Are You a Town Coordinator?

“I love how the program brings together students from across our district and kids with different backgrounds and interests. When they first meet it might be awkward or strange, but they quickly become a team. A student who has never excelled at sports, can find themselves a crucial part of a team. A shy or quiet student whose learning style diverges from the norm may find their voice and the confidence to perform in front of an audience. Most importantly, the students have fun while gaining and applying crucial 21st century skills!”
- Julia, 2021 CTOM Town Coordinator

Town Coordinator Responsibilities

Each town in Connecticut with multiple participating teams should have a volunteer Town Coordinator.  The town coordinator helps to guide the teams through the odyssey process, and supports coaches with registration and associated paperwork. 

Build Awareness by Hosting a CTOM Introduction Session 

A PowerPoint presentation is available for Parents, Coaches, Coordinators or anyone else who might be interested in learning more about Odyssey of the Mind. A Video of the 2022 state-wide information session is also available.  Please contact AssnDir@ctom.org to obtain a copy of the presentation or for help starting the program at your school or organization. 

Create Teams 

Many teams come back year after year, but each year new teams form.  A Town Coordinator will assist in recruiting new coaches and facilitate the creation of new teams by pairing new coaches with students. 

Odyssey Teams are made up of up-to-7 students per team and are guided by 1-2 adult coaches. The competition division is determined by the grade of the eldest student on the team.  

Divisions:

Primary- K- Grade 2 
Division I – Grades 3-5 
Division II – Grades 6-8 
Division III – Grades 9-12 

Often, more students want to participate in Odyssey than we have volunteer coaches, which limits the opportunities. Coaching is a great way for parents, teachers and caregivers to spend quality time with their children.  CTOM provides extensive coaching support and resources!    

Register Teams 

Team registration is a three-step process.  Please use the link above to learn more about registering a town membership and ensuring the associated teams are signed up for the Connecticut state competition. 

Mentor Teams 

  • Ensure coaches are aware of key dates and tasks 
  • Ensure each coach has a Program Guide and a copy of their long-term problem 
  • Encourage coaches to attend Coaches’ Training and utilize the resources available in Coaches’ Corner 
  • Encourage teams to participate in Odyssey Day 
  • Coordinate skills workshops or spontaneous clinics (optional) 
  • Provide mentoring/coaching to teams as necessary 

Help Teams to Prepare for Competition 

  • Ensure teams register for the state competition  
  • Ensure each team provides a judge and a volunteer for competition day. 
  • Distribute CTOM’s Tournament Day Information to coaches, students and families  
  • In many towns, the coordinators arrange for a town t-shirt for tournament day.   

Help Teams to Prepare for World Finals 

  • Mentor teams that qualify for World Finals with tips for fundraising, prop transportation, pin-trading and general logistics 
  • Ensure that qualifying coaches attend the Word Finals coach information session