1. Welcome to Colorado Odyssey 1 st Year Coaches Training Let The Odyssey Begin!

2. 1 st Year Coaches Role of the Coach & Team Building

3. 3 Timeline Team may work on Long Term as soon as they choose/are assigned a problem Coach may decide to concentrate on team-building and Spontaneous first Recommend starting Long Term by January Regional Tournament in March

4. 4 Odyssey Approach to Problems If it doesn’t say you CAN’T, you CAN If it doesn’t say you MUST, you DECIDE Be creative within the limits, and go wild where there are no limits! Sometimes teams infer limits where the problem doesn’t impose them

5. 5 Working on the Problem (Beginning) UNDERSTAND the problem BRAINSTORM ideas CHOOSE ideas

6. 6 Working on the Problem (Middle) TRANSITION from abstract to practical – What needs to be done? – What skills do we have/need to learn? – What materials do we need? – Who will work on which parts? – Rough timeline for when things need to be done START working – Build, write, make, test

7. 7 Working on the Problem (End) REFINE the solution – Test, rehearse, decorate – Does it work? Do we want to change anything? – Revisit the problem: does our solution fit the criteria? POLISH the presentation – Practice, practice, practice – Are we ready to present our solution?

8. 8 Schedule for the First Five OOTM MeetingsSchedule for the First Five OOTM Meetings First Meeting – Meet with team (&parents) to explain program & set team goals – Discuss the process, give dates for tournaments & judges training – Go over the time commitment and responsibility – Stress regular attendance at meetings, just like a sports team – Review behavioral expectations & explain outside assistance – Talk about difference between “winning” and “doing their best” – Set a practice schedule (just like sports teams) 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 First Five Practices

9. 9 First Five Meetings Continued …First Five Meetings Continued … Third Meeting – Incorporate team-building activity – Brainstorm how group can be a successful team – Spontaneous activities – Decide on Long-term problem (vote?) Fourth Meeting – Incorporate team-building activity – Spontaneous activities – Read the Specific Long-term problem rules – Brainstorm LT problem solutions and skills needed to solve problem Fifth Meeting – Continue team-building & spontaneous activities – Brainstorm list of tasks to accomplish and timeline – Assign tasks and discuss team member responsibility – Ask for help if you need it First Five Practices

10. 10 First Five Meetings Continued …First Five Meetings Continued … SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER – Introduce Odyssey of the Mind to your student population – Meet with team and identify the problem they will solve OCTOBER/NOVEMBER – Attend Coaches Training – Decide on team task timeline NOVEMBER/DECEMBER – Read, Read, Read – Brainstorm, Brainstorm, Brainstorm DECEMBER/JANUARY – Keep practicing Spontaneous – Make sure you have all registration deadlines met Timelines

11. 11 First Five Meetings Continued …First Five Meetings Continued … JANUARY/FEBRUARY – Practice, fine tune, work on props, fun... – Make sure your judges know of training dates and attend – Attend the Spontaneous Workshop FEBRUARY/MARCH – Prepare for regional meets – It gets crazy and that's OK!!! – Make sure parents know of extra meetings that are needed – Dress rehearsal for parents and school MARCH/APRIL – Prepare for the state competition in April APRIL/MAY – If you advance to Worlds...send in registration & raise support Timelines

12. 12 Coaches Training Saturdays, AM or PM Session – Oct. 25 th Mt Evans Training – Nov. 8 th Poudre River Training Registrations Due – January 14 th – Tournament Registration – Spontaneous Workshop Registration Judge & Volunteers – January 23 rd – Judge Registration – Volunteer Registration – Tournament Fee Due 2014-2015 Dates

13. 13 Spontaneous Workshop – Saturday, January 24 th, TBD Judges Training – Saturdays AM or PM Session – February 7 th - Poudre River Area – February 21 st - Mt Evans Area Tournaments – Poudre River Region – March 7 th – Mt. Evans Region – March 14 th – State – March 28 th – Poudre River Area – World Finals – May 20 th – May 24 th - Michigan State University 2014-2015 Dates

14. 14 First Five Meetings Continued …First Five Meetings Continued … Parent Meeting Read email Verbal Spontaneous at the dinner table Sample Contracts/Expectations No Outside Assistance Parent Expectations

15. 15 First Five Meetings Continued …First Five Meetings Continued … CAN DO Transport the team to buy things Teach team members a skill Help provide snacks Bring Spontaneous problems and supplies Help get props into the building and into the staging area for the tournament Open attics, closets, basements, recycle bins, for garage sale value materials Provide a place to meet and/or store props Get everyone and everything to the tournament Applaud A LOT and help get props offstage after the performance How Parents Can Help

16. 16 First Five Meetings Continued …First Five Meetings Continued … CANNOT DO Suggest what to buy Repair props if they break for whatever reason Sew anything, paint anything, cut anything, or do anything to contribute to the team’s solution. Put emphasis on score rather than fun. Suggest to the team which skills would result in a better looking or better functioning solution Suggest what materials to use from the attic, closet, basement or recycle bins Analyze why something failed or did not work Suggest to the team which skills to use to solve a problem How Parents Can Help

17. 17 DO Recognize the abilities of each team member Help them get organized Work with teams on the spontaneous problem Be willing to admit you don't know everything Go over the score results with the team after a competition Be a quiet "guide on the side" or the "sage on the stage." DON’T Allow any criticism of teammates' personalities Step in on their disagreements, let them work it out Limit creativity by setting restrictions Allow students to be irresponsible Complain about other teams, coaches or judges Get uptight or too stressed towards tournament First Five Meetings Continued …First Five Meetings Continued … Coaching Do’s & Don’t’s

18. 18 Team BuildingTeam Building It is important that the group of kids come together and functions as a team. Incorporate some team-building games into each practice session Do not allow criticism of people or their ideas. Celebrate milestones, accomplishments & major break- throughs. Once an IDEA is generated and discussed….it is the TEAM’S idea. Team Building

19. Thank You! Questions? Contact Regional Director Mt Evans – Paula Avis Poudre River – Catherine Alum