Category: For Hosts and Facilitators

Announcements, For Coaches and Teachers, For Hosts and Facilitators, For Parents

State Meet Is Postponed until May 12

Alison Weaverdyck
Due to safety and travel concerns, the 2018 USAT State Competition has been rescheduled for May 12, 2018 at Woodbury Middle School (the location has not changed).
If your team registered for the State Meet, please confirm your team’s attendance at May 12 Competition by completing this registration confirmation form  no later than Saturday, April 21.
Over the 30+ years that USAT has existed, the State Competition has never been postponed. We know we can all work together to make this a smooth process – and completing the linked form will help staff reorganize for the later date.
Thank you, everyone, for your cooperation thus far. We look forward to seeing everyone in a month!
For Coaches and Teachers, For Hosts and Facilitators, For Kids, For Parents

Round Robin #2 Reflection

Alison Weaverdyck
usat_picks45

Two Meets down, my how the time flies! We’re already hard at work on RR3, so if you’ve got any comments or questions this is great time to share. Did you see a P.A.R.T.Y. skit that blew you away? Team work that won the day? Or were there challenges we could help you overcome?

Please, leave us a comment or e-mail Sarah@usacademictriathlon.com.

For Coaches and Teachers, For Hosts and Facilitators, For Parents

It Takes a Village…

Alison Weaverdyck

Yes, US Academic Triathlon is a program for middle-school students, but it wouldn’t be possible without dedicated teachers and parents who volunteer their time so their students can learn and grow.

There are a few ways to manage a USAT program at your school – if you plan to have more than one team, a Head Coach/Program Coordinator is recommended. Most importantly, this person manages registration and liaises with the national office, while ensuring the school’s program is run with fair play, civility, and good sportsmanship. The head coach can then recruit additional coaches to help with team practices and help staff Meets (each team is required to provide two experienced coaches/parents for each Meet to help the competition run smoothly).

Who makes a good USAT coach or volunteer? Anyone 16 or older (yes, high school students can help coach teams – and often former USAT competitors make the best volunteers!) who is dedicated to helping students gain leadership, creativity, and out-of-the-box thinking skills.

While specific details regarding coach duties can be found in the Program Manual and our Coaching a Team page, there a few MUST’s USAT requires of its coaches:

  1. Coaches must set high standards of sportsmanship and fairness during and surrounding competitions. Students look to you as examples – show them what it means to be a leader and a good teammate.
  2. Coaches must reward good ideas and positive attitudes as they see them displayed by students of all participating schools (speaking specifically when at Meets). USAT isn’t ultimately about being “the best,” but growing as an individual. Encourage and reward any student when you see them exemplifying this ideal.

Parents, guardians, teachers, older siblings, high school volunteers, college students, and grandparents – anyone willing to give their time to the growth and education of a student can be a USAT volunteer coach. Our students – and our staff – appreciate your time and efforts!

Announcements, For Coaches and Teachers, For Hosts and Facilitators

State 2016 Information

Alison Weaverdyck

Thank you to all 2015-16 teams for a great regular season! You worked hard through three Round Robins and Regionals and you should be commended.

Congratulations to all teams who qualified for the State Meet! We look forward to seeing you on April 16! Here are a few important details to get ready for State.

U.S. Academic Triathlon State Tournament is April 16, 2016 at Cottage Grove Middle School, 9775 Indian Blvd S, Cottage Grove, MN 55016. State Host/Facilitators (to be chosen by USAT) will meet at 10 a.m., and all coaches will meet at 10:45 a.m. During this time, students will have team picture taken. The State Meet will officially begin with teams registering at 11:45 a.m. then go off to compete. P.A.R.T.Y. in a Box presentations will begin around 2:45 p.m., and the awards ceremony will take place around 4:30 p.m. to wrap up the day around 5 p.m. (all times after registration are approximate and subject to change).

Deadline to register for the State Tournament is April 1, 2016. [NOTE: If we haven’t heard from you by 11:59 p.m. on April 1, you will forfeit your place and we will open it up to the second place team at Regionals. Don’t delay!] A $50 tournament registration fee is due April 8, 2016. Check the website after April 6, 2016 for Tournament Information.

Submit your registration form (which was given to you at your Regional Meet) by scanning and emailing it to Executive Director Sarah Sheldon at sarah@usacademictriathlon.com then mail it with the registration fee to U.S. Academic Triathlon, 2355 Fairview Ave N #335, Roseville, MN 55113. If you have misplaced your form, contact Sarah Sheldon for a copy.

Each team must bring two Volunteer Facilitators, at least 16 years of age or older. Volunteer Facilitators must have a working knowledge of USAT and its Program Manual (which can be found at usacademictriathlon.com) and have helped at a Meet previously. Volunteer Facilitators will work in either of the State Meets in which their team is not competing. They will, however, be finished in time to see their team’s P.A.R.T.Y. in a Box presentation and not have to judge any of the skits.

You will find complete information about the State Tournament at http://www.usacademictriathlon.com after April 6. If you have registration questions, please contact Sarah Sheldon at 507-645-2560 or sarah@usacademictriathlon.com.

Congrats and good luck!

– the US Academic Triathlon team

Announcements, For Coaches and Teachers, For Hosts and Facilitators, For Parents

Any Former Participants Want to Volunteer?

Alison Weaverdyck

Hello parents, coaches, and facilitators!

We will need volunteers for this year’s State Meet on April 16, and we wanted to open the opportunity to any former program participant as well as the Minnesota Honors Society students who help us every year. We’ve included the pertinent information below, and we’d appreciate it if you could help us get the word out about this need.

Volunteer Opportunity!

Middle school students across Minnesota have been practicing hard and competing since November for their chance to show their creativity, teamwork, and out-of-the-box thinking at the 2016 State Meet of US Academic Triathlon – and we need your help to make the event run smoothly.

US Academic Triathlon is an academic and creativity competition for grades 5-8. Learn more about our organization at www.usacademictriathlon.com. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old and can be a former student competitor, former coach, high school student, or general volunteer. (Please note, if you coached a team this year that makes you a “current coach” rather than a “former coach” even though the regular season has ended.)

This year, our State Competition is at Cottage Grove Middle School on April 16.

Volunteer shifts needed:

9 a.m. – noon: Set Up (4 volunteers)

11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Refreshment Cart (6-8 volunteers)

2 – 4:30 p.m.: Skit Judges (12-16 volunteers)

4:30 – 6:00 p.m.: Tear down (4 volunteers)

Volunteers will be assigned to shifts based on first come, first serve basis. Sign up to volunteer by emailing sarah@usacademictriathlon.com with your name, email address, phone number, and experience with US Academic Triathlon. Further details will be sent out via email, so including an email address is required.

Contact Executive Director Sarah Sheldon with any further questions at 507-645-2560.