1. Coach Training: What exactly does an OOTM Coach do?
Time Management
Know the Rules
Develop Amazing relationships with young people that will last a life time. Thank you for Coaching!!
Facilitate Creative Thinking

2. What is Odyssey of the Mind
OOTM is a team based creativity competition.
All Team member Driven! – Not the coach, not the parents, just the team members.
There is no ONE solution for any of the problems.
Judges are looking for creative solutions – things maybe you and I wouldn’t think of.
Ultimate goal is for teams to present their problem solutions in official competitions. - but they don’t have to! The purpose of the program is to provide students with an exciting learning experience that is challenging and fun.

3. STEP 1 FORM YOUR TEAM BUY YOUR MEMBERSHIP from OOTM
Teams can have up to 7 members.
If a team member drops out before competition, they must still be listed as a member if they contributed anything to the solution.
You may add an additional member during the year but total must be no more than 7
Determine your team’s division
Students compete according to their grade:
Division I- grades K-5 – under 12 years old by 5/1/18
Division II- grades 6-8 – under 15 years old by 5/1/18
Division III- grades Oldest team member does not qualify for Div 1 or Div 2
Division IV - collegiate
Primary- grades K-2
The division is determined by the eldest child on the team.
BUY YOUR MEMBERSHIP from OOTM
Since you are here, I assume everyone has their membership

4. STEP 2 DOWNLOAD THE PROGRAM GUIDE
All official rules come from OOTM and are provided in the Program Guide.
Explanation of what is OOTM
All the Definitions you will need to know
How to Cost for different items
Forms that need to be filled out
ODYSSEYOFTHEMIND.COM
TEAMS – MEMBER AREA
Use your membership number and zip code to log on

5. STEP 3 SCHEDULE MEETING WITH PARENTS AND TEAM MEMBERS
Work out a meeting schedule for the team –
Where is the team going to meet? At school, after school, coach’s home?
Make sure to ok wherever your meetings will be with your sponsoring organization - Will the school let you meet at the coach’s home is always a big question. If not, arrange for time at the school or other public meeting place (town library, rec center etc)
You should begin with once a week then as it gets closer to competition time, increase the meetings and practice times. Team members should always be encouraged to work on their solutions on their own at home and bring the results to a team meeting.
PICK A Long Term Problem – Team members pick – Voting or discussion
Train the Parents
Parents need to set a good example for the team members at the Competition site and follow the same rules the team members must follow. So make sure the parents understand the rules – they can read the Program Guide too!
Tell the Parents that Teams can receive penalties if the parents are seen providing outside assistance to the team members or not cooperating to help the competition run smoothly. This includes fighting with judges or other staff and volunteers about rules.
And what is outside assistance????

6. No Outside Assistance!
Outside assistance is considered help from a coach, a parent, adult, or another child not on the team...anyone.
You want the team members to come up with their own ideas of how to solve the problems.
You want the team members to build the solutions themselves in their own way.
You want team members to be able to recognize what works and what doesn’t work on their own.
You want the team members to be able to identify issues and figure out how to fix it themselves!

7. It IS outside assistance if anyone other than a team member:
SUGGESTS or CHOOSES the theme, music, costumes, props, etc.
SUGGESTS Ideas for or MAKES any part of the solution
FILLS OUT any of the required paperwork except in Division I. Division I coaches may ONLY record the team’s answers on their paperwork.
ASSISTS in applying makeup, hairstyling, or dressing.
ASSISTS the team in any way once they have left the staging area judge (except for moving props to staging area).
ANSWERS questions addressed to the team by a judge.
SIGNALS or assists the team in any way while they perform.
REPAIRS, ASSEMBLES OR ADJUSTS any team prop.

8. What CAN you and Parents do?
ASK QUESTIONS AND MORE QUESTIONS
What does everyone think of that idea?
Have you gone through your check list to make sure everything is ok?
Are you ready to go?
Can you all hear each other?
Do you think the judges will think that is creative?
Have you ever heard of that or seen that before? If yes, then maybe there is a more creative idea. Tell the team members to always ask themselves this.
Example: Team decides they should all be animals – This is the most common representation of characters we see at Odyssey. So as a coach, you can ask, how many of you thought first of being animals? Is that the most creative idea if everyone thinks of this?

9. Learn HOW to ASK questions:
Avoid Limiting Questions
(and steering from coach):
Use Open-ended Questions (allowing the team to be creative):
Can you sew a Lion costume?
How can you make someone seem to be a Lion?
Can you use (item) to solve that problem?
What exactly does this need to do? How can you cause that to happen?
Do you want some glue to put those things together?
How might you fasten those things together?

10. Learn to answer a question with a question:
Team asks:
Coach responds:
Do you think this glue will work?
How can you find that out?
Should we put more yellow in the tree?
What does your team think?
Why did the vehicle wheel come off? Why did the structure break? Why won’t this stand up?
Let’s look at it. . .
what do you think
happened?

11. What is NOT outside assistance
What is NOT outside assistance? (an equally important question) It is not outside assistance to:
HELP OR PARAPHRASE for a young team what a problem is asking them to do.
ASSIST Division I with paperwork. Remember: it must be in the team’s own words.
BRING books, resources, and other research to the attention of the team.
TAKE the Team on a field trip to get ideas – museums etc.
SHOP & Supply teams with a variety of materials to experiment with or get the things they ask you to get.
TEACH the team skills that they can use in solving their problem. Example: how to use a hot glue gun safely.
HELP a team understand the ODYSSEY Rules & Philosophy.
Help MOVE props to staging area then REMOVE props and clear the area AFTER a performance.

12. The Judges know when there is outside assistance – how?
Observed in the hallways – parents putting together the team items that have fallen apart
Observed during the performance – parents and coach mouthing the script to the team or directing them.
Judges question the team members after the performance without the coach or parents –
Response made by one team member – “I didn’t want to do that but my mom made me.”
ANY QUESTIONS ON OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE?

13. What is the Role of the Coach?
So What Is the Role of the Coach?
Scheduler (how often and where team meets)
Facilitator (helps the team stay organized) - determine goals and the path to reach them
- helps them read and understand the problem
- helps team keep track of tasks and deadlines
- takes notes (remind them of their previous ideas)
- leads brainstorming sessions (without injecting ideas)
- explains scoring
- brings in “experts” to discuss & teach skills
Teacher (teaches basic skills)
Asks QUESTIONS (to help team focus, open-ended)
Assists team in developing a timeline for projects
Spontaneous practice (practice often, variety, strategies)
Forms (helps Primary and Division I teams fill out forms)
Go-fer (takes team members to store for supplies)
Snack Organizer (fuel for busy minds)
Mentor
What is the Role of the Coach? 7

14. Time Management
You will find that time management is the most important issue the coach needs to address. Because the team members are doing everything themselves, you will find it takes much longer than you expect. So…
Develop a Calendar of important dates/deadlines
Schedule meetings and remind parents/team members
Lead brainstorming sessions and record ideas developed by the team.
Encourage the team members to actually select an idea and run with it. This can be done through voting or other method.
Help assign tasks to team members – the team members will decide who does what, the coach can keep track on posters in work rooms or on line calendar etc.
Tasks to be assigned
Who will write the script?
Who will design scenery?
Who will build props?
Who will sew costumes? Etc.

15. What else does the coach do?
Once the team has selected the ideas to be developed/ tested (if they are taking too long to decide, hold a vote).
Bring in experts, guest speakers, etc.
Lead brainstorming about creative use of creative materials they can use in their solution.
Arrange field trip to museums, plays, hardware stores, building centers, craft stores, etc.
Determine existing team talents/skills and ask team to decide how they might be able to use these talents and skills they have. Through questions!
Develop a prioritized master checklist – go through problem scoring to help the team determine what items get priority.
Develop a time line (working back from the competition date, decide deadlines.)
Add more meetings if it looks like the team is running out of time.

16. What else does the coach do? Know the Rules
The coach can monitor whether or not the team is following the rules as outlined in the program guide. If you observe an infraction, you can ask the team if that solution is allowed.
Example: Team decides their vehicle is going to be a big rock that they pull over the floor. From your point of view, you can see that that rock will scratch the floor which is an infraction of the rules. You may ask them if they think that would scratch the floor and point out that it is not allowed if it will scratch the floor.
The coach must make sure that all paperwork has been filled out and that enough copies are provided at the competition. The team is responsible for the content of the paper work but Coach can make sure it is done!
There will NOT be a copy machine available at the competition site so don’t plan on that for your paperwork.

17. Facilitate Creative Thinking Brainstorming
Goal – to generate the maximum number of ideas.
Guiding Rules:
Withhold criticism positive or negative- either one can shut down the flow of ideas.
Avoid preconceptions. -- Don't impose restrictions.
Even a wacky idea can sometimes become brilliant with a little thought.
Example: what is more creative, being animals or being “dust bunnies” under the bed…..

18. The Three Components of Odyssey of the Mind Creativity Competition
A. Long Term Problem – 200 Points
B. Style – part of Long Term Problem 50 points
C. Spontaneous Problem – 100 Points

19. The LONG TERM Problem
A. Five Different Competitive Problems (Divisions 1-4)
A Vehicle problem
A problem with a Technical element
A problem with an artistic, classical or historic theme- Classics
A Balsa Wood Structure problem
A Performance based problem
The coach does NOT have to have expertise in any of these areas. The team members will figure it out. The team members must choose their problem – not the coach.
B. A Non-competitive Problem
Primary (K-2)

20. All LONG TERM PROBLEMS INCLUDE:
Cost Limit ($125 ~ $145.) –This does not represent the actual dollars spent but an accounting of how much it would cost for another team to create a similar solution. Many items used in the solution may be found in your garage for “free”, but they would have a cost to someone else. So you must assign a “garage sale” value to it. See Program Guide
Eight (8) minute time limit - which may or may not include the ability to go over time for a penalty. Each problem is different so make sure to read this in the problem rules
Performance Component – Even Balsa Problem!
Style Component
A membership sign requirement

21. Attacking the Long Term Problem Read…Read…READ the PROBLEM
Have team break it up into smaller pieces, and take it line by line.
Subtleties, nuances, innuendos of wording and phrases –all become evident during this process. You will do this yourself with your problem Captain after this.
A small misreading early in the season can lead to disappointment later on.
If you don’t understand something, the team may ask for a clarification from Odyssey of the Mind.
Official problem specific questions – contact OOTM
General OM or CTOM tournament question – ask CTOM problem captain
Significant clarifications will be posted online – Follow CTOM facebook group for notifications when clarifications have been added to Odysseyofthemind.com

22. Problem Clarifications are IMPORTANT!
To find Clarifications GO to this page:
Click on “Teams” then “LT problem Clarifications” for more information and to find the form to submit your team’s questions to CCI for the official rulings on the Long Term Problem 
Requirement: Bring a copy of any clarification you receive to the Tournament.

23. WHAT IS STYLE?
“Style is an added element that enhances the presentation of the solution.” program guide
That which is added to the problem's solution and relates to the THEME of the problem or the solution, but is not scored under the long term problem.
Example: What is the style of “Blue Man Group” - Blue!!!
As a coach, encourage the team to actually select a style theme and make sure this theme runs through their performance both visually and audibly. Just ask them, does your solution have a theme? How do things in your solution reflect that theme? Script, costumes, setting, etc could all have elements that add style!

24. Coaching Style
Make sure the team knows what the required Style elements are for their problem (Style Form). This should be read along with the Long Term Problem at each Problem solving meeting.
Style should be kept in mind throughout the process of solving the long term problem. It can evolve from the solution. Beautiful art is not necessarily style.
Brainstorm the "Free choice(s) of the team".
Ask the team if their choices enhance the problem solution. How does a choice contribute to their style theme?
Team members must fill out the style form.
Style is subjective and “in the eyes of the beholder”

25. What happens at Long Term Competition
The competition schedule will come out several weeks before the competition. Please try not to request changes after the schedule has been set since it is very difficult to change. You may submit scheduling requests ahead of time and will be accommodated as best possible.
The Coach signs the team in at the sign in desk at the long term competition site. Make sure you have all required paperwork with you.
The team members may bring all their props to the holding room designated for their problem within an hour of their performance time. Please do not come early and leave it since there is not enough room to keep it there all day.
Parents may help drop off the props and bring to holding room but may not fix anything that may be broken. Please follow all parking rules! Parents should go find a seat and watch other performances and leave the coach to handle the team. This helps clear the hallways for other teams moving through.
The staging judge will ask for the required paperwork and will check that the team members all have suitable foot coverings. (see program guide rules).
When directed by the staging area judge, the team will move all their props to the holding area outside the performance space. When the timing judge comes out, they will move everything to the staging area. Coaches can help move things but then must be seated in the audience.
There is reserved seating for the coaches for the performance.
At the end of the performance, the judges will go up and talk to the team members. When they signal, the parents and coaches may come remove all items and clean up the performance space for the next team.
All performance items should be saved in case the team goes to World Finals.

26. Spontaneous- ‘On the Spot’ Problem-solving
Three Types:
1. Verbal (e.g. Things that are BLUE; Name kinds of Tools.)
2. Hands-On 
3. Verbal / Hands-On.
In Spontaneous, the team solves
a problem they have never seen
before within a given time limit
(without their coach)!
One hundred (100) points.
With these materials, can you build a structure that will support that tin of pennies? Yes, those are marshmallows.

27. How to coach Spontaneous Problems
Practice Practice practice!!! Spontaneous problems as often as you can, even in the car. Try to set aside a regular practice time at each meeting. An excellent resource for problems: and other state OM association websites.
Play Scattergories and other word games that require thinking of things that other people won’t think of.
Work on listening and teamwork skills – Make sure all team members speak loudly and clearly to present their spontaneous answers.
Brainstorm verbal responses; identify the most creative, think of ways to make ordinary answers more creative-e.g. Kinds of rocks, instead of stones or pebbles, try “Rock and Roll” or “Rock-a-bye-Baby” or “Pebbles Flintstone”. Let the team tell each other what answers they find as very creative.
Improvise non-traditional uses for various items- e.g. Uses for a paper clip. Imagine your paperclip is gigantic and then it can be a dinosaur! Teach the team members to “act out” their answers. Stand up when answering – not just sitting at a table.
The coach should prepare a hands on problem for each meeting. This takes some work but is well worth it!

28. What happens at Spontaneous Competition
Only five team members participate in the actual spontaneous problem solving. The other 2 members may sit and watch.
Coach – decide which five members will do the problem depending on the type of problem. In your practicing, it will become apparent to all team members who is the best at the different types of problems and it will be easy to assign the 5 members to each one.
Parents must remain away from the spontaneous area. It is important that parents do not crowd the hallways near the spontaneous problem area as teams are always trying to move up and down the hallways – frequently with fragile scenery!
Only the coach is allowed to go to holding room with the team.
Check in is approximately 20 minutes before scheduled time.
After team solves problem, they are not allowed to talk about it until the competition is completely finished. Team members will return to a holding room after the problem to discuss with their coach but then may not say anything to anyone afterwards.

29. Spontaneous hints
Make sure all team members have a “go to” response for verbal/verbal hands on when they get stuck.
They can get more “creativity” points by doing something to enhance their response. So practice acting out the responses.
Teams that can be heard clearly will always have an advantage.
Good teamwork on hands on problems will always get more score. So make sure team members know not to tear apart someone else’s work even if they don’t like it.
Judges typically will not say anything during the spontaneous competition. Team members are allowed to ask the time remaining and time keeper will tell them.
Train the team members to read the problem several times – there should be a designated problem reader to guide them on hands on problems. Again, missing the nuances of the problem can cost many points.
Make sure the team members pay attention to where they can get points in the problem. Reader must be good at noticing this.

30. Each team is required to supply a ‘JUDGE’ for the Tournament
Judges validate the students’ hard work and creativity. There is a $250 fine for not supplying a judge

31. Judge Requirements
The judge must attend a half day Saturday training, usually in February or early March. (if your judge is a previous OM participant or judge, some exceptions may be made on training by request to problem captain).
Judge training is extremely IMPORTANT! The problems are complex and all of the judges need to fully understand the problem and each Judging position is carefully planned. All of the Judges need to be on the same page.
The judge must work all day at the tournament.
The judge must be comfortable judging in English.
A Judge can be a parent*, however, make sure your judge is aware and knows in advance that judges will NOT be able to watch their child perform at the tournament. Each judge must be consistent throughout the day for every team and may not leave other than at scheduled breaks. So if the judge thought Barney, the purple dinosaur, was creative at 9 am, the judge needs to score it the same way, even if you see or hear it 22 times!!

32. Each team is required to supply a Volunteer for the tournament
An adult Volunteer is required to work ½ day in a position for which they do not need training. Jobs include runner, door monitor, room monitor, parking attendant, etc.
Volunteers, even if they work the shift during their child’s performance will be allowed to leave to watch the performance.
FYI, our Board members, our Problem Captains, our judges, like our coaches, all volunteer their time to make Odyssey happen!

33. Costs to Participate
$135 per membership to Creative Competitions, Inc (our national organization) - one team per problem per division, thus multiple teams in one membership, further reducing the cost per student. So there are 5 different problems, if you have 5 teams all doing a different problem, then 1 membership. If you have 2 teams that want to do the same problem, you must pay for a 2nd membership.
and $ per team for CTOM Registration.
Coach Training is free.
Cost Limit in the problem- ($120- $145)- we recommend that coaches request a $15 -$20 materials fee from each team member to cover the materials used in the problem during the season. Although many teams use donated items and things “found” at no cost.

34. Paperwork – Please complete before coming to competition
Membership form from CCI
Registration forms can be found online at
Tournament forms can be found in the Odyssey of the Mind Program Guide:
Style form (4 copies)
Cost Form (1 copy)
Outside Assistance Form (1 copy)
Problem Specific Team List (4 copies)
Team specific Clarifications from OOTM If applicable

35. Teams will need 4 copies of this form at Tournament
Teams will need 4 copies of this form at Tournament. Don’t forget the paragraph!
Hint: make extra copies of your forms in case you need them for World Finals.

36. HINT: Coaches for Division I teams may fill out the forms (Legible!)
Cost Form- only materials actually used in the performance need be included. Make sure to include things like Wheelchairs if it is incorporated into the performance!
HINT: Coaches for Division I teams may fill out the forms (Legible!)

37. Outside Assistance- Read this out loud with your team and have them sign it.
HINT: If the team had help with something, list it here. Honesty IS the best policy, after all. Winning just doesn’t feel as good if the team didn’t EARN it.

38. CTOM State Tournament
The CTOM State Tournament, March 17th 2018 at SCSU, is an exciting event where the primary goal is to validate the hard work of each team participating. It is an exciting day for the team members not just for their own performance but to go watch other teams and their solutions. Food services are available as well as CTOM collectible Pins!

39. CTOM REGISTRATION
Your judge and volunteer can register themselves, which we recommend so that the contact information is correct and get the information they need.
Go to and click on “Steps to Register a Team” on the sidebar.
Let us know if you have any issues.

40.
“Steps To Register
A Team”->

41. What is the most important quality for a Coach to have?:
A sense of Humor
A washable Floor
Patience
A good cookie recipe
e. Power tools you don’t care about
Can you add more?

42. Schedule for the First Five OOTM Meetings
Example: First Five Odyssey of the Mind Meetings
(adjust to age and experience of students)
Schedule for the First Five OOTM Meetings
First Meeting
Meet with team (and parents) to explain program and set team goals
Discuss the process, give dates for tournaments
Go over the time commitment and responsibility of being on the team
Stress regular attendance at meetings
Explain outside assistance
Review behavioral expectations
Talk about difference between “winning” and “succeeding”
Set a meeting schedule
Second Meeting
Incorporate team-building activity
Discuss working as a group. All ideas are valid
Review brainstorming rules (no put-downs)
Explain Spontaneous. Practice several at every meeting
Read the Long-term problem Synopses
Talk about skills and interests of team members and group

43. First Five Meetings Continued …
Third Meeting
Incorporate team-building activity
Brainstorm how group can be a successful team
Practice Spontaneous
Have team decide on Long-term problem (vote?)
Brainstorm on possible solutions to LT problem
Fourth Meeting
Read the Specific Long-term problem rules
Brainstorm LT problem solutions and skills needed to solve problem
Fifth Meeting
Continue team-building
Continue Spontaneous practice
Brainstorm list of tasks to accomplish and timeline
Assign tasks and discuss team member responsibility
Ask for help if you need it

44. Connecticut Odyssey of the Mind
Check our Websites OFTEN:
Association Director,
AND HAVE
FUN!!!!