Are you a new or potential coach interested in participating in the Montana Science Olympiad?  Do you need to garner school and community support to create a team?  The Science Math Resource Center offers additional support to first year schools and coaches to help get oriented and succeed.

Montana Science Olympiad · A Brief History

Founded in 1984, Science Olympiad is the premier team STEM competition in the nation, providing standards-based challengeto 6,000 teams at 425 tournaments in all 50 states.

Montana State University has hosted Science Olympiad since 1985, each year sending a top middle school (Division B) and a top high school (Division C) team to represent Montana at the National Science Olympiad.

Checklist for Starting a Team:

National Science Olympiad Overview

National Science Olympiad CEO Jennifer Kopach gives an excellent overview of Science Olympiad and all its benefits for students. Listen to the podcast HERE 

Visit the National Science Olympiad Website HERE.

Share this Video with parents, teachers, and administrators and feel the excitement of tournament day!

screenshot of videoMontana: How (and Why) to Start a Science Olympiad Team

Learn the nuts and bolts of Montana Science Olympiad plus tips from SciOly coaches. Recorded on Nov. 6, 2024.Watch the presentation HERE

Steps from the National Science Olympiad website on starting a team.  Science Olympiad requires not just a team of students but a team of mentors and other adults, so find individuals in your community to help out. A parent who works in construction could help with supplies for build events. If you are a chemistry teacher, ask other science teachers with better knowledge a different science field (i.e. biology or physics) to mentor students competing in events that relate to those fields. Parents, fellow teachers, community members, and local science museums are great places to look for extra support for you as a coach and for your students.

Fundraising Resources

The financial reality of forming a Science Olympiad team can be daunting.  From travel, hotels, food, science kits, materials, and more; financial resources are a necessity for the successful formation of a team.  Here are a few resources to get you started:

Veteran coaches, the MSU Science Olympiad Student Club members, and our staff can offer ideas for additional fundraising ideas.  Email us and we'll help you get started!  

Tournament Resources

General tips for getting started:

  1. Attend the Coaches' Kickoff, an online orientation for new and returning coaches, offered at the beginning of Science Olympiad season, typically early fall. 
  2. Subscribe to the Coach Newsletter, offering a wealth of timely and important information as the season progresses.
  3. Download the current rules manual(s) from the National Science Olympiad site. 
  4. Check the Montana Science Olympiad Events page to see which events are hosted in the Montana state tournament. Not every event at the national level is hosted at the Montana state tournament!
  5. Add the Montana Science Olympiad tournament date to your calendar · February 2026 - date TBA
  6. Secure support from your school administrators (see letter below) and start recruiting students for your team.
  7. Register your team by the deadline, then submit payment by the payment deadline. (Forms and deadlines are on the School Teams and Coaches page)

(These are just the first few steps; the video includes many more tips for recruiting and preparing your students)

Letter of support for School Administrators

Need a letter of support to show your school leaders the value of Science Olympiad? 

COMING SOON!

Coaches' Corner Newsletter

New, returning, and pending coaches will find vital information, deadlines, and resources in the Coaches' Corner Newsletter.  Subscribe today!  Encourage your team volunteers, parents and guardians; and any interested community member to subscribe and support your team!

Subscribe to the Coaches' Corner Newsletter HERE