Science Olympiad Coach Timeline & Checklist

 September

1.    Manuals are available and coaches may begin registering their teams (you do not need to know names of students who will be participating before registering your team).

 

2.    Begin recruiting students for your team (see Science Olympiad Helpful Tips, pg. 1, Recruiting Students For Your Team)

 

3.    Introduce Science Olympiad to interested students

 October

1.    Attend Saturday Utah Coaches Clinic held at Weber State University

 

2.    Continue recruiting students for your team and introducing Science Olympiad events

 

3.    Do a survey for events the students want to do, then let students pick their favorite events

 

November

1.    Getting Organized – Rules manual is the most valuable tool.  Make copies of the rules in the manual for each student for the events he/she is participating in.  Read through the event rules with the students using a highlighter.   Things to highlight:  How many students can participate in the event, supplies needed, length of time of the event, object or purpose of event and what students are expected to accomplish during the event, restrictions, etc. (see Science Olympiad Helpful Tips, pg. 2, Organization Tips From Experienced Coaches)

 

2.    Preparing your team – Do practices and activities that teach them basic concepts and principles pertaining to the events and how to problem solve.  Emphasize to the students that they need to practice and complete projects well in advance so that problems can be corrected.  (see Science Olympiad Helpful Tips, pg.2-3, Tips for Preparing the Team)

 

3.    Get other teachers involved in training the team – ask them to help with an event or area they specialize in themselves (see Science Olympiad Helpful Tips, pg. 1, How To Get Other Teachers Involved)

 

4.    Get parental support  - invite them to meetings or practices, ask them to help in their field of expertise, let them know what’s going on, build Science Olympiad up and let them know it’s important to their kids (see Science Olympiad Helpful Tips, pg. 1, Parental Involvement and Support)

 

5.    Begin more in-depth training for events once students know which events they want to compete in

      6.    Look for sponsors - Tie into organizations that are located in your school area–stress connections between specific events and the products/goals of the organization (see Science Olympiad Helpful Tips, pg. 2, Fundraising & Sponsors)           

7.   7.    Check the Event Schedule, it lists which time slot a team competes in for all non “sign-up” events.  Consult this early to make sure none of your students plan to compete in 2 events at the same time.  The Event Schedules can be found on our website at:

o        http://departments.weber.edu/sciencecenter/ScienceOlympiad/Olympiadpage.htm

o        The Event Schedule for B Division is found at the top of the middle column

o        The Event Schedule for C Division is found at the top of the right-hand column

8.   8.    Pin Design Contest – Encourage your students to design a pin for the Utah Science Olympiad competition.  The rules for the Pin Design Contest are on our website and pin designs are due in January. 

December

1.   1.    December 15 – Register your team by December 15 to avoid a late fee.  Spaces are assigned on a first come/first served basis with only 36 slots in each of the two divisions – B Div & C Div.

January

1.    Pin designs are due.  Please refer to rules and specific due date posted on the Science Olympiad page on our website.

 

2.    Invitations to sponsors and/or administrators - These are for you to invite potential donors/team sponsors to accompany your team or visit the Tournament and Awards Ceremony in March.   Included in your packet is a flyer inviting donors, supporters and other teachers to attend Science Olympiad, including a schedule of spectator event information on the reverse side.

 

3.    Continue practicing, training and preparing your team.

 

4.    Email Dr. Ohlhorst with event questions.

 

 

February

1.    Coaches Packets are mailed.  It includes:

A.   Letter to Coaches and Teams:  PLEASE READ THIS LETTER CAREFULLY WHEN YOU RECEIVE THE COACHES PACKET – NOT ON THE BUS TO THE TOURNAMENT!  You will want to reread this letter several times before the competition.

B.   Medaling Vouchers

C.   Non-Medaling Vouchers

D.   Code of Conduct Form

E.   Video/Photo Release Form

F.    Base Camp List

G.   Spectator Events Schedule & Flyer

2.    Check the Event Schedules on the website for any changes. 

March

1.       Event Participation (early March) – Coaches will receive an email around the beginning of March asking which events their team plans to compete in.  There will be a link on our website for Event Participation.  Click on the link for your division (B or C) and it will take you to a page with further instructions.  Teams who do not submit their Event Participation by the deadline will not be allowed to sign up for the Online Sign-Up Events until a specified day the week of the competition, limiting the times that will be available to compete in these events.

2.       Online Sign-up Events (begins mid March) – Online sign-up begins for teams who submitted their Event Participation by the deadline.  Online sign-up for events ends at 5:00 pm on the Thursday prior to the competition.  Online sign-up gives you some flexibility for scheduling students for events.

3.       Prepare Vouchers – prepare vouchers, one for each event, using labels with participating students’ names printed on them (please include pronunciation for names difficult to pronounce) and the name of the event.  Each team chooses 20 events to compete in for medals.  Medal and Non-Medal Vouchers are different  – BRING VOUCHERS WITH YOU TO THE COMPETITION

4.       Team Roster Form - submit via email, due no later than 2 days before the competition.  This can be corrected onsite on Saturday. 

5.       Code of Conduct Form – needs to be signed by all participating students, coaches and parents with the team

6.       Student Name Tags – Prepare name tags for each student with their name, school name & team number.  We request that students wear name tags during the competition.

7.       Campus Maps – Print a Weber State Campus map (www.weber.edu and click on link for campus map on left-hand side) and make copies for each student on your team.  Make sure your students know where their event(s) is being held and how to get there from your base camp. 

 Competition Day

1.    1.    Check In Process for Final Registration:

        a.    Check TEAM ROSTER and make any minor changes needed

        b.    Make sure there are no more than 15 TEAM MEMBERS and 6 ALTERNATES on your Team Roster Form    

        c.    Turn in CODE OF CONDUCT FORM, signed by every coach, student and parent with the team

        d.    Turn in signed VIDEO/PHOTO RELEASE FORM for each student on your team

        e.    You will be given your REGISTRATION PACKET with your team’s wristbands, pins, base camps, event schedules, any schedule changes, rule clarifications, time-slots for sign-up events, spectator events, list of names & addresses of nearby restaurants for lunch and Coach Evaluation Form.

        f.     Any changes to times for Online Sign-Up Events must be made by talking directly to the event coordinator on the day of competition.

        g.    Find your BASE CAMP.

        h.    IMPOUND DEVICES for building events (if a student is participating in an event at 8:30 am and will not be able to impound a device for another event he/she is participating in during the impound time, a coach or another member of the team may deliver and impound the device for the participating student, provided the device includes identification such as school name and team #.)

        i.    When IMPOUNDING DEVICES, you will also want to impound the voucher, practice logs, goggles (if not needed for another event), and anything else needed for the event.

        j.    Students are requested to wear name tags with their name, school name, & team number.

        k.    Coaches are requested to provide us with a cell phone number where they may be contacted during the competition should the need arise.

2.    Events

        a.       Events begin at 8:30 am and continue until 3:30 pm

        b.      Students give voucher to event coordinator as they enter the room for the event

        c.       Make sure to pick up any equipment/supplies or devices from building events in the Dee Event Center when the event is over.

3.    After Competition (between competition and awards ceremony)

        a.       Activities such as bowling, movie, ice skating are usually available

        b.      Another option is to bring sports equipment (such as footballs, soccer balls, Frisbees) to play on the lawn

        c.       Eat dinner

        d.      Clean up base camps, including any supplies/equipment, personal belongings, coolers and garbage from meals

4.    Awards Ceremony

5.    After Science Olympiad

        a.    Complete COACH EVALUATION/REFLECTION FORM

        b.    Your teams’ certificates, medals (if your team did not attend the Awards Ceremony), and your team’s placement for medal and non-medal events will be mailed to you near the end of April.