How to Form an Odyssey of the Mind Team

Edited by Smile.71627, Teresa, Maniac, Xavier H.

Odyssey of the Mind is a long-term creative competition that takes a lot of dedication and creativity. Your team needs to be inventive, creative, and committed: If you have a good team, you will not only have the time of your life, you will also succeed on competition day.

EditSteps

1
Find others who are interested in Odyssey of the Mind. Often times, there is an introductory meeting to OM and several students will show up. Most of the time, you can form a team with some of these other students. If OM is unheard of at your school, you will need to introduce OM to your friends.
- Due to regulations and complications, it is much easier if the entire team is from one school. You need permits and paperwork if your team is split between schools.
- Remember that a team has to have at least five and no more than seven students.
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2
Find individuals with varied skills and interests. Look for a variety of talents: A singer or dancer, an artist, someone who is good with tools and building, someone who's good with computers, a leader, a writer ... you get the idea. Make sure that they are all flexible and creative.
3
Make sure that your team gets along. Don't put two arch rivals on the same team. Introduce everyone to everyone else, make sure that they get along. As time goes on, your team will form great bonds of friendship, but it is best to ensure right now that there won't be any unnecessary drama.
4
Check to make sure that everybody understands what they are getting in on. If they expect a 'blow off' extracurricular, bring them back to reality. Outline what this will take and estimate the time needed. If someone is a do-it-all person, make sure that they know they will have to find separate time to devote to this.
5
Find a coach and a house. Most of the time, the coach is the parent of one of the team members. You can have two coaches. See if anyone's parents will volunteer, or offer your own. One of these coaches will need to volunteer a portion of their home for meetings and supply or set storage. Make sure that your team will have at least one coach, one of which is willing to host meetings at his or her home.
- If possible, find a coach with experience in coaching OM.
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EditTips

Don't offer someone a spot on the team and then go back on your word.
Accept that personalities clash. If need be, adjust your team.

EditWarnings

If your team has issues, such as past relationships, drama, or a dating couple, this can and will lead to problems down the road. Take steps to reduce drama.

EditThings You'll Need

A notebook to keep track of names and contact information.

EditRelated wikiHows

How to
Introduce Yourself

How to
Make Friends

Article Info

Categories: Team Sports | Youth

Recent edits by: Maniac, Teresa, Smile.71627

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 4,196 times.

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