All Teams that intend to participate in a Regional tournament must ensure that their tournament fee is PAID on or before the deadline of January 15th.

Specific instructions are available here.

Topic: Unleash your Creative Flair, Finding Odyssey Style

When: December 17, 2024 • 7:00pm Central
Where: Zoom
Topic: Delve into an exciting aspect of Odyssey of the Mind--developing and showcasing your team’s unique style! Style is a key part of what makes Odyssey so creative and fun—it's your team's chance to shine by showing off your personality, talents, and creative flair.
Register Here in advance

Join us for the next OMER Talks!

Submit questions at registration or bring with you to OMER Talks. If you're unable to attend, submit questions to omertalksootm@gmail.com and watch the recording for responses. Recordings will be available in the Member Area.

Note: You should NOT ask questions specific to your team solution in an open forum - only in Clarifications.

General deadline to register your team for our Regional Competitions. This is the last date for late starting teams to be automatically accepted. After the deadline, late teams are accepted at the discretion of the Regional Director.

In general, teams should register their roster as soon as they start discussing the long term solution.

Topic: Spontaneous Secrets

Dive deep into the problems of the 2024-25 season and the resources that help a team discover and clarify along the creative journey.
Register Here in advance

Join us for the next OMER Talks!

Speakers will include:

• Kayce Caugh, International Problem Captain for Spontaneous

• Alumni and Officials that have been in the room!

There will be Q&A on Spontaneous, Spontaneous problems and resources available to teams. Submit questions at registration or bring with you to OMER Talks. If you're unable to attend, submit questions to omertalksootm@gmail.com and watch the recording for responses. Recordings will be available in the Member Area.

Note: You should NOT ask questions specific to your team solution in an open forum - only in Clarifications.

TRACK B:

Teams will sign-up independently from coaches for this event, with a different chaperone if needed.

Teams practice several spontaneous problems without scoring. It is recommended that teams have already learnt basic concepts of spontaneous problems as this is a fast-paced workshop.

Sign-up deadline for competitive teams is Oct 24, 2024.

Team Workshop Sessions: 90 minutes each at 10 am or 12 pm. You specify time preference during sign-up

Nominal fee: $21 per team.

TRACK A:

This free event is primarily geared for coaches to learn strategies and practice with multiple teams. It is strongly recommended for beginner coaches, co-coaches or other parents. The format will be a training session and discussion first. Then participants will be broken into small groups and assigned a problem. You will be “judging” multiple teams who are rotating between problems. The value you take home is that you observe how it happens at tournament; you have the opportunity to watch teams other than your own. Coaches must come alone. If your team participates, they must be escorted by a separate chaperone .

Coaches sign-up here.

All Annual Memberships must be renewed/purchased by 11/1/24 for Texas. A Membership in good standing has access to all online materials for their teams (including current year problems, program guide, team registration, etc.).

Note: Memberships are renewed and paid at the National Organization (CCI), whereas the tournament fees are paid at the local Texas Association. Please do not issue/send payment to the wrong location.

WHEN: Saturday, Oct 12th, 2024 from 4 pm to 6 pm.

WHERE: online via instructor-led webinar. Computer or tablet recommended.

First year, second year and experienced coaches are welcome. Sign-up here.

This is a condensed version of Coach Training. We will send links of separate videos that you must watch on your own to complete your training.

WHEN: Tuesday, October 1st from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm

WHERE: This session is now canceled. Signup below to receive a link to the recording.

Odyssey of the Mind Orientation session for New Parents and Teachers. We explain what Odyssey of the Mind is and how teams are formed. Live webinar. Sign-up here for access details and handouts.

If you plan to volunteer your time coaching an Odyssey of the Mind team this year, you don’t want to miss this training! First Year, Second Year and Seasoned Coaches are all welcome.

11AM Bring your Lunch

We will provide drinks and dessert!

September 28, 2024

The Clariden School

100 Clariden Ranch Road Southlake, TX 76092

For more information, please contact Sandy Sook northtxodyssey@gmail.com

WHEN: Saturday, Sept 28th all morning.

WHERE: Presbyterian School, 40 Oakdale St, Houston, TX 77006 (Museum District)

First year, second year and experienced coaches are welcome. Sign-up here. (Session is 80% full as of 9/21/24)

Members of the Odyssey of the Mind Community are invited to our first Association meeting of the year. We discuss preparations for the new season, changes to be expected, tournament plans. Coaches, Parents, Judges, Alumni are all welcome who would like to hear about or get involved in the administration of our program.

For more information or to receive an early link to the meeting, please email directors@txodyssey.org.

Agenda and other documents will be posted here soon for review prior to the meeting.

WHEN: Saturday, September 21st from 4 pm to 5 pm

WHERE: Online

Odyssey of the Mind Orientation session for New Parents and Teachers. We explain what Odyssey of the Mind is and how teams are formed. Live webinar. Sign-up here for access details and handouts.

WHEN: Thursday, September 12th from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm

WHERE: Online

Odyssey of the Mind Orientation session for New Parents and Teachers. We explain what Odyssey of the Mind is and how teams are formed. Live webinar. Sign-up here for access details and handouts.

This video conference session serves as a Q&A for teams advancing to World Finals at ISU in Ames, IA. It will be hosted by Lilian Wannall and Suzanne Rieter, from our World Finals Committee.

https://join.freeconferencecall.com/TXOM

We recommend you connect from a computer/laptop or tablet to view the presentation. If you are in a team/family party, consider adding an external speaker.

Dial-in Number: (712) 770-5505, Access Code: 326-805

Before the Q&A session, we invite coaches and team parents to read the information published on our website regarding preparations and costs.

The Odyssey of the Mind - Texas Association invites the general OM public to attend our next Assocation meeting on Sunday, March 24th, 2024 from 10 am to noon. Doors open at 9:45 am.

Location: TWU, Arts and Sciences, Second floor, Room 207

Topics include:

• Review of the State competition

• Preparations for the World Finals competition at Iowa State University

• Vote for three open Board positions (Association Director, Jr., Treasurer and Secretary).

• Detailed agenda will be published on the website one week before.
  

The Awards Ceremony is an exciting event that culminates in the recognition of all participating teams and coaches. The top TWO ranking teams in each problem and division will be recognized and advance to the World Finals 3-day competition in Ames, IA.

WHERE: Southwest Ballroom, Student Union, 2nd Floor

WHEN: Saturday, March 23rd at 6 pm

The ceremony is will be followed by a short briefing on World Finals for teams and families.

Join us for a conference call with a full walk-through of procedures and what to expect this year at competition. No rsvp needed, we recommend both new and returning coaches to attend as every competition site is different.

If you plan to join by phone only, please download and print the latest version of the “TIP” one hour before.

Join the online meeting: https://join.freeconferencecall.com/TXOM

This is a free practice run for P4 (balsa problem) teams who have never been to tournament before or for experienced teams who wish to test weight held for one or more of their structures. Some or all members of a team can participate.

You will not practice any performance part or weigh-in - only the weight placement until crushing (sections B13-B14 of the long term problem).. Teams can bring multiple structures to test-crush. Teams will participate as they arrive within their specified one-hour slot. Partial teams can attend; team members must follow same rules as defined in problem for weight placement and adult assist. Closed toed shoes are required. Eye protection will be provided.

Note: Even if you do not have a structure ready for crushing, first time teams are welcome to sign-up for a quick show of the experience.

Updated to start at 2 pm. We will open more timeslots to accommodate all teams as needed, after each hour fills.

This is the last day to submit your pre-orders for team t-shirts to be delivered at the regional tournament. Gather your team sizes and submit one order per team. Individual orders are not supported as our Store team do not have the manpower to process them. An email will be sent to all coaches when pre-orders open on Jan 1st. You have until January 25th at 8 pm to submit your shirt pre-order for regional tournaments.

Use the link that matches your region in order to ensure they are delivered at the correct tournament:

• For Houston (HARO) tournament: https://squareup.com/store/TXHARO

• For North Region tournament: https://squareup.com/store/TXNORTH

• For Central Region tournament: https://squareup.com/store/TXCENTRAL

If you have more questions, feel free to sign-up and join our online Q&A sessions on Dec 9 or Dec 18. We recommend this if you have questions, and especially if you have missed full coach training and are doing self-paced training with our videos and slideshow PDF files.

Sign-up here for Q&A session.

Walk-ins welcome at https://join.freeconferencecall.com/txom. Please include your email and full name when you connect.

If you have more questions, feel free to sign-up and join our online Q&A sessions on Dec 9 or Dec 18. We recommend this if you have questions, and especially if you have missed full coach training and are doing self-paced training with our videos and slideshow PDF files.

Sign-up here for Q&A session.

Walk-ins welcome at https://join.freeconferencecall.com/txom. Please include your email and full name when you connect.

Hilton Coliseum - Support fellow participants at a special graduation ceremony held for those missing their graduations to be at World Finals. Dr. Sam, OMER, and this year’s Spirit Award winner will attend.

Afterwards, stick around for the Coaches Competition. Cheer on coaches as they solve a problem written especially for them. The competition is their chance to show off all the creative ideas they’ve kept to themselves during the year, so it’s sure to be fun!

Lied Recreation Center - Test your creativity and skill at the Odyssey of the Mind Association booths that offer various creative challenges. Arm & Hammer will also be back with a fun and interactive booth. NASA will have a digital presence. Also, visit the CCI pin exhibit for some Odyssey history, see the Ranatra Fusca trophy, and much more.

Great opportunity to get your team photo.

The Texas booth will for making officials thank you cards, as seen at our HARO and State tournaments.