with our new captains and co-captains. Due to the growth of our team, we have expanded to 3 captains, and 3 co-captains. They are already starting with some great ideas for our team. I am really looking forward to working with them. It is an exciting time.
We worked our reviewing our handbook and varsity letter requirements. A few tweaks here and there did the trick. We talked about what is working and what needed to change. Again, more great ideas. I am not going to reveal them all yet, because I want my captains to be able to break out their ideas to the team, but I cannot wait to share them.
We discussed which events we wanted to attend next year, ideas for worlds,and the conflict our marching band kids will have if we qualify for worlds. Every four years our marching band travels to march at Disney World. But, it was decided that if we qualify, we will go to worlds. So, if we make it to worlds, we will be going with about half of our team. This will be an important factor in our driver try-out procedure this year.
Our outgoing captains didn't leave us hanging. While we were discussing next year, they were busy putting some final touches on our summer camp program. We are hosting, for the second year, 2 summer camps. One will be in the mornings for JFLL aged kids, and one in the afternoon for FLL/FTC aged kids.
We put our 2013-2014 applications out early this year, and are very excited that we already have 7 new applicants for our team, and 62 applicants for our JFLL, FLL, FTC programs. Last year, we hadn't even opened them yet by this time. Thursday we will host an information night for anyone wanting to find out information on K-12 FIRST robotics programs in our school district, or elsewhere!
Finally, we may be one step closer toward hosting our Bedford District Event this year! I am hoping for more good news or an official announcement soon!
Transitions are always a tough time. It is so sad to not have our seniors, but so I am so excited for their graduation ceremony on Sunday. At the same time, it is so exciting to hear the ideas of the new leaders who are stepping into their moment to lead us to our next great adventure with this outstanding program.
This year is especially tough because my youngest daughter is graduating. This coming season will be the first year in my 13 previous years of coaching, that one of my daughter's will not be a student on my team. I am so thankful that the 13 years of FIRST robotics that they have been exposed to has led them to have a strong desire to stay a part of FIRST experience! It will definitely be a different experience without them here! Some things I am looking forward to ("she only got that because she is the coach's daughter", anger at me taken out on my kids), and somethings I will greatly miss (the opportunity to participate in the program together with them, seeing them work so hard to make our team strong, watching their excitement, seeing FIRST robotics impact their lives in such a positive way). I also know that though they are not students on my team anymore, they will both be heavily involved in FIRST Robotics! I know that this program will help me survive my new "Empty Nest" which I will be experiencing soon, and will help them survive their college and life experiences ahead of them. It is just one more transition that will offer new and wonderful chapters in our lives.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
I Get Knocked Down... But I Get Up Again
This week has been a fighting week. We are trying to convince our school district to allow us to host our FRC event next year. This year, for the first time ever, we hosted a FIRST in Michigan District Event. It ran smoothly. It was exciting to see the competition on our home turf! But, it was held over spring break. Teachers, Administrators, and most importantly students, were unable to see the event. So, when it came time to get permission for this year, I have been told that we can only host it on "vacation" years. Since Easter Break is during World's, that will not work for us.
When I received that email from my superintendent, I was ready to give up the fight. A month and a half of emails going back and forth, eliminating road blocks that were thrown at us one by one, has made me very tired of fighting. 13 years of fighting for our district robotics kids to be treated the same as any other athlete or program has worn on me. Was it time to throw in the towel and accept that we could not host this year?
I only had to look to my team for my answer. Did my team give up when our robot fell off the top of the pyramid and landed in a smoking mess on the floor? Nope! They went right to work, replaced wires, remade parts, fixed broken welds, and they put the robot back together. It climbed again, only a few matches after they came back from the fall. And, on Saturday morning, it made a successful climb and dump!
Today it was time for me to get back up! Though my superintendent is "disappointed" in me, I will keep my eyes focused on my students, my school district, and my community, and I will continue to work on fixing this wrong! Sometimes I get discouraged, but my students, friends, family, FIRST Community, parents of students, and awesome mentors quickly remind me to keep going!
This week, I was trying for a week off of robotics, a week to refresh my outlook, to catch up on all I've neglected the past 4 months. I did pretty good. Other than some emails about our event, I didn't go to the center! Can't think of the last time I wasn't at the center for a whole week! :)
But, this past week was full of robotics. We awarded 3 students with our first ever $500 scholarships for our FIRST Robotics Graduates, our Relay for Life team raised over $4,000 for the American Cancer Society, and my team reminded me that when you fall down, you have to get back up again! So, overall, it has been a great robotics week! I don't know that it is a possibility to go a week without any FIRST robotics, but I don't mind that very much either!
I am not giving up on our event! Our interim superintendent only has a little longer in this position. If we cannot convince him, we will have a fresh start with a new superintendent soon. My hope is that our current superintendent will come around, that he will realize what an asset this event is to everyone. We will "Make it Loud" and be heard, if needed! And, hopefully, we will be proudly hosting our own event again next year in front of our teachers, administrators, community and the peers of my team.
Thanks to all of you that helped me "get back up again"! Thanks especially to my team, who often lead me by example. :)
When I received that email from my superintendent, I was ready to give up the fight. A month and a half of emails going back and forth, eliminating road blocks that were thrown at us one by one, has made me very tired of fighting. 13 years of fighting for our district robotics kids to be treated the same as any other athlete or program has worn on me. Was it time to throw in the towel and accept that we could not host this year?
I only had to look to my team for my answer. Did my team give up when our robot fell off the top of the pyramid and landed in a smoking mess on the floor? Nope! They went right to work, replaced wires, remade parts, fixed broken welds, and they put the robot back together. It climbed again, only a few matches after they came back from the fall. And, on Saturday morning, it made a successful climb and dump!
Today it was time for me to get back up! Though my superintendent is "disappointed" in me, I will keep my eyes focused on my students, my school district, and my community, and I will continue to work on fixing this wrong! Sometimes I get discouraged, but my students, friends, family, FIRST Community, parents of students, and awesome mentors quickly remind me to keep going!
This week, I was trying for a week off of robotics, a week to refresh my outlook, to catch up on all I've neglected the past 4 months. I did pretty good. Other than some emails about our event, I didn't go to the center! Can't think of the last time I wasn't at the center for a whole week! :)
But, this past week was full of robotics. We awarded 3 students with our first ever $500 scholarships for our FIRST Robotics Graduates, our Relay for Life team raised over $4,000 for the American Cancer Society, and my team reminded me that when you fall down, you have to get back up again! So, overall, it has been a great robotics week! I don't know that it is a possibility to go a week without any FIRST robotics, but I don't mind that very much either!
I am not giving up on our event! Our interim superintendent only has a little longer in this position. If we cannot convince him, we will have a fresh start with a new superintendent soon. My hope is that our current superintendent will come around, that he will realize what an asset this event is to everyone. We will "Make it Loud" and be heard, if needed! And, hopefully, we will be proudly hosting our own event again next year in front of our teachers, administrators, community and the peers of my team.
Thanks to all of you that helped me "get back up again"! Thanks especially to my team, who often lead me by example. :)
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Where Does Time Go?
A little over a year ago, I started this blog to try to record what is involved with coaching my FRC team. I guess I failed miserably. Though, it may show that it keeps me busy, I am no closer to chronicling what is involved on a day to day basis. My hope is that I can provide a road map for my successor. :) (and anyone else who happens to find the information useful) So, this year, I have set a goal to try to write at least one post a week, reviewing what has happened from the coaching side.
May is our transition month. We held our banquet last Thursday, and our new student leadership was announced. Our team is growing. Each year we seem to change our leadership structure a little and this year is no exception. We have tried many different things, but this coming year, we have decided to have 3 captains and 3 co-captains make up our leadership council.
Also, at our banquet, we announced that we have started 4 scholarships for BX graduates. This is something I have been working on for a number of years. I am very excited that we have finally been able to bring this to the kids. Each scholarship will be a one-time award of $500. I have been very busy with banquet and scholarship stuff this week.
On Friday, we held our 2nd annual bowl-a-thon for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. Our team bowled to raise money for our Relay team, the Google Express. So far this year, we have raised $3,100 for the American Cancer Society. We aren't done yet. I was impressed at the bowl-a-thon when my newly elected captains came up to me at the bowl-a-thon with an idea they had for next year. Can't wait to work with them and learn their vision for this coming year.
As hard as it is to see one year wind down, it is very exciting to hear the passion of a new class of students. I can't wait to see what 2014 holds for my team, AND for my graduates! Next week, my goal is to do NO robotics. There are very few weeks when I actually reach this goal, but it isn't because I HAVE to do things, it's because I want to! There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the smiles on your team's faces when they see their ideas come to life! 2014, here we come!
May is our transition month. We held our banquet last Thursday, and our new student leadership was announced. Our team is growing. Each year we seem to change our leadership structure a little and this year is no exception. We have tried many different things, but this coming year, we have decided to have 3 captains and 3 co-captains make up our leadership council.
Also, at our banquet, we announced that we have started 4 scholarships for BX graduates. This is something I have been working on for a number of years. I am very excited that we have finally been able to bring this to the kids. Each scholarship will be a one-time award of $500. I have been very busy with banquet and scholarship stuff this week.
On Friday, we held our 2nd annual bowl-a-thon for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. Our team bowled to raise money for our Relay team, the Google Express. So far this year, we have raised $3,100 for the American Cancer Society. We aren't done yet. I was impressed at the bowl-a-thon when my newly elected captains came up to me at the bowl-a-thon with an idea they had for next year. Can't wait to work with them and learn their vision for this coming year.
As hard as it is to see one year wind down, it is very exciting to hear the passion of a new class of students. I can't wait to see what 2014 holds for my team, AND for my graduates! Next week, my goal is to do NO robotics. There are very few weeks when I actually reach this goal, but it isn't because I HAVE to do things, it's because I want to! There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the smiles on your team's faces when they see their ideas come to life! 2014, here we come!
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