{"id":187,"date":"2020-01-31T19:08:03","date_gmt":"2020-01-31T19:08:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/roaringriptide.com\/?page_id=187"},"modified":"2022-04-16T21:48:58","modified_gmt":"2022-04-16T21:48:58","slug":"f-l-o-a-t-fostering-longevity-of-adjusting-teams","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/roaringriptide.com\/index.php\/f-l-o-a-t-fostering-longevity-of-adjusting-teams\/","title":{"rendered":"F.L.O.A.T. – Fostering Longevity of Adjusting Teams"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

An initiative by: <\/em>FRC Team 4118: Roaring Riptide<\/strong> <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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A Rising Riptide Lifts All Bots<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere is team ####?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the years, we at FRC Team 4118: Roaring Riptide<\/em><\/strong> found ourselves asking this question a lot at competitions. Many of the teams that we shared a rookie season with had seemingly disappeared. This inspired our team to do some investigating, and we were alarmed by the results. In 2012, Roaring Riptide was one of 25 rookie teams in the state of Florida. As of 2018, only seven of those teams were still active.<\/em> Many of the teams in our state were not surviving past their first and second seasons, and we wanted to do something about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Establishment of FLOAT<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2016, we hosted the first FRC Kickoff at the University of Florida where we met an enthusiastic rookie team, 6184 – Leon Robotics. They may not have known a motor driver from a screwdriver, but we saw a lot of potential. We knew that with a little help, they could become a great team<\/em>. In order to assist them, we developed our own program called F.L.O.A.T. which stands for “Fostering Longevity of Adjusting Teams.” FLOAT is Roaring Riptide’s initiative to help all teams, but especially rookie teams, be sustainable and thrive within the FIRST program. 
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\u201cFrom teaching teams how competitions work…to how to build a robot, FLOAT strives to increase team sustainability in Florida.\u201d<\/em>
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During the 2016 build season, we traveled 2+ hours to Team 6184\u2019s humble build site (a grandparent\u2019s garage). In just one day, we were able to help them go from a partially assembled kit bot to a tele-operated chassis. While working with 6184, we also gave them a crash course about the inner workings of FRC, as well as what to strive to accomplish during build season, what to do right before competitions, and what to expect during competitions. We also shared what we believed would be great ways to continue on their own path to success.\u00a0\u00a0
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Over the years, our team learned many lessons the hard way; if we could help make their first couple seasons a bit smoother than ours, we felt that it might make it easier for their team to be sustainable. <\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the Orlando Regional, we did everything we could to help 6184 have a successful first competition. That season our team designed our wheel hubs to look like life preservers to match our team image. When 6184 broke the 3D printed wheel hubs that they had made at the competition, our life preserver wheels helped keep their team afloat as we were able to lend them our spares, allowing them to continue to compete.
In addition to mentors, parts, and technical support, we also cheered for 6184 at their first competition. Many rookie teams are small and thus lack a strong presence in the stands, so we lend our team\u2019s poster board numbers (with their team numbers painted on the back), our spirit, and cheers to encourage our FLOAT teams when they take the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paying FLOAT Forward<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the 2017 Orlando Regional, one of our newer FLOAT teams learned Friday afternoon that they did not have hotel rooms for that night, due to a miscommunication. Discouraged and unable to find accommodations on such short notice, they planned on heading home that night, thus forfeiting their Saturday matches. The now veteran<\/em> Team 6184 heard about their situation and immediately volunteered to work with our team to  find a way for them to stay the night. Having been the first team to go through the FLOAT program, we were so proud of 6184 and how selflessly they helped another team in need. Thankfully, the efforts made by 6184 and Roaring Riptide were enough to allow the rookie team compete on Saturday.
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Inspiration and Next Steps<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every season, Roaring Riptide is continually inspired by stories of other FRC teams helping each other.\u00a0\u00a0
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Back in 2016<\/strong>, our original goal of establishing FLOAT was to help rookie teams overcome the steep technical and administrative learning curve that is associated with FRC, so that they would have a successful first season in the FIRST program.\u00a0 By accomplishing this goal, we hoped it would make the transition go more smoothly in terms of becoming sustainable. As a team, we felt that we accomplished this goal along with so much more!\u00a0
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FLOAT has become more than just a mentorship program for rookie teams.  It has developed into a family of teams that are committed to working together on FIRST\u2019s Core Values, along with a focus on the vision and mission of FIRST to continue to inspire our students to become future leaders in STEM fields.<\/em> 
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By helping these teams at such an early stage in their development as well as supporting other teams in working toward sustainability, we\u2019ve seen a glimpse into how other one team has paid it forward through their own Coopertition <\/em>and Gracious Professionalism<\/em>.  It was during their own rookie year, that they experienced and thus come to understand that FIRST teams work together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2018, Roaring Riptide applied for and received the Florida Robotics Leadership Grant<\/em>. We believed this grant helped provide even more opportunities for established teams to support the newest and most vulnerable members of the FRC family. We strongly believed that if all of the FIRST teams work in tandem toward this goal of helping others, as well as helping themselves, we can foster a stronger, more sustainable FRC program for the State of Florida.\u00a0 Establishing a partnership with the new rookie FRC Team 6850: Trinity Catholic Cell-Ticks, RR has provided everything from programming to grant support, since the 2018 season. We continue to work with 6850, as one of our closest FLOAT partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Below you’ll locate our \u201cTips for a Successful Season\u201d. If you have questions (and we\u2019re sure you will), reach out to us! frcriptide4118@pky.ufl.edu<\/em>\u00a0
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FRC 4118: Roaring Riptide\u2019s Tips for a Successful Season<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before Build Season (when possible):<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n