MIT Invitational

[kenniky]

AB sends unstacked teams, can confirm

[windu34]

AB sends unstacked teams, can confirm

Any particular reason or advantages to sending unstacked teams?

[meierfra]

AB sends unstacked teams, can confirm

Any particular reason or advantages to sending unstacked teams?

It's helpful in making decisions about selecting people for a certain event. If multiple people want to do, say, Astronomy, when you use unstacked teams both pairs can try it and see who is better. It also lets more people try out an event that nobody wants, and maybe find someone who will do well in it.

We also do it because we don't have 2 full teams, then people can try more events. If they try something new, maybe they'll find something they like. It also gives them experience; they may be in that event next year.

[antoine_ego]

AB sends unstacked teams, can confirm

Any particular reason or advantages to sending unstacked teams?

It's helpful in making decisions about selecting people for a certain event. If multiple people want to do, say, Astronomy, when you use unstacked teams both pairs can try it and see who is better. It also lets more people try out an event that nobody wants, and maybe find someone who will do well in it.

We also do it because we don't have 2 full teams, then people can try more events. If they try something new, maybe they'll find something they like. It also gives them experience; they may be in that event next year.

Additionally, sending unstacked teams is good for future participation because it helps the team attitude, as everyone feels that they are on at least relatively equal footing, so odds are they'll come back next year.

[windu34]

Additionally, sending unstacked teams is good for future participation because it helps the team attitude, as everyone feels that they are on at least relatively equal footing, so odds are they'll come back next year.

Yeah but at some point, that has to change for regionals/states, but I see what youre saying

[pikachu4919]

Additionally, sending unstacked teams is good for future participation because it helps the team attitude, as everyone feels that they are on at least relatively equal footing, so odds are they'll come back next year.

Yeah but at some point, that has to change for regionals/states, but I see what youre saying

I mean of course for regionals/states, you would stack so you have the strongest team competing to give the best chance of advancing to the next level, but yeah unstacking for some competitions really does help with getting more people involved in the hopes of them coming back next year to continue. We did that often at my old school (although they aren't going to MIT invite)—in fact, for one of our invitationals, we make the teams to have a large majority of first years to let them experience what competition is like and give them a shot at it. Bottom line is, it's thinking ahead to the future of your program—once your strong members graduate, do you have enough interested younger members that can step up to fill the voids and still keep your team strong? That's the main purpose of unstacking.

[Unome]

Relevant info (note that when he says "a lot of invitationals," he probably means 6+ because he's from Ohio).

There are several advantages to balancing teams. If you go to a lot of invitationals, you'll be able to give fringe candidates the possibility of proving themselves by testing them with a more inexperienced candidate. Also, by balancing teams, you have created a natural way for younger students to learn from older students. Often times, people pair the experienced seniors with underclassmen during an invitational season, which allows for better learning. Finally, other teams don't really know your full potential when you do finally stack your team come states.

On the other hand, teams that do stack throughout the whole season really do benefit from having more experience with the same partners. It breeds familiarity that really does help come states. It's easier to make a few adjustments (taking the fringe candidates in and out to test how they mesh with the Team A) than it is to make a full season evaluation. Furthermore, the teams that stack through the whole year also gain from bonding together and building team chemistry.

In the end, if you go to a lot of invitationals, balanced teams are the way to go. They offer more long term benefits, which could potentially keep your SO program running at a higher level than before. If you're look for immediate, one-year gains on your science olympiad program, stack your team through the whole year. You'll make immediate gains by doing so.

I mean of course for regionals/states, you would stack so you have the strongest team competing to give the best chance of advancing to the next level

Not all teams stack for regionals; here in Georgia, FSA generally keeps ~12 people on the A team for regionals (though usually they are the strongest competitors), and in Ohio several of the top teams go to regionals unstacked.

[antoine_ego]

It always depends on the team and the team mentality. Somehow teams like Troy managed to choose a stacked team before MIT, which is reasonable early in the season. We (AB) stack only for states and Nats because we want more time to choose our best team.

[Adi1008]

It always depends on the team and the team mentality. Somehow teams like Troy managed to choose a stacked team before MIT, which is reasonable early in the season. We (AB) stack only for states and Nats because we want more time to choose our best team.

If I recall correctly, Troy starts out with stacked teams (Varsity and JV)

[Unome]

Ok, so the meetup; how about doing both days? Perhaps 1-5 PM on Friday and 4-6 PM on Saturday? Also the green lounge mentioned by Luo right?