Scouting

What is scouting?

Scouting in the process by which teams gather, interpret, and share information.

Gathering Information

We gather information for our purposes. If at the end of qualifications, we find ourselves sitting in 2nd place and we need to create an alliance, then we use all of the scouting information to build the best alliance possible.

We want to gather everything piece of information about an opposing robot/team. We want to know if they have a strong drivetrain, a weak drive train, can they score well, do they suck at scoring, is their minibot fast, can they play good defense, etc. No information should go uncollected, whether it's notable or not.

Interpreting Information

We use this information all throughout the tournament.

For qualifications, we use scouting information to better gauge opponents and better gauge matches. If we learn that team xxxx has a jumpy driver who doesn't respond well to pressure, then it might be a good idea for us to put a robot to defend them and totally shut them down.

For finals, we use scouting information to help us pick teams. This part of our scouting team has never been too good, but I would like to change that. The best way to do this is to create a list of top 24 teams. Take this list, and go into finals.

Sharing Information

There are a lot of good robots this year, but like any year, it is the job of a scout to share information about our team. Paul made a step in the right direction in this. We need to spread information about our team to others so that they know what we can do.

In some ways our team has failed at this, and as a consequence we've seen little success at nationals. I want our scouts to spread information and becomes friends with teams. EVERY TEAM should know a 1261 scout.

Why Do we Scout

This question is better answered with a story.

In 2010, we won the Palmetto Regional. This regional was another 2010 regional where we fought the robot, but in the end we won. Our scouting team was firing on all cylinders. We were working with another team to create an online database, and we had people going around and talking to all of the teams.

During qualifications, scouting was awesome. Our scouters had data, and about 10 minutes before each match, Tanner or Patrick would get a text laying out the upcoming match and our opponents. This text gave me all the information I needed and the entire alliance was able to operate at a higher level.

For eliminations, everyone on the team sat down on Friday night to talk about prospective picks. We also had been close to team 343. And when 343 went up to number 1, we knew that were getting the first pick.

In more ways than one, scouting ensures that things fall together. Scouting ensures that we know everything just so that we are not caught off guard or blind sighted by anything.

Who do we scout?

Everyone. Period. We need information on everyone. If team xxxx sucks, I want to know ahead of time instead of finding out when they pull their shopping cart into the queuing area.

How do we scout?

Last year we used google docs. I know some teams use paper and folders, and I know some teams use excel. There are a million ways to scout but we need to find one that works.

Last year, during qualifications, the drive team received one text message. This helped a lot, but I think that a faster, larger system would be excellent. We should aim to get the drivers all the information they could want. If this means that a scouter runs the drivers through the next match, then so be it.

As far as spreading information, teams often make fliers of their robots. The highlights and the strengths are on one sheet of paper. We're not saying that you need to shove information down people's throats, but people should know who team 1261 is.

For eliminations, a top 24 teams list is very common. This is a fantasy list where we say, list the best 24 teams here, no matter where we stand or where they stand. During eliminations, this list can be gold.

Common Scouting Positions

Lead Scout - Lead scout need to coordinate the chaos that is scouting. The lead scout needs to know everything about the game, about the matches, and about the teams. He/she needs to make sure that all aspects of scouting are being successfully achieved. The lead scout should deal with all other teams/scouts that are interested in our team. The lead scout also should have answers for the drivers.

Scout - You do what the lead scout says, and you do it well. The scouting team is often considered to be frivolous where people play around and get free stuff. While this might be true, it's also necessary for the scouting team to gather and pass around information. It might be wise for a scout to stick to a group of teams and make friends if needed.

Scouting FAQ

We're ranked last, do we still need to scout? YES. If we're ranked last, there's a reason. Get out there and tell teams that we're ranked last, but we're working on it. Tell them some of our good traits and get us in their thoughts.

Team xxxx is our rivals, we don't need to talk to them/scout them, right? YES. No matter what you hear about team xxxx, if they're a FRC team, then we can work with them. Don't let past prejudices or differences play in. Becomes friends with everyone and you'll have limitless help.

Drivers are the representatives of the team, it's their job to go out and talk to teams about our robot, right? THIS IS WRONG. I almost believed this last year, but it's incorrect. Drivers are way to busy. Between matches, fixing the robot, communicating with the mentors/pit crew, watching matches, talking strategy with teammates and alliance partners, drivers do not have time. Drivers should be worried about winning matches, not worried about whether we're getting picked for finals.

Let me iterate, it is the task of the scouting team to make sure that our team is picked for finals. This responsibility does not fall onto the drivers, coach, or the human player. Getting people to know our team and robot is one of the cores of scouting. If the scouting team is not doing it, then it's not doing its job.