Coaching a Nebraska Team

Who can coach a Nebraska Science Olympiad Team?

Coaches of Nebraska Science Olympiad teams can be anyone who the school is willing to support and provide the liability in their names for the team members during travel, practice, tournaments, etc. Coaches should have the following qualities:

• Anyone who loves science and competition.
• Anyone who has zeal and passion for authentic learning.
• Anyone who has a genuine interest in young people
• Anyone willing to stick with the team and see the job done.
• Anyone willing to take responsibility for the team at events.
• Anyone who wants to make a real difference in the lives of students.

New or Inexperienced?

• Check out our new companion guides. (Coming soon!)
• Write the State Director and request a Mentor (experience coach)
• Attend the Coaches Conference in October (Not required) - more info coming soon!
• Browse around this site but check out the National Science Olympiad site as well.

Policies

Read through all Nebraska Science Olympiad Policies here.

Find National Science Olympiad Policies here.

Registering and Payment

You should register as soon as possible once registration is opened for the tournament year. We make registration available shortly after we receive the rules from nationals, which usually happens at the beginning of September.

To register your teams, go to the Registration for Team Membership here.

The Division B and C manuals can be found here on the National Science Olympiad site (they may not be updated to the current year yet.)

About a week after you submit your payment, your team will appear on the Registered Teams Page. If this does not occur, please double check that the form submitted and your internet didn’t time out or block it from going through, especially if you are on a school computer. If you paid by check, additional time may be needed to verify your team memberhip.

Tournament Dates

These are released as far in advance as possible, usually by Sept 1. Please use the naviagation at the top of the page named "Tournaments" for up to date information.

Ideas for Recruiting Students

• Make general announcements over the school’s PA.
• Post fliers around the school.
• Add it to the school's website.
• Ask other teachers to nominate students, then send them a letter starting with “Congratulations, you’ve been nominated by ____ for the Science Olympiad Team.”
• Some teachers work Science Olympiad in as part of a student’s grade in their science class, or as extra credit, or to replace another project.

Assigning Students to Events

You will want to assign students to events as soon as possible so that they can have as much preparation time as needed. Each student can participate in up to four events, each with at least one teammate. They do not need to have the same teammate for each event.

Recruiting Help

Look everywhere! Recruit parents, other teachers, professionals in the community, elementary and middle schools should ask their high schools if their science olympiad teams will help. You can also search for local clubs in your area, like Astronomy clubs, Fossil clubs, Construction companies, Engineering companies, etc. If there is a nearby community college, museum, or other educational resource, look there! Many of these places have a variety of organizations looking for ways to get more involved in the community.

What Can Parents Do?

• Apprenticeship: Parents cannot build a device for their child, but they can teach their child how to do it or find someone who can, much like an apprenticeship program. Remember, the student will be questioned about their device and how it was made, if an event leader has reason to believe the student did not build the device they can be disqualified. The student needs to do the final work themselves!
• Practice Facilitator: Often the assistance a student needs is simply in being able to meet with their partner to practice on their event(s). Practices likely be held before or after school in the coaches classroom. For some students, meeting one on one at one of the team member houses can greatly increase productivity without the distraction of other students practicing other events.
• Progress Checker: Assists the head coach with keeping track of everyone’s progress. Adequate progress and testing should be made on building events, and notebooks should be growing for content events.
• Snacks: Parents can be a great resource for snacks, though this should never be mandatory.
• Resource Finder: Have this parent google search for additional resources or approach local businesses and organizations to recruit help or to donate materials.
• Fundraising Chair: Have this person set up restaurant fundraising nights, contact businesses for financial support, write blurbs for donorschoose.org, or even write a grant!
• Tournament Day Help: You will always need parents on tournament day to keep an eye on things, make that run to a nearby store when you realize someone forgot their safety glasses, help make sure students make it to their events on time, get lunch, or handle any other situations that may arise.
• More Policies for Parents

About Fundraising

There’s the traditional standbys of bake sales and car washes, but you can also find money in other ways:

• Ask your PTA for support, to pay your registration, send you to the coaches institute, or purchase some build supplies.
• Local restaurants will often host a fundraiser night. Don’t be afraid to call a local restaurant and ask!
• Search for and apply for a STEM grant.
• Approach your county science supervisor with other coaches from your area for ideas within your own county or community.

How Do I Learn More About The Events?

• Coaches Conference (Tentatively planned for October 2026. More infomation coming soon.)
• Visiting the "2026 Events" tab in the navigation section. (More information will be added as avaiable.)
• Visiting the National Science Olympiad Website Event Table where there will be links to a page dedicated to each event with descriptions, pictures, videos, handouts, worksheets, presentations, links, old tests, and other resources.

Materials and Costs

There are a variety of costs associated with having a team. The only recurring costs are the registration fee for your team(s) or the Coaches Institutes. Other than that, most materials once purchased can be used over and over again (rocket launcher, bridge testing block, rock/fossil sets, glassware, safety glasses) or only need to be replaced when they run out (paper, tape, super glue, batteries, balsa wood). It is possible to run a team for a few hundred dollars, it is also possible to run a team for a few thousand dollars. Neither is necessarily better or worse. It mostly depends on how creative you are with resources, and how many things you buy as opposed to borrowing, checking out from the library, etc.

Annual expenses:
-Team registration
-Coaches Institute registration (optional but highly recommended, TBD)

Possible one time expenses:

• (example) Bottle Rocket Launcher ($50-$300 range)
• (example) Compressor for launcher if desired, or bike pump
• (example) Airplane Gliders for students to practice with for the Aerial Scramble Event
• Reference books (Vary by event)
• Specimen sets (Vary by event)
• Protective eyewear (for event they are required for only)
• Motors and multimeter if desired

Recurring expenses, refill as they run out:

• Chemicals for practice (Vary by event)
• Balsa wood, glue for towers, helicopters, etc (buy in bulk online cheap)
• Wires and bulbs if desired by student designs
• paper, glue, binders, pens, calculators, rulers, etc. as needed

Many supplies can be found in recycling bins, such as bottles and cardboard for rockets, practice items for Write It Do It, Mystery Arch, or Experimental Design, old CD’s for vehicle wheels, paint sticks or scrap wood remnants from the cutting section at Home Depot or Lowes for larger scale construction events. You can also go outside and pick up your own specimens for events like Rocks, Bugs, or Trees.

Student Roles

Some roles that teams have told us they have:

• Team Captain: Takes a leadership role with the team, may help set the practice schedule or recruit other students, organizes team activities, and may also do any of the duties listed below.
• Website Watcher: Monitors the website and checks frequently for tournament updates, event clarifications, and new resources.
• Progress Monitor: Keeps track of everyone’s progress. Makes sure devices are being built, required processes are being learned.
• Paper Person: This student makes sure all the team paperwork gets done, rosters are filled out and signed by the principal,pPermission slips are brought back, copies of the schedule and maps are made for everyone, etc.