Sources of Information:
- Odyssey of the Mind / Creative Competitions, Inc. (International Organization) www.odysseyofthemind.com. Please be sure to read the Program Guide (rules book)—link is at the top of the home page, under Teams. It is online and there is also a downloadable .pdf version. The Program Guide also provides information about coaching and forming a team.
- This year, NoVA North (Region 9) and NoVA South (Region 12) will hold a joint, in-person regional tournament. Information will be updated on NoVA North’s site (www.novanorth.org).
- There is comprehensive information for everyone involved in an Odyssey program on the NoVa North site as well as information specific to our tournament. We recommend all coordinators, coaches, and participants sign up to receive notices when new information is posted.
Support for School Coordinators and Coaches:
- We have a School Coordinator Liaison to answer questions and our board can provide guidance and information for back to school nights or your PTA or community about Odyssey of the Mind. Email schoolcoordinators@novanorth.org
- We provide orientation and training for all coaches. In-person Coach Orientation is planned for Saturday, October 15 at the Sully District Government Center (4900 Stonecroft Blvd, Chantilly) from 8:30 am to 12:45 pm. We will also offer biweekly Virtual Office Hours with a topic each session to kick off. We recommend coordinators also attend the orientation session.
- Reach out to us if you need additional support, like a special training session for your coaches. Our volunteer board wants to work with you to make sure Odyssey of the Mind is a great experience for all!
Important Dates:
- ASAP join Odyssey of the Mind at www.odysseyofthemind.com. You do this by purchasing a membership from the international organization. Provide the full-length problem statements you download to all coaches/teams.
- Sign up for Coach Orientation on October 15th. A link will be posted on www.novanorth.org.
**Please email schoolcoordinators@novanorth.org with the names and emails of your coaches when they start, so we have an alternative contact as the tournament registration date nears. Please ask coaches to also register for updates on our web site so they get notices when they are posted, too. Note that we only have the School Coordinator’s information at this point (the person who purchased the membership).
- We plan to hold problem-specific information sessions (for coaches and team members) in late November or early December. Registration is not required.
- Team Registration for Regional Tournament:
- Completed online at: www.www.novanorth.org. which generally opens in mid-December. Strict deadline in January
- Registration for Judges -Each team must provide a Judge for the Regional Tournament. This person cannot be the coach, must attend a Saturday training about 2 weeks before the Tournament, will not be assigned to judge a team with a child they know well, and must commit to staying at the Tournament for the entire day. Please secure your Judge as early as possible because this is a strict requirement.
- Note: Each team also needs to provide a committed tournament volunteer for an assigned two-hour shift which will NOT conflict with your team’s performance. This may be a parent or relative over 18 years of age. No children please.
- Judges Training: Full-day training, usually approximately 2 weeks before the regional tournament; will be posted on the www.novanorth.org web site as soon as the information is finalized
- Tournament for Regions 9 and 12: Saturday, DATE, LOCATION TBD, Virginia
- VOICES State Tournament (if team advances): DATE, LOCATION TBD, Virginia
This is a great tournament to attend as a spectator with your team to look at other solutions to the
problem they solved as well as watch good examples of the other types of problems.
- World Finals (if team advances): May 24-27, 2023, at Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Cost of the Program:
- Odyssey of the Mind Membership: $290 (usually one per school). District Memberships (groups of schools who join at the same time), $240 or $190, depending on number of schools.
- The Program Guide has the requirements for securing additional school memberships; only required if you have more than one team doing the same problem, in the same division.
- Regional Tournament registration: ~$85 per team
- Coaches Training (highly recommended): No charge this year
- Individual team costs: Varies per team for materials. There is a cost limit to the materials that can be on stage in the performance of a problem solution. However, teams will generally spend more than this for practice materials and extra supplies that are not all used.