Preparing For Next Year

[astro124]

My team just finished state, and well it was bad. We didn't have enough people (8) and preparation was very last minute (2 people came a week before because they were cut from Science Bowl, which competes at the same place as Olympiad). So now, my teammates and I are tasked with improving and hopefully bringing the team from a 25th overall finish to 1-7th overall finish. Do you guys have any ideas on how to improve the following:

1. Team Recruitment (we literally have to compete with Quiz Bowl, Science Bowl, HOSA, etc.).
2. Filling in that gap between the start of the season, and when you get the official Rules Manual (my coach for some reason doesn't get it until Oct.-Nov.).
3. Making meetings more productive
4. Getting people to be more serious about Science Olympiad.

[syo_astro]

My team just finished state, and well it was bad. We didn't have enough people (8) and preparation was very last minute (2 people came a week before because they were cut from Science Bowl, which competes at the same place as Olympiad). So now, my teammates and I are tasked with improving and hopefully bringing the team from a 25th overall finish to 1-7th overall finish. Do you guys have any ideas on how to improve the following:

1. Team Recruitment (we literally have to compete with Quiz Bowl, Science Bowl, HOSA, etc.).
2. Filling in that gap between the start of the season, and when you get the official Rules Manual (my coach for some reason doesn't get it until Oct.-Nov.).
3. Making meetings more productive
4. Getting people to be more serious about Science Olympiad.

Past related topics: http://www.scioly.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4109
http://www.scioly.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4105
http://www.scioly.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3584
http://www.scioly.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3556
http://www.scioly.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3292
http://www.scioly.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3204

I guess I'll give my own response.
1. I don't have an exact method with this. I usually just try to tell everyone I know and make it as fun as possible. That hasn't really worked always, but I know it can get at least one really devoted member. If there's a friend you know who is good at bio or like science just tell them to come try it out (I try not to be forceful, but at the same time you sometimes slightly have to drag people...). The one issue will be yeah, getting them to stay. You can of course try posters, or on announcements in the morning if you have them try to have them say the meetings.
2. I can't really say much for this, I guess just refer to the other things I said.
3. I guess there's a few things. Try for later meetings, and food (food...it generally works >.<). But even then, sometimes you can make announcements online (I think a lot of teams have websites).
4. I guess just be excited about it, and try hard. It's tough, I would say one way to get people to stay would be to get them on the forums, or to maybe just go through the rules with them a ton.

I guess there isn't an exact way, so sorry if this doesn't work, but I hope this somewhat helps. I find one of the toughest things is to get people to stay. I still don't know myself how to do it. But good luck!

[mathemaniac]

My team was sort of in the same situation a few years ago. Our school opened 4 years ago and in my sophomore year (first year of competition), we medalled in 2 events and won a Spirit Award at Regionals. And that was it. Last year, we ended up doing much better and even placed 5th at States (admittedly in the lower division because our state is ultra-competitive).

How did we do this? When I took the helm as captain last year, I tried very hard - with limited success - at different recruitment tactics. Get your administration involved, get some announcements going, and most importantly, get the information about SciOly out as early as possible. Make sure you're doing a good job of targeting younger kids, too - freshmen and sophomores are less likely to be committed to other things, and they are the ones that will be able to sustain the program after you are gone.

And of course, foster some enthusiasm within your team! Tell those kids who went to State to pitch it to other kids! Tell your friends, your Science Teachers, put up announcements, etc. - I highly doubt any science-enthusiastic freshman would pass up a sign that says "STATE-QUALIFYING SCIENCE OLYMPIAD TEAM SEEKING RECRUITS - COME TO INFORMATIONAL MEETING!"

As for filling that start of season - event manual gap, our team did a pretty cool thing this year - we produced a couple of videos detailing how it's like to be in competition, how you study for events - just general information. If you make sure that the incentives of medalling and placing at States is glorified, then you're bound to get a lot of kids interested and coming back for more. We also brought in some science teachers and local employees of science-sector jobs to talk about their experiences with Science Olympiad, and then after they finished speaking we connected their jobs and experiences to SciOly events and how it really prepares you for college and the real world.