What is a Mentor and Coach?

As a Mentor or Coach of a FIRST team, you are the key ingredient in the success of your team. Ultimately, your contribution to the success of FIRST is immeasurable. The time, responsibility and expertise of each Mentor or Coach will vary but the one constant is that you are bringing something to your team that they need to learn, grow and succeed. Teams need people to share their knowledge and wisdom about marketing, programming, engineering, team building, finances, fund raising, and business.  In addition, FIRST students need to see what it is like to be a professional and to work like one.  You can be that role model.

Who are FIRST Mentors and Coaches?

A Mentor/Coach:

• Can be a person of any age, teaching others what they know

• Brings either technical or non technical expertise to the team

• Provides the opportunity for students to learn directly through experiences

• Begins as a teacher, evolves into a colleague

• Knows that Mentoring and Coaching is about inspiring and guiding

• Provides students the environment to succeed

• Is patient, supportive, enthusiastic, compassionate and available

• Remembers what’s important – it’s about the kids and they come first

How do you become a Mentor or Coach? 

If you are interested in becoming a Mentor or Coach of a FIRST Team, please contact us for additional information.

Anyone can be a coach or mentor. You do not need to be an engineer. If you would like more information and you are not an engineer, visit NEMO (Non-Engineering Mentor Organization) which is a support group and information exchange for those adult non-engineering mentors who help teams as part of the FIRST robotics programs.