Get your team Ready for the Tournament
Remember – the appraisers only see you ONCE!
Start thinking about this checklist a month before the Regional tournament.
Story –
• Make sure your storyline is crystal clear
a. Does the story have a beginning (introduction), middle (event or problem to
overcome) and end (conclusion)
b. Is the story exciting? Does it have emotion, creative characters, mood or have a
surprise twist?
c. Does the ending WOW us?
• Analyze script for wording –
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Is your dialog easy to understand?
Is it simple but creative?
Can you add humor or puns to make it more entertaining?
*What is the setting?
a. Can the Appraisers quickly understand where the story takes place?
b. Is it easy to tell who the characters represent?
c. Does the story make sense?
Characters –
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Do the characters tell the story – are they “common ” or “creative”?
Do characters modulate their voices, pause for effect, use bold gestures and face the
audience?
Are the characters clearly defined by their
a. personality?
b. costumes?
c. accents?
d. body movements?
Props –
• Do your props follow the theme of the presentation and have a purpose or make an
impact on the story/visual performance ?
• Are they creative?
• Are your props in good shape and reliable? Fix any damage and brainstorm how to repair
them if they break before the presentation
• Practice on different surfaces – will your backdrop and props stay standing?
Team Choice Elements - The team choice elements are like the icing on the cake. They are the
delicious extra that sets off the main course! Team choice elements give team members the chance to “show off”
their special abilities and talents for the appraisers.
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Does the Team have the required team choice elements?
Have the Team choice elements been described very specifically?
Can the TC Elements be scored as a separate item?
Is the Team Choice element creative? Can the team explain how they created it?
Is each team choice element the very best or can it be improved?
Staging –
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Has the Team practiced set up over and over until it is smooth?
How it could be done methodically and logically each time?
Has the team assigned specific tasks to get setup done efficiently? Consider videoing
just this “behind the scenes” portion of your 8 minutes!
Practice entering from the left and from the right, from a nearby small space and
from a hallway (further distance, doorway, turning a corner).
Practice in small and large places, on different surfaces, with different acoustics
Review a video and have the team make positive suggestions
What could you do differently (or better) here...?”
Instant Challenge –
• Practice a variety of types of IC’s – especially task-based ones if you are a performance
type team and performance IC’s if you are a technical type team to make sure your team is
well rounded.
• The team may wish to talk about roles each team member is responsible for on IC for each
type of challenge; i.e. is everyone an actor, who are your builders, who is rereading the
challenge and paying attention to the scoring requirements and is anyone keeping track of
time ?
Teamwork and Team Decorum • Remind your team to concentrate on the positive aspects of their challenge, their solution,
and their teammates. You are scored on teamwork –all team members should be involved
and working constructively and cooperatively at all times!
• Remind your team never to make negative comments about any other team, props etc. or
about any other school.
• Remind your team to be extra polite to appraisers and officials throughout the day – and
to be careful with the facility they are guests in!
Scoring Points –
• Study maximum and minimum points – for example – decide what is scored highest and
put best efforts there
• Don’t forget team choice element points separately from main challenge points – both are
very important!
• Check the wording on scoring areas –
a. is the score for creativity? Then your idea must be truly unique
b. is the score for function or engineering? Then there must be some complexity
c. is the score for innovation? Then the approach to the solution must be unusual or
original,
d. is the score for appearance? Then spiff it up but it may not have to be complex
e. is there scoring for a variety of elements? Then have SEVERAL
f. is the score a range (like 1 – 10 points) or an “either-or” (0 or 5 points)
Paperwork –
• Remember that this is your roadmap for the appraisers who only have a couple of
minutes to look it over before you start and only that one 8 minute shot from which to
appraise the team’s months of preparation! Make your paperwork responses VERY clear.
The appraisers need to be able to tell what to score very quickly.
• Make sure you have it ALL – TMs make a backup just in case and keep it with you!
• Make it concise and clearly stated – kids must have the input but you can help them edit if
you do so with questions and not suggestions.
• Required Lists/Forms for each problem – make sure you have yours with ALL the stuff
listed – this is so the appraisers know exactly what you are asking them to look at and score
• They do NOT need a long explanation if you have listed each item clearly and concisely –
they can always ask the team for more clarification after the performance
• Make sure your team is familiar with all paperwork – they must take the active role even
at the Elementary level on deciding on what to say and completing all paperwork! They
must be able to answer appraisers’ questions.
• Look again at Rules of the Road regarding the Expense Report (cost form) Have your
receipts.
• If the team is asked to make a change or modification to its paperwork they must not
gripe – just ask the appraiser questions to make sure you understand what was wrong and
what the team must do to fix it!!
• If your team makes changes in its solution or performance that affect cost or side trips or
your tournament data items, these forms must be updated or rewritten and the team must
be actively involved in that process – not just team managers!!
Practice for appraisers –
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Practice answering questions about the team’s solution – Have the team come up with
answers together. Make sure everyone can discuss all the elements of their solution.
a. How did you come up with the idea?
b. Who made it?
c. What is it made of?
d. How does it work?
e. How long did it take you to make it?
f. How did you make it?
g. How long did it take you?
Discuss why the team thinks it an awesome, costume, prop, idea/solution.
Discuss who will showcase and talk to the appraisers about which items. Have every
team member select at least one item to show case. Divide and conquer… Avoid having
just one or two Team members doing all the talking. Team members can pair up
explaining items to the appraisers. It would be a good idea to pair up talkative members
with more shy ones. Have the more talkative members draw the quiet ones into the
discussion.