Information about World Finals Competition in Iowa
Here is a summary of all the tasks you need to coordinate. And remember to delegate, this is a TEAM effort and that applies to team parents as well.
*** Bookmark this page to check on World Finals news frequently ! ***
Recent updates:
03/21/24 Opened WF webpage
03/28/24 Added Truck Co-op sign-up
04/03/24 Announcement: Team registration is not open yet. If anyone needs an invoice to get started with issuing a district or school check, please email details to wf@txodyssey.org.
04/04/24 Pin and Shirt online sales are now open again for any procrastinators or those who got that aha moment! Details here.
04/05/24 Team registration will be launched April 5-6. Coaches will receive an email from Odyssey HQ with username/password and instructions. Key Dates are updated accordingly.
04/06/24 Started publishing a web page with team fundraising efforts. Please visit it regularly.
04/07/24 Team registration has opened for TX. /…/
04/09/24 We published Tips for Packing Props.
04/09/24 Important Announcement: Odyssey HQ team have difficulties with their new system /…/
04/12/24 View the webpage that explains the dress code for teams at WF specific events. Which T-shirt at WF?
04/16/24 Buddy Team registrations is open. Sign-up here by April 23rd.
04/23/24 Starting Coach Binder webpage with all information to be gathered for the trip.
04/24/24 Extension of Pins & Shirt sales to May 2nd. Buy 5 get 1 free sales and trader packs as well.
04/26/24 Information pertaining to Team registration has been culled to make this page more readable.
04/27/24 SponTX challenge opens. Details here. Deadline to participate is May 12th.
04/30/24 The tentative team schedule is published. To view it by school, click here.
05/03/24 rsvp Opened for walking in the parades. Sign-up here by May 15th.
05/07/24 The FINAL team schedule is published. View TX teams by school here.
05/09/24 Explanation of Spontaneous Procedure is posted. Also Performance Site Details and Props Storage information is now available.
05/13/24 Three teams are awarded as SponTX challenge winners.
05/14/24 Preliminary Howdy Matrix is published for 48 hrs under Coach Binder page. Please report any concerns soon. Competition map v2 also published under Coach Binder page.
Coaches’ checklist for Team
Read all the information provided on this website. This is the general summary, we will keep updating as needed.
Read our Advice for World Finals Teams. This document has been compiled with advice from seasoned coaches and Odyssey officials. Even for coaches who have traveled to WF before, there is Iowa-specific information and tips.
Download the entire Coach Packet which includes information about housing, dining and much more.
A lot of information at the national website about World Finals that will be very useful in due time. Assign all your team parents to read through it as well. We will organize it and summarize it for you.
Pins & T-shirts
You will have one final opportunity to order for official TXOM pins and t-shirts while supplies last. Orders will open early April after the State competition, expect an email with instructions. One order per team, one team per order. ALL teams pay a handling fee, even if you pick-up your order (the website lists it as a “shipping” fee). Specific shirts are worn by all TX teams at specific events.
Due to time constraints, TXOM t-shirts and pins are ONLY available online with credit card pre-payment. Details here.
Transportation
Delegate someone to make travel arrangements for the team. Prices go up fast as the flights from Texas fill.
Arrange for travel. By air or road. Make plans as soon as possible. This is a very large event! The most common hub is Des Moines Airport (45 mins to Ames - $75 RT transfer available). Some teams travel through Cedar Rapids, IA (110 Mi away), also Omaha, NE (164 Mi away), Minneapolis, MN (223 Mi away) . If you do not have a car, you can book the special Odyssey DSM airport transfer here by May 3rd. The airport shuttle will drop you off at the location of team registration. After that, you will be using the free Odyssey campus shuttle.
If you are staying on campus, you should not need your own transportation. There will be a free shuttle service throughout the competition connecting the residence halls, central campus, and the competition sites. Parking on campus is very limited. You can park in a specific free lot (Iowa State Center) and take the campus OM shuttle to/from venues. There is also some paid parking on campus.
For those planning to use rideshare, please note that Lyft is more widely used in Iowa than Uber. Rideshare is available in Ames, but fairly new in Des Moines. Make arrangements timely.
Team Props
Make arrangements for team props to be transported. Each region has internal communications about shared trucks that go to WF one-way. Sign-up for Truck Co-op from Houston here.
Information about Props at ISU and how to pack them here.
Other topics
Coaches have the option to participate in the Coaches and Officials competition at WF. N/A for 2024, the event is replaced by a Tribute to Dr. Sam, Founder of Odyssey of the Mind, who passed away in April.
Plan some fundraising. Sometimes, fundraising goes on till summer to reimburse sponsors who helped fund the trip. It takes a village to send a team to World Finals. Don't be shy about asking for help but be specific about whom you are raising funds for. It will be more effective if the team "works" for it. We have shared some ideas here. Don't forget car washes, this is Texas, people wash cars multiple times!
Feel free to share with us your events.
Prepare:
Review State tournament scores and discuss with the team. Remember that the team can choose to change/improve areas of weakness or even start from scratch for World Finals.
Administrative Forms
Due to the system migration, all administrative forms should be brought in printed format in 2024.
Collate all forms BY FORM TYPE.
There are administrative forms for WF, keep them in your binder pocket A to present at team registration when you arrive. Those marked (x2) indicate that they must be signed by team parents and bring two copies. One for the coach and one for the team member/parent.
1) Team Contract at WF. It was included in your ATP. You only need one copy of this form, signed by the entire team present at WF.
2) A Media Release (x2) for each team member and each coach. This is different than at Region or State where all you had to do is mark a check box during online registration.
3) Liability Waiver Form (x2). The website does not specify but last year, they asked to have one form filled for every team member and every other person coming to campus as a spectator as well.
4) The Medical Information and Release form (x2) is different at WF as it is issued by the hosting campus. Please make sure that you prepare this ahead of time and print two copies each.5) ISU Health Service Medical form (x2) for each team member and each coach.
6) Finally, if you have team members from more than one school, you need a written confirmation in any format from the Principal of the other schools. For example, team A has one member from school B, then the coach needs to carry an written authorization (or email) from Principal of school B.Long Term Forms
Prepare a new set of team forms (outside assistance, cost form, style form, team required form, etc.). See the Coaches, Team FORMS in the navigation bar. You can choose to keep the same forms as you had at State or change them. Keep these forms in your binder pocket B to present to the pre-staging Judge at long-term competition. You do not present them at team registration.
AT WORLD FINALS:
Teams must check-in upon arrival at WF to pick-up their registration packet. Dorm assignments are provided at that time, as well as dining hall. See details in Coaches Packet.
Review location of your long-term competition site, spontaneous, Creativity Festival, as well as all other exciting activities. Map out a plan for each day allowing time to get across campus. Remember, this is a college campus. A free shuttle service is offered within the campus (Cy Ride). Here is a site map that we have compiled (coming early May). Inside the program that you receive at registration, is a more comprehensive map which also includes all the local shuttles. Cy Ride is the local city bus, and you can ride into town for free with your housing wristband.
Props are stored in designated locations within the same building as your competition venue. Teams are welcome to go any time and assemble, repair their props. It is recommended to take an old bed sheet to cover your "pile" and add a team identification sign in large print in order to avoid accidents. Competing teams have right of way, especially on busy days.
Teams do not provide a judge at WF. This is covered by our TXOM Officials who go represent all TX teams. However, there are volunteer expectations as follows. Each team will have a choice of 3 volunteer activities:
a) provide a volunteer for Pin and T-shirt fulfillment and shipping or pick-up (available to any volunteer who can physically come to our designated locations in Houston), OR
b) provide a volunteer for a shift at the Texas Creativity Festival booth in Iowa, OR
c) provide a volunteer to help chaperone the Texas delegation in the Opening Ceremonies Parade or the Float & Banner Parade (typically assigned to teams with members walking in the parades).
d) There are sometimes other options if we have sufficient teams participating, to help offload any props that arrive ahead of teams, and other such tasks)
Any team has the option of sending a volunteer to help us on fulfillment days or pickup day for the pin/t-shirt orders (limited spots), as long as that person can physically come to the work place in Houston. All shift times at Creativity Festival or parade chaperoning will be assigned to team based on their competition schedule and their Howdy schedule to ensure that there are no conflicts. This is for one person, approx. 2 to 3 hours shift.
In addition, every team is assigned "Howdy Spirit" by watching several other teams perform. Once the schedule is published, we will be assigning your team two performance slots for team and entire family to go cheer on. This is a requirement as part of Team Texas. We hope you will consider supporting even more teams than just the assigned slots. Go Team Texas!
Texas Odyssey have prepared an additional welcome gift pack for each WF team. Please come pick-up from our TX booth at Creativity Festival any time Wednesday afternoon or Thursday. Any team volunteer can also pick-up. Teams cannot pick up another team's gift packs.
Consult the national web site to find your team schedule for spontaneous and long term performance. Make sure that you check again after the schedule is final as changes do happen that could impact your preliminary slots. Check the World Finals FAQ for a link and dates when the schedule is posted.
We know you are even MORE excited and overwhelmed so ……… delegate, delegate, delegate!
Questions?
If you have questions about T-shirts and pins, contact preorders@txodyssey.org.
If you have questions about team process and administration or general information, contact anyone in the World Finals Committee who send you weekly newsletters, at wf@txodyssey.org. Please include your team name (school/ member #/ Prob/ Div) in all correspondence. This year’s WF Committee comprises of:
Lilian Wannall (Association Director, Emeritus), Suzanne Rieter (Association Director, Jr.), Gaby Komm (Merchandise Committee Chair), Kimi Morita (Howdy Rep).