General Rules

Rules for Registration

  • Teams must register in advance to compete in the U.S. Academic Triathlon.
  • Schools or programs must pay a per-team fee which covers three Round Robin (scrimmage) Meets and a chance to compete in the Play-Offs, plus record-keeping, electronic updates, scheduling, master copies of problems, as well as practice materials and support for coaches. Additional teams in the same building or district receive materials from their designated head coach or online. The team’s information all goes to the Head Coach for each district, who must disseminate the information among buildings and coaches.
  • Teams must register properly in one of two divisions: Challengers, whose most senior members are enrolled in sixth grade; and Cross-Trainers whose oldest members are currently in eighth grade. Separate database and record-keeping is maintained for each division by the Academic Triathlon national and state coordinator offices.

Rules for Team Compostion and Scrimmages

  • A competing team consists of a maximum of 5 students (plus alternates). These need not be the same five students from the school or program each scrimmage.
  • Alternates may attend Meets in order to observe, and they should still sign in with the team and wear a team nametag with the team’s letter designation but they cannot speak to their team mates about or during challenges.
  • Each team must provide at least one trained coach or volunteer to assist as a facilitator during each Meet.
  • Teams may be single sex or mixed. There is often a better blend of talents and interests on mixed teams.
  • Each team is responsible for providing their assigned P.A.R.T.Y. materials. (See Program Manual for more information)

Student Responsibilities – See For Students

Rules and Responsibilities for All Coaches – See Coaching a Team

Head Coach Special Responsibilities – See Coaching a Team

Play-Off and State Meets

  • In order to be eligible to compete in a Play-Off Meet, every team member must have competed in at least one Round Robin Meet either as an active team member or alternate observing the events. During Play-Offs, alternates are required to sign in and shadow a team other than their own.
  • The winning team of each Play-Off Meet  advances to the State Tournament. The team members who compete at the State Tournament must be the same ones who competed at the Play-Off Meet. Exceptions can be made if an alternate has attended and observed the Regional Play-Off Meet (see above). Teams may also compete with fewer than 5 members if no suitable alternate is available.
  • Substitutions of alternates must be verified in advance with the State Coordinator, and may be made only if it is impossible for the regular team members to attend. Teams may also participate with fewer than 5 team members.
  • If a team is unable to compete at the State Meet, the second-place team advances.

For more information, you can download the Program Manual, check out the FAQ’s or read more about the Three Events.