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New Member Onboarding

Welcome to Deceivers Robotics. This page is to help you understand what we expect from you, and what you can expect from us. It will also include links to training and further information that will get you up to speed and working with the team as quickly as possible.

What is Deceivers Robotics?​

Deceivers Robotics (The Deceivers), is a FIRST Robotics Team that competes out of Brimley High School.

  • Please read the about us page for more details.

What does the season look like?​

  • We start the year in preseason where we train and compete in an offseason event using last year's robot.

  • In early January, FIRST releases a brand new game. That day is called kickoff.

  • We then have to design, manufacture, and program a robot to complete the game objective. This period is usually referred to as build season.

  • Around 7 or so weeks later competitions will begin. We will attend between 2 and 4 competitions depending on if we advance to the state championship and world championship.

  • The rest of the year, called offseason, we get ready to do it again.

  • Please read the season calendar page for more details.

What is required to be on the team?​

You and your parents will be required to:

  • Agree to and sign the Student Handbook before attending team meetings. A parent meeting will be announced where everyone will be introduced to the handbook.
  • Make an account and sign consent and release forms with FIRST. This must be completed before attending kickoff.

You will also need to create an account with our team to access all our internal tools.

  • A mentor will send you an invite to create the account to your school email address. This email will go to spam/junk mail, make sure to check there. After receiving the invite follow the instructions and create your account.
  • Once your account is created you will be able to log in to the various apps we have on our app dashboard.

What do we expect from you?​

  • Attend meetings and be productive. You will get out of the team what you put into the team.
  • Follow the rules. The rules are there to protect you and to keep everyone safe.
  • Learn new things. Try something you haven't tried before.
  • Have fun. Enjoy meetings and competitions.
  • Practice Gracious Professionalism.

What can you expect from us?​

The mentors are here to support you and help you learn. We will assist you whenever you need help, give you feedback to help you improve, and we will challenge you when we know you can handle it. We are all part of the same team and we all want to see the team succeed. Mentors are also not perfect and we will listen to any feedback you give us.

What to do during your first meeting?​

  1. Come dressed to be around tools:
    • Closed-toe and heel shoes, not flip flops, sandals, crocs, etc!
    • Dangling jewelry or hoodie cords should be removed or tucked away.
    • We provide eye protection. You will wear it any time a machine or robot is running.
  2. Read this page and the associated links.
  3. Get started!

How to get started?​

Step 1 - Get Oriented​

Step 2 - Learn how to do tasks​

  • Check the docs page to see if a discipline you are interested in has more onboarding.
  • Ask if you can observe other people working on tasks. Learn what, how, and why they are doing things.
  • Ask a student or mentor to show you how to do something you are interested in.

Step 3 - Help work on tasks​

  • Join another student or mentor on a task and help them out. Learn what, how, and why you are doing those things.
  • Continue helping until you fell confident you could accomplish the task on your own.

Step 4 - Take on a full task​

  • Consult the task list and choose a task you feel you could take on. Ask if you can take it on. But remember, you can always ask for help.

Habits to make​

  • Sign in and out every day. See the Hours page.
  • Ask early. There is no such thing as a dumb question. You are not expected to know how to build a robot before joining, feel free to ask questions! Ask mentors, ask students, ask other teams!

Important Terms​

FIRST Impact Award*​

The FIRST Impact Award is the most prestigious award in FIRST Robotics Competition. It honors the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and best embodies the mission of FIRST. It is awarded based on how a team spreads FIRST's mission, the impact the team has on the FIRST community, and how the team inspires the future of STEM.

Gracious Professionalism​

Gracious Professionalism is a term coined by Dr. Woodie Flowers, one of the founders of FIRST. It's a way of doing things that encourages high quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. With Gracious Professionalism, fierce competition and mutual gain can be achieved together.

Coopertition​

Coopertition involves kindness and respect even in the heat of competition. It means cooperating with each other even as you are competing.

Other words you will hear​

Consult the glossary for other terms you may come across. You do not need to memorize these, but it is a useful reference if you ever need to look something up.

ToolWhat it isLink
DiscordWe have a discord channel where announcements are posted, and discussions take place.Ask a mentor for access
DeceptiveDocsThis site. Where we try to keep all team knowledge to passed along.docs.deceivers.org
Team App DashboardDashboard for all the web apps we use as a teamapps.deceivers.org
FRC EventsFIRST's official page for our team. Includes all events past and presentfrc-events.firstinspires.org/team/4392
The Blue AllianceSite used to track events and data for FIRST teams. Easier to use and has more features than FIRST's official site. Usually shortened to TBA.thebluealliance.com/team/4392

Is anything missing?​

If you feel anything is missing, read the contribution guide. You can help the next person by contributing your information!

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