NEPA Odyssey of the Mind

Saturday, Feb. 22 at Pocono Mountain West High School
181 Panther Ln, Pocono Summit, PA 18346
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Snow date: March 8

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Judges’ Training

Saturday, Feb. 1 at Lehigh Elementary School
800 Blue Mountain Dr, Walnutport, PA 18088
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Snow date: Feb. 8

Judge Registration Link

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Support Your Team in the NEPA Program Booklet

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The Parents’ Role at Competition

We parents are the drivers, the carriers, the huggers, the cheerers, the last-minute hardware store runners, the door holders, the floor sitters, and the mighty prop protectors. Our role at competitions is complicated. We must be supportive without getting in the way. Until our children’s spontaneous and long-term are over, we don’t own our children; their coaches own them.

Please… DO:

• Remember, the coach is the adult directly responsible for the team and the only adult who can approach judges and officials. Any concerns you have should be discussed privately with the coach.
• Remember, if you observed an apparent penalty, the judges probably did too. Their scoring will reflect that. Officials do not embarrass students by announcing penalties.
• Encourage team members to not blame teammates, coaches, judges, or other teams if things go wrong. Make sure you don’t attach blame either. All good teams go through major disasters on the way to becoming champions.
• Encourage team members to have a contingency plan if something does not work. Help them relax so they can do their best.
• Remind any non-team member who appears to be giving outside assistance that Odyssey officials are always on duty.
• Exhibit good sportsmanship. Applaud for all teams when appropriate.
• Encourage your team to respect our host competition site by treating the facility and staff respectfully. 
• Try to sit with your delegation at the awards ceremony. 
• Remind your team to have a good time. Remember, what is important in Odyssey of the Mind is the process, not the result. All teams at the competition are already winners.

Please… DON’T: 

• Flash signs such as “We’re # 1” or chant in front of other teams. Doing so marks your school as poor sports and doesn’t help make friends. 
• Allow children to scream or be rowdy. Sound travels, and such rowdiness creates a reputation of having wild or unruly students. 
• Cost your team an outside assistance penalty. Don’t say ANYTIIING. Don’t do anything for the team members. This is their production. Resist the urge to apply makeup, style hair, help put on costumes, or assemble props or equipment. You may only help move things in the hallways and from the competition site once the team is finished.
• Go too close to where the children are making last-minute repairs, and don’t try to make conversation. Like any top competitors, their concentration is focused on the job to be done. Try to stay around the periphery of the team’s work area. That way, they can find you if there is something within your realm to provide.
• Talk to the judges. That is the coach’s job.
• Go near the spontaneous rooms. 
• Ask questions about spontaneous. Discussing spontaneous prior to the end of competition can disqualify a team. It is tempting to ask how the children feel they did, but you must avoid the topic entirely. Help them maintain the code of honor surrounding spontaneous competition. 
• Alter seating boundaries at performance areas or the awards ceremony.