Category: For Coaches and Teachers

Enrichment Activities, For Coaches and Teachers, For Parents, Resources

Twisted Tournament Practice Problem

Alison Weaverdyck

Creating a Mind Sprint is all about balance. There needs to be right amount of challenge for the student’s grade level. However, the activity also has to be 10 minutes or less, including listening to the instructions. Sometimes, Creative Director Alison comes up with a fun problem, but it just won’t work within the confines of a Mind Sprint. This happened while developing Round Robin 2, and the logic problem “Twisted Tournament” had to be swapped out for the “Gone Fishin’” Mind Sprint.

But we didn’t want to see a good problem get left behind, so we’ve prepared it for you as an enrichment to use at your next USAT practice. It is set up like a Mind Sprint with verbal instructions to be read by a coach or parent, but solving the problem itself will likely take 30 minutes rather than the regular 10. This problem can be tackled by a team or an individual, so if you don’t hold regular practices for your team, it can still be a fun way to keep our Triathletes’ brains working between Meets.

The PDF below includes the instructions, the answers, a sheet of clues, and the worksheet your students will need to complete their task.

Have fun!

Twisted Tournament Practice Problem

Enrichment Activities, For Coaches and Teachers, For Kids, For Parents, P.A.R.T.Y. in a Box

Help Your Team Get the Most out of P.A.R.T.Y. in a Box (Practice Materials Inside!)

Alison Weaverdyck

Hello parents, teams, and coaches!

The USAT team hopes you had a great Round Robin 2 last week. After the first Meet of the season, we provided some reflection questions about Mind Sprints. This time, we’d like to challenge the students to think critically about P.A.R.T.Y. in a Box and how they could improve next time. So, if you are looking for something to do to enhance team-building at your next practice, here are a few prompts to get the students talking.

  • Describe P.A.R.T.Y. in a Box skits you’ve done before. Can you remember the theme, characters you created, or favorite part of the skit?
  • If you could change any of the rules about P.A.R.T.Y. in a Box, what would you change?
  • What skills are needed in order to do well in a P.A.R.T.Y. challenge? Is there anything you can do outside of USAT competitions to hone those skills?
  • Did any of the prompts remind you of books you read or movies you saw?
  • If you could create your own P.A.R.T.Y. in a Box prompt, what would it be? How would you want to score it?
    • DIVE DEEPER: Why not give it a try? Give your students 30 minutes to design a P.A.R.T.Y. in a Box prompt and scoring rubric. If they want to try acting it out, too, all the better! If you need an example of a scoring rubric, check out our sample PARTY in a Box: Butterfly Effect

Do you have anything you want the USAT staff to know about Round Robin 2? Leave us a comment or email us at sarah@usacademictraithlon.com.

For Coaches and Teachers

Reflect on Your Team’s Mind Sprint Experiences as a Team-Building Exercise

Alison Weaverdyck

Hello parents, teams, and coaches!

The USAT team hopes you had a wonderful return to the competition on Friday. The program benefits from feedback, but did you know that having your students reflect on how the Meet went as a group can be a powerful team-building tool? If you are looking for something to do at your next practice, here are a few questions that you can use at any time to get the conversation going about Mind Sprint challenges.

  • Describe Mind Sprints you’ve done before.
  • If you could change any of the rules from a Mind Sprint you did, what would you change?
  • What skills did someone need in order to do well in each Mind Sprint?
  • Did any of the challenges remind you of things you’ve done before?
  • If you could design your own Mind Sprint challenge, what would it be? How would you want to score it?
    • DIVE DEEPER: Why not give it a try? Give your students 30 minutes to design a Mind Sprint of their own. They may not finish, but it’s fun to think about how to design one!

Do you have anything you want the USAT staff to know about Round Robin 1? Leave us a comment or email us at sarah@usacademictraithlon.com.

For Coaches and Teachers

Rules for Coaches Reminder

Alison Weaverdyck

With the first Round Robin right around the corner, we wanted to post a quick refresher about the rules and responsibilities of all coaches and facilitators at a Meet.

1. If a person agrees to become a coach, they also are agreeing to abide by the rules and spirit of this program, to conduct themselves according to their state’s High School League rules, and to host a Meet. Coaches must be at least 16 years old.

2. Coaches must run Meets as prescribed by the Program Manual. In the event that a coach intentionally does not follow this format, her or his team or the coaches may be disqualified for the remainder of the season.

3. Copyright laws must be respected. No alterations to Program Manual rules or the challenges themselves are allowed without prior written authorization from the national office. Meet forms may be downloaded and photocopied by coaches during any year in which dues have been paid. Other materials, such as used Meet challenges, may be reused in the district classrooms that year.

4. Coaches must absolutely refrain from assisting teams as they compete in a USAT Meet. This includes in-Meet prep times as well as when answers are being given. From the time a team registers until after all P.A.R.T.Y.s have been judged, no adult should confer privately with team members. A neutral facilitator should be present in special cases, and the Host/Facilitator should be informed.

5. Coaches must set high standards of good sportsmanship and fairness during and surrounding competitions.

6. Coaches must reward good ideas and positive attitudes as they see them displayed by students of all participating schools. Use the Mary Ann Berdan and Peggy Sheldon awards for this purpose.

7. Coaches must serve as facilitators during Meets, or provide a prepared substitute in their place, if they are unable to attend. “Prepared” means “familiar enough with the rules of USAT to serve as a judge/ facilitator at a Meet.” As a professional courtesy, Head Coaches and team coaches will make sure that all volunteers have a good, basic working knowledge of USAT to ensure the integrity of Meets.

8. Coaches who serve as facilitators must always let a team member finish giving a response if a verbal answer has been started before time is called. They must respect student competitors’ rights to compete in an atmosphere of acceptance.

9. Coaches must exercise good judgment in serving as facilitators for Meets. This includes the occasional hard decision regarding the levying of penalties on their own or another team. Issuing a warning is often recommended, though not required, before assessing a penalty. Find out more about assessing penalties correctly. 

10. Coaches need to make sure their teams are familiar with the use of Caution Comments:

a. “Louder” – A student should repeat the answer, enunciating for the sake of the facilitator.
b. “Clarify” – A student must explain why an answer is pertinent to the question. (If the student says “Make a boat” as a use for the flyswatter, it may be necessary for the student to say, “Use the handle as a raft,” so that the judge can score it.)
c. “Inappropriate” – A student is being given a chance to change a socially unacceptable or non sequitur answer, with or without loss of points, depending upon intent.
d. “Repeat” – A student has given a duplicate answer, and must come up with another response.

In the Program Manual we have usually put the list of Competition Kit items  under the heading of “What a Team Brings to a Meet.” In addition, teams are also responsible for contributing specific items to the P.A.R.T.Y. in a Box round as specified on the schedule. However, this is also the responsibility of the coach. Please make sure to familiarize yourself with this information before Round Robin 1.

For Coaches and Teachers, For Kids

Student Responsibilities

sarahusat

While the primary responsibility of students participating in a US Academic Triathlon Meet is to compete in the three events, there are additional responsibilities each student is held to for the sake of good sportsmanship and teamwork:

1. All team members, including alternates, must wear a name tag and a competition letter above the waist in a way that can easily be seen and read by facilitators and participants. This is to easily identify student participants throughout the Meet, and differentiate them from visitors and other students who might be involved in something else going on in the school.

2. All team members must keep problems and questions secret until the end of the Meet. If any student is found to be sharing questions or other information with members of other teams, their coaches, or volunteers before the end of a Meet, the student’s entire team will be disqualified and may be subject to further censure.

3. All team members must exhibit good sportsmanship and respect for all facilities and people before, during, and after the Meet. Teams who exhibit unsportsmanlike conduct of any kind are subject to loss of points and possible disqualification for serious infractions.

4. Theater etiquette during P.A.R.T.Y. in a Box presentations is expected, and that means full, silent attention during performances. No derogatory comments or other inappropriate behavior will be tolerated, as watching other teams’ P.A.R.T.Y. presentations is a privilege. It is appropriate – and appreciated – for students to laugh, clap, and enjoy other teams presentations. Additionally, students and coaches may not talk to or approach P.A.R.T.Y. judges regarding scoring questions. Student feedback should be limited to general and impersonal helpful hints and compliments.

5. Teams must strictly adhere to the schedule. If a team arrives late for an event after a Meet starts, they will be allotted only the remaining time allowed. If a late team prevents another team from having the full time allotted, the late team will be subject to an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

6. Students may not bring anything into an event room, except the team’s Competition Kit as it is specifically described in the Program Manual. If a student requires any special equipment or item for health or mobility reasons, it must be checked in at the registration desk prior to a Meet.

NEW THIS YEAR: Students will not be allowed to have a smart device of any kind (phone, watch, tablet, etc.) on their person during a Meet. Any smart devices must be left in the student’s backpack or with their coach during a Meet. Failure to abide by this rule may be subject to penalties or disqualification (especially if a smart device is used during an event). If a facilitator sees a student using a smart device, even during passing time, it will be taken away for the duration of the Meet and may cause the team’s disqualification. This rule was instated to ensure no one can be suspected or accused of cheating, even if checking the time.

7. Teams must use appropriate language, humor, music, and gestures during Meets. No racism, sexism, profanity, etc. If a team member offers an inappropriate response, a facilitator will: a) ask for a more appropriate response; or b) assess a penalty; or c) disqualify a team member or team from a round or an entire Meet. If a student wonders whether something is an appropriate response, it is better to find a substitute answer just to be safe.

8. UPDATED: Students whose temporary or permanent physical impairment may prevent or hamper them from following physical instructions during a Meet must inform their coach at least a week prior to the upcoming Meet (when possible) so the coach can determine necessary accommodations and connect with the upcoming Meet’s Host/Facilitator in order to coordinate such accommodations.

9. Students must be aware of the meaning of these “Caution Comments”:

a. “Louder” – A student should repeat the answer, enunciating for the sake of the facilitator.
b. “Clarify” – A student must explain why an answer is pertinent to the question. (If the student says “Make a boat” as a use for the flyswatter, it may be necessary for the student to say, “Use the handle as a raft,” so the judge can score it.)
c. “Inappropriate” – A student is being given a chance to change a socially unacceptable or non sequitur answer, with or without loss of points, depending upon intent.
d. “Repeat” – A student has given a duplicate answer and must come up with another response.

If there are any questions about student expectations, contact Executive Director Sarah Sheldon at sarah@usacademictriathlon.com.