Starting Science Olympiad

[starpug]

Wait but dont you have to actually be from the high school to compete on the team? Since he's in 9th grade he cant compete in div B anyway.

In California I think you have to have gone to and been on the middles school's Science Olympiad team in order to be able to be on the team as a 9th grader. As for being on a different schools Science Olympiad team I don't think you can do that.

[dudeincolorado]

well you have two options; struggle for the first year or two (but still do well) but then be totally capable the years after

or

join another school for 2 years and possible not be able to compete but have an easier start when you are on your own

i would recommend option 1 you have a garenteed chance of competing and the starting off is the most fun

[Uncle Fester]

Instead of "shooting from the hip", check the rules.

How alternates and second/third/fourth teams are set up (or even allowed) is determined by STATE, with occasional requirements placed by individual tournaments. Some states, like Indiana, have elaborate rules for schools with multiple teams. A very few number of locations consider ALL teams as first teams, like a "the more the better" idea. IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOUR STATE.

But 15 is the limit for any team's size. In C, any number of niners can be part of the 15. ALl 15, if you want. BUT, the HS has to be a HS that the 9th grade school feeds into.

The other direction is more difficult. The 9th grade rule limits how many niners can be on a MS team. Plus, a newer rule says that have to have BEEN on that team previously. Coaches I've asked have said nobody AT THIS MOMENT THAT THEY KNOW OF cares if the "previous team membership" differentiates between competing team or alternates, or if the MS membership has to be consecutive years, >>OR<< what happens with a NEW school of niners-- looks like a great clarification to ask Nats about. If you'd like, I could ask, since I haven't bothered them for a while and it's kind of fun.

Now for some practical advice that'll help:

First, everything needs to be done by, like, YESTERDAY. My two teams have already done a budget, scheduled activities and tournaments, ordered parts, lessons and supplies, and had a parent meeting ad a week of practices already. waiting even one more week can really put you behind the 8-ball. It's not impossible, just a lot of work.

Check with your state director RIGHT NOW-- in many, there's seed money available to help get the team started. Some even give a free or low-cost membership to new teams, but usually with a deadline. Purdue University in Indiana gives out $500 a pop for this, but the deadline is Oct 31.

Membership in many cases puts the team on SO's liability insurance policy. This is serious, and nothing to ignore.

Going to http://www.soinc.org and buying ONE coaching rulebook and ONE student rulebook will provide enough specific info on events to where others will (hopefully) want to join in. Hey, the stuff's fun. Mine (yes, I coach two teams, run several activities and supervise events in a half dozen tournaments, but I still buy my manuals every year) came in 3 days.

Looking at the rules, start cruising used bookstores for college science books. Yup, that's the correct level you're looking for.

IMMEDIATELY, yes, immediately start raising money. What, you haven't started yet? Get busy! The big scheme of successful fund raising is having something big, loud and original that gets everyone's attention.

You're already "here", and that's a HUGE help. Send your potential builders to the plane and bridge threads before buying ANY balsa. If they have any specific questions, we have many here who know quite a bit and are willing to share, SO LONG AS SPecific QUESTIONS ARE ASKED. i.e., stay away from "Help! How do I win at everything!" nonsense, as it really ticks them off.

Have your paper-signing adult go to Yahoo Groups and register on the SO Coaches group. Lots of adult-specific info there.

Plan copious amounts of fun & social time or everyone will quit. Nobody will really understand the drive to win as a higher priority than fun until they see someone ELSE walk off with a medal. My kids send out for pizza one night a week, tacos another, and we have movie nights, overnighters (we once had the police looking for us) and parties at the house of one of the cooler parents.

Good luck-- It's far more work starting a team up than you can imagine, but it's well, well, well worth it.

[GuitarGal800]

Thanks so much for the help!
So far we have bout 50 or 60 ppl who are interested i doing it which is really great. My friend and i are planing on making two teams. so i think we are only going to have 19 ppl per team. I have a few other questions im hoping you guys can help with!
1. what is the best way to decide who to allow on the team?
2. would we be allowed to compete in the jr. high division since we are all 9th graders or would we have to be in high school?
Thanks so much for helping out im really greatful for it!

[gneissisnice]

They actually cant do the middle school, because theres a 5 person limit on 9th graders. With a team made only of 9th graders, it wouldnt work. It has to be C division.

[rocketman1555]

yeah, sorry, i forgot about that

[starpug]

Wow nice 60 people for a first time.
1.I would pick in one of two ways, first was you have tryouts first thing in the year and you pick your team based on grades, how well they work with others, an IQ test , and/or a practice event (we do all three.) The second way you could do it is to take everyone who wants to show up and have practices with everyone working on the events of their choosing and you have everyone fight it out to get on a competeing team which is picked right before the names of all the team members has to be turned in and make the teams up out of the overall best people in each event. We use the first system and our arch rivals Arden use the second system. Arden has a dynesty going and we haven't gone to nats in at least ten years you pick which system you want to use.

2.Yeah what they said you gotta go C division.

[dudeincolorado]

do NOT hold an IQ test they are demining and make people feel bad.

ok the truth is that there are always a few people that quit one month into it so realisticly you'll have about 45 people

i would see whos really commited to the team and who works well with others and chose for those

[gneissisnice]

Yeah, i wouldnt use an IQ test. The best way (or at least what we did in jr, high) is to have everybody pick the events they wanna do, and then study them. Then, the when it comes closer to competition time, the coach will see how everyone is doing, and based on what events are needed, make up the varsity team. The other teams will be made up based on events and who wants to work together, because only one team can go to states from that school, so varsity should be the best, while the other teams dont matter as much.

[starpug]

do NOT hold an IQ test they are demining and make people feel bad.

ok the truth is that there are always a few people that quit one month into it so realisticly you'll have about 45 people

i would see whos really commited to the team and who works well with others and chose for those

Well it's not like they told us our scores also It might not have been an IQ test it could just a have been a problem solving test. Bottom line is that you weed people out before actually putting anyone on teams in option one