The first Round Robin is almost here, and we are so excited to really kick off this season with all of you! This is our first Meet “without a net,” though Peggy has been advising us and will continue to do so through this season. Even so, we have a few butterflies in our collective stomach, and I am sure we are not alone.
Whether you are a new coach or you have been hosting Meets and facilitating events for years it can always be a little nerve-wracking to start a new season after so many months away. Here are some helpful tips to make every Meet run smoothly.
Hosting a Meet
- Double check all of your room reservations.
- Ensure that you have the right staff on hand, which usually includes a janitor to unlock the rooms and help you troubleshoot.
- Test your equipment. Make sure whatever system you are using for oral Face-Off is working properly and you have the right number of computers (and maybe a back-up) accounted for.
- Choose which method you want to use for score-keeping. We have both an online version or an Excel document available under Keeping Score above. It is a good idea to download the Excel document as a back-up in case you lose your internet connection for some reason.
- Make the proper signs. Do you have signs for the registration table, directional signs to help people get around, and a set of team letters to help organize the P.A.R.T.Y. in a box material distribution?
- Make sure you have everything you need for each Mind Sprint. Count out the materials in each MS to ensure there are no surprises for your facilitators.
- Send reminders. You don’t want to be caught short a volunteer because it slipped someone’s mind.
- Don’t forget to have your volunteers check competitions kits.
Facilitating an Event
- Read over your responsibilities in the Program Manual. It is a good idea to be familiar with the Student Responsibilities as well.
- Once you receive your materials, make sure to read over the instructions and devise the easiest and most consistent way to keep score. Are you going to use hash marks? Do you want to keep score on a separate piece of paper and transfer the final scores to the score sheet, or write directly on it?
- Remember, unless something is forbidden in the rules, it is more than likely okay. We want to encourage students to be creative!
- Make sure you have a watch or cell phone handy to keep accurate time.
- Be consistent! No team should gain an advantage over another by starting early, etc.
- Watch for teams and individuals who exhibit exceptional creativity. We have a special Award Certificate for these people to honor ingenuity even if they don’t end up in first in place.
Have a wonderful time and good luck!
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