We wanted to take an opportunity to show the different roles that are present within our VEX team, and to show some of the opportunities that students have if they join a VEX team.
The Designers
This may be one of the most important and fun roles to be involved with on a VEX team. It requires you to be able to sit down with your team, grab a pencil or whiteboard, and start brainstorming ideas. This normally produces some crude designs off of which you can start prototyping different areas of your robot. Most members are involved in this area because the design of a bot is a collaboration of everyone's ideas.
If you have a good imagination, like drawing, brainstorming, group projects, or anything along those lines, become a designer for your team.
If you have a good imagination, like drawing, brainstorming, group projects, or anything along those lines, become a designer for your team.
The Builders
The builders on a VEX team are required to materialize everything that your designers came up with on paper. This can be very difficult, but also very rewarding when you actually get everything to work. This means: building, cutting, filing, drilling, screwing, prototyping, redesigning, problem-solving, followed by more rounds of the same activities. It can be challenging, but if you enjoy getting your hands dirty, you would love building with VEX. Most members are involved in this area because a bot takes a lot of time and work to build, and requires everyone's skills.
If you ever enjoyed playing with LEGO's, using power tools, or building anything, you would love being a builder in VEX.
If you ever enjoyed playing with LEGO's, using power tools, or building anything, you would love being a builder in VEX.
The Programmer
The programmer on a VEX team is responsible for creating all the programs for your robot including your autonomous. It involves a basic understanding of code, a desire to learn more, and an ability to deal with failure, trial and error, and a ton of testing. Programming can be really hard, and extremely annoying, but if you’re patient, you'll have a blast with it. Usually only one or two members on a team are active programmers to keep things simple.
If you enjoy using computers, or have ever wondered how video games work, programming may be for you.
If you enjoy using computers, or have ever wondered how video games work, programming may be for you.
The Drivers and Coaches
Drivers are responsible for controlling their robots during matches. Coaches are responsible for assisting their drivers by giving direction, placing match loads, and watching the field when the driver can't.
Though it’s not exactly the same, if you are good at video games, you might be good at driving. Driving can take a lot of skill, and requires a very calm person, but it’s really fun to be on the field competing during matches. Coaches also have to be able to communicate well with their drivers to ensure that you do well during matches. You are allowed to have a combination of either 2 drivers and 1 coach or 1 driver and 2 coaches during a VEX competition.
If you enjoy playing video games, talking to people, and you like being the center of attention, you will probably make a great driver or coach.
Though it’s not exactly the same, if you are good at video games, you might be good at driving. Driving can take a lot of skill, and requires a very calm person, but it’s really fun to be on the field competing during matches. Coaches also have to be able to communicate well with their drivers to ensure that you do well during matches. You are allowed to have a combination of either 2 drivers and 1 coach or 1 driver and 2 coaches during a VEX competition.
If you enjoy playing video games, talking to people, and you like being the center of attention, you will probably make a great driver or coach.
The Scouts
The Scouts on a VEX team are responsible for watching all the matches at a competition and figuring out what teams would be good partners for you once alliance selection comes. This usually involves taking pictures, recording notes, and paying really close attention to competition. Scouts also have to talk to other teams between matches to work on strategies and figure out who's doing what for your matches. Depending on the size of your team, you can really have all your available members scout.
If you enjoy talking to other people, photography, or taking notes, you would probably enjoy scouting.
If you enjoy talking to other people, photography, or taking notes, you would probably enjoy scouting.
The Journalist
The Journalist on a VEX team is responsible for writing your team's engineering notebook. This notebook documents the entire design process of your robot with photos, drawings, descriptions and anything else that you find useful. This journal is used during your judging sessions at competitions, and is responsible, or at least contributes, to many of the awards that are given out at VEX competitions.
This role can also include being a photographer, videographer, website designer, online promoter, or anything else that your team comes up with.
If you enjoy writing, keeping a journal, being organized, explaining things, or giving speeches, you may enjoy keeping your team's journal.
This role can also include being a photographer, videographer, website designer, online promoter, or anything else that your team comes up with.
If you enjoy writing, keeping a journal, being organized, explaining things, or giving speeches, you may enjoy keeping your team's journal.
Understand that these positions are by no means set in stone, but they represent most of the activities that members of our team are involved in. They also represent some of the opportunities that are available to students that join VEX Robotics. Hopefully this has given you a better understanding of what you can expect to experience in VEX.