Thank you so much for volunteering to be an event leader for the North Carolina Science Olympiad. The checklist below was designed to assist event leaders in preparing and executing a successful event on tournament day. We ecourage all volunteers assisting or leading events to read this at least one month prior to the tournament date.

1. Date. Have you cleared your schedule for the tournament date? Tournament dates can be found by clicking here.
2. Schedule. Know when your event will take place and arrive at least one hour ahead of time to do event leader check-in and so that you can be set up in plenty of time before students arrive. If you have an impound event then you will need to arrive 30 minutes earlier than the scheduled time. Regional Tournament schedules can be found by clicking on your regional tournament page. Click on the map on this page.
3. Division. Know whether you have a middle school (B Division) event, high school event (C Division), or both? Prepare an age-appropriate event.
4. Teams. Find out from your tournament director how many teams you should prepare for. Some schools have more than one team participating (JV teams). Please make sure that teams from the same school do not sit together.
5. Rules. Check to make sure you are creating your event using the current year's rules (2010)? Your tournament director will give you these rules. Read the event rules many times. Make sure you understand them. If you do not understand them, please contact jlpainter@gmail.com for clarification.. DO NOT wait until the day of the tournament to get clarification.
6. Event Resources. The Event Resources link on our website for more information about your event including clarifications, sample events, Coaches Institute power points, construction event score sheets, pictures, and video.
7. Materials. Pay very careful attention to the rules and what the rules say the Event Leader will provide and what the Students will provide. For construction events, Tournament Directors will provide what you need (scales, rulers, stopwatches, bridge testing apparatus, trajectory targets, etc.). However, please request in writing via email EVERYTHING you need. Assume the Tournament Director will supplying NOTHING unless you ask ahead of time. You should NOT incur any expenses out of your pocket. If you do, please give your Tournament Director copies of your receipts and your mailing address to be reimbursed.
8. Location. Once locations for events are established, PLEASE go to the event location and make sure that it is appropriate for you event. This is critical in thinking about the design of your event. You must know what will be available to you. It is important to note if the room has classroom desks or flat tables? Does the room have running water or gas supplied etc? Your event may require certain things and it is your responsibility to make sure that the Tournament Director knows exactly what you will need. If the room is insufficient for your needs request that the Tournament Director find a room that is better fitted for your event. Please do this as soon as you receive your event location.
9. Event Time. Prepare events that will take 40 minutes OR LESS. DON'T MAKE THE event TOO long. It's okay if they finish before the time period ends. This is a common problem with first time Event Leaders. MAKE IT SHORTER than you think you should. This excludes walk-in events. A schedule may have a 65 minute time block for your event. However, NO event should run over 50 minutes. This time is built in so students can make it to their next event.
10. Impound. Mission Possible, Junkyard Challenge, Mousetrap Vehicle, Battery Buggy, and Trajectory all impound. This means that teams have a designated time prior to the start of the event to drop off their device. Drop-off is done at the event location. Track and Target distance should not be marked or set until AFTER impound. This is so teams don't get a chance to practice the distance before running their device. This was to be done at home. Teams that don't impound their device during the designated time are allowed to compete, but are ranked below every other team that did impound during the designated time.
11. Event Grading/Scoring. Make your event (as much as possible) is easy and fast to grade. Prepare answer sheets that can be scored quickly. Do not hesitate to use multiple-choice or fill-in-the-blank type questions. However, try to keep the events as inquiry and hands-on as possible. Bring multiple answer keys so that your volunteers can help you grade! If you are running an event the last part of the day, be aware that scoring needs to be especially quick since the awards program usually takes place within 45 minutes of the end of the last period. If you are in the final time period, you need to have your scores to the Scoring Room by 3:45 pm. All other events should be turned in by the end of the next event period. For Construction events with formulas and math it is a good idea to prepare an excel spreadsheet that will do all the calculations and rankings automatically. Trying to do these by hand at the end of the day will delay the start of the Awards Ceremony.
12. Ties. There must be none. Recommendations on how to break ties are written into each set of rules. Do not come to the Scoring Room with a tie. We will make you break it.
13. Testing Conditions. Whatever you do, it is critical to be sure that all teams receive the same testing conditions. Be aware of this throughout the design and execution of your event. Also, DO NOT discuss the performance or expected placing of ANY TEAM or student at any time. This creates a lot of frustration at times when results are not what a team expects.
14. Cover Sheet. Each event should use the standardized cover sheets. Please make sure that students fill these out completely and correctly. Before you begin your event make sure that every team has filled in information requested on this sheet. There is nothing worse then getting papers turned in that cannot be identified. All competitors will be wearing wristbands that let them know if they are Varsity or JV1, JV2 etc. Make sure students circle the correct team on their cover sheet and that it matches their wristbands. Example Cover Sheet
15. Official Score Sheet. You will receive the Official Score Sheet for your event from Tournament Director when you pick up your materials on the morning of the tournament. It will be put in your Event Leader Packet. This Official Score Sheet will serve as a roll (YES TAKE ROLL) to check to see who is present and a score sheet that you will turn in to the Scoring Room once you've graded and placed all participating teams in your event. It is critical that you follow the SCORING GUIDELINES given to you by your Tournament Director. Ranks 1 - N!!!! N = # of teams. Triple check to make sure your rankings are absolutely correct.
    Example Official Score Sheet
16. Score Counseling. You will also need to bring a clean copy of your event and the answer sheet (if applicable) with you to the Scoring Room. At the scoring room you will participate in Score Counseling to make sure we have everything needed to properly input your event into our scoring program. Example Score Counseling Form
17. Spirit Award. You must nominate a team for the Spirit Award. Example Spirit Award Nomination Form
18. Arbitration. Students and Coaches will first try to solve any issues with the event leader. If no resolution can be made then the Coach should go to the Scoring Room and request an appeal form. Example Appeal Form
19. Recruit. Recruit other volunteers to help with your events. Send their names and emails to Tournament Director. Event Leaders should contact their own volunteers!
20. Food. Food will be provided in the AM and at lunch for most tournaments!

The following documents/links should also be downloaded and/or read by Event Leaders:

1. 2010 Event Logistics Guide
2. Tournament Policies
3. Tournament Scoring