Potential Falcon Science Olympiad Candidates,
October 10th, 2013
Thanks for your interest in participating in the Science Olympiad Program at Fairfield Jr. High this year. There
are several changes this year which will make this experience different than any other year. Some of you may know a
little bit about the program, some may know someone else who has been involved, while others of you may have had
first-hand experience in the past. In any case, let me start by explaining the basics.
Science Olympiad is a national program wherein teams of usually 15 students compete in about 24 science
events. These can be in Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Physics, Engineering and Technology, and Inquiry* . Most of the
procedures we follow come from the national Science Olympiad program but some rules and policies are slightly
different at some competitions. We’ll be competing at district, regional, state, and hopefully national tournaments this
year. There are three divisions: A-Division is for elementary grades (but isn’t really used in Utah), B-Division for grades
6-9, and C-Division for grades 9-12. Basically only ONE team in each division from each state is invited to the national
tournament! For the past 17 years Fairfield Jr. High has been invited to nationals since we’ve been the state champions
every year for the past 17 years! This year we’d like to extend that tradition to 18 years! Perhaps you can join us.
This year we’ll have two B-Division teams: a Varsity team of 15 students including no more than 5 ninth graders
and a Junior Varsity (JV) team with between 15 and 50 students! Both teams will train in all of 24 events. We train
everyday, Monday - Saturday from November through May. Unlike sporting events where everyone attends every
practice S.O. members just attend the practices that relate to their own events. Most Varsity Olympians will have about
three events and need to practice about 3 days per week. Our JV kids may only have one or two events and so may only
need to attend one or two practices per week. If you are selected for a team, you will have input into which events
you’d like to be considered for studying and you’ll know when the tentative practice times are before you put in your
requests in hopes to avoid conflicts in your schedule. There are usually 2 students on each event from each team. Some
events are more popular than others but we need to have all of them covered. Thus, you may not get some event you
want because there are more than two kids who want that event. On the other hand, you may be assigned an event you
didn’t choose because not enough people showed an interest in it and we still need it covered.
I try to pick the best candidates for our teams based on a rubric of points in several categories **. Ideally I’d
have five 9th and ten 8th graders on the Varsity team with twenty 7th graders on the JV team to explore the system.
Several will drop out each year or get beaten for a spot the next year. I normally get more than five returning 9th graders
but the extras can still be on the JV team. Conversely, I sometimes have great 7th graders who earn a spot on the Varsity
team too. I try to treat both teams equally in regards to training and recognition. One exception to this is the fact that
I’ll only invite ONE TEAM, the Varsity team, to attend the national competition in Orlando, Florida (after they win the
state tourney of course.) The “state” personnel will limit teams from some competitions due to lack of available space.
At the end of September there was a state S.O. coaches’ clinic which informed us of the new policies for this
year. The “State Dudes” decided to allow only 45 teams to participate at the state competition. All teams will need to
earn a chance to participate by competing well in a regional competition. All teams there, including qualifying JV teams,
will be able to earn medals both at the regional and state competitions! The state schedule is still quite up in the air.
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*Although I don’t have any rules for the events yet the names of the 2014 Science Olympiad events for …
the Biology events are Anatomy, Disease Detectives, Entomology, Heredity, and Water Quality;
the Earth-Space Science events include Dynamic Planet, Meteorology, Solar System, Road Scholar, Rocks & Minerals;
the Physical Sciences will have Crime Busters, Can’t Judge a Powder, Shock Value, Simple Machines, Sounds of Music;
Technology and Engineering will have Boomilever, Bottle Rocket, Helicopters, Robo-Cross, and Wheeled Vehicle;
and Inquiry includes Experimental Design, Metric Mastery, Rotary Egg Drop, and Write it/Do it.*
**GPA, availability, experience, general science knowledge, teacher recommendations, and coaching help. I can’t coach all
the events myself so I depend on team members to recruit a parent, neighbor, … someone with background and availability who can
help teach and train on one event. Each event typically takes about 30-50 hours of training to teach/learn everything expected.
Candidates interested in studying and competing on our VARSITY TEAM are expected to provide an adult coach
to teach or help teach an event, attend ALL their practices (November 2013 – May 2014), and prepare to study and
compete in competitions January 11th, February 1st, 8th and 15th, March 1st and 29th, April 12th, and May 15-20. The
national trip will cost competing Olympians up to $800 plus food. These students need to be committed and dedicated
to this program and usually not involved in other sporting and/or extra-curricular events. Please understand that
without a helpful parent, grandparent, or willing friend or neighbor students won’t be considered for the Varsity Team.
Students interested in applying for a position on our VARSITY TEAM may pick up the following 6 forms from Mr.
Erickson: Varsity Application, volunteer coaching application, and 4 teacher recommendation forms. In order to be
considered for this team you’ll need to complete and return the first two forms to Mr. E, one teacher form to your
current science teacher, and the other 3 forms to any other current teachers you have this year by Tuesday, October
22nd. (They will then return those to me.)
Our JV team is for those who wish to explore and see what the program involves possibly without the same
level of time, dedication, and commitment and may include those students who didn’t qualify for our Varsity team.
These may still be involved in the track team since most of those trainings and competitions occur AFTER our state
tourney. They probably will NOT be allowed to compete in all the regional competitions but will be able to compete in
the district, state, and at least ONE regional competition. Those interested in being on our JV team will probably only
have one or two events and are expected to participate in most of their practices too (November 2013 – April 2014).
Students interested in applying for a position on our JV team may pick up the following 6 forms from Mr.
Erickson: JV Application, volunteer coaching application, and 4 teacher recommendation forms. In order to be
considered for this team you’ll need to complete and return at least the first form to Mr. E, one teacher form to your
current science teacher, and the other 3 forms to any other current teachers you have this year by Tuesday, October
22nd. (They will then return those to me.)
Placement of these students on teams will be determined by their combined scores from Applications, GPA,
adult coach/helper, teacher recommendations, and scoring on a rigorous test held after school on Thursday, October
24th from 3 until 5 pm.
Team selections will be posted after school on Friday, October 25th. I hope to have a team meeting during
Halloween intervention the following Thursday, October 31st to begin building a training schedule to start our practices
the first week of November. Selected students should pay $45 in November to participate this year.
See me if you have other questions.
Otherwise, I thank you for your interest in joining our award winning program.
Mr. E
Head SO Coach